Edinburgh - Cute commute

I may not love work but at least I love the commute: under the beautiful blossom tree in the local park which is outrageously pink just now; up the lovely line of the Innocent Railway bike path listening to the morning birdsong; below the crags of the ancient volcano, Arthur's seat, where the gorse smells of coconut; passed the cute canal boats; round my favourite bend in the canal where Polwarth Church reflects in the water and the view opens up to the Pentland Hills; then finally alongside the city's new tram line.

Edinburgh - A little bit of wildness

For a number of reasons I've been stuck in the city these last few weekends. I'm lucky that just a few minutes from home by Brompton I have the huge green space around the old house at Newhailes where I can breath in the open air and stretch the legs. A maze of paths meander through the woods and just now bluebells, periwinkles and wood anemones carpet the ground. There's a large open pasture as well with open views to the Pentland Hills and across the blue waters of the Firth of Forth. It's so nice to have it right on the doorstep for that sense of space and a little bit of wildness in the city.