So, this weekend marks possibly the last time in a long, long while that my wife and I will get to visit Edinburgh. Our daughter graduated last summer after a 4 year course and an aborted start due to Covid, so she has been at or close to Edinburgh for 6 years.
She worked the past 12 months in the Kimpton Hotel in Charlotte Square, one of their restaurants, and enjoyed living in a flat (a bit of a dump) near the beautiful Meadows. We have fallen in love ourselves with Edinburgh. I can say without fear or favour, it is the most beautiful and characterful City in the UK, possibly close to the top (if not top) in Europe and certainly in the top cities in the world.
She is leaving though - the good news is she (after lots of applications!) has managed to get a career job linked to her geography degree and starts a job in her chosen field in 2 weeks time. Which is great and she is delighted to have got. The bad news is that (and not by design!) the job is in York and near to home - or close enough to home that she will live with us whilst it starts and she sees how it and life develops! So daughter back home. We get on famously with her but I know it will have her challenges!! Oh heck!!
She is also sad, personally, to leave Edinburgh - it is her city, now. She loves it there, has good friends there, she has a boyfriend still there.
So feelings are mixed, hope and excitement and opportunity tinged with sadness, anxiety and wistfulness.
For us, we will miss our regular visits up - I am sure we will have some in the future - and we will miss the heavily discounted friends and family rates at the IHG hotels that we have taken advantage of, both their and around the world. Dang.
Life seemed v simple and everyone in their right place in the world. Son 200 miles away in London, living in Hampstead. Tick. Daughter , 200 miles away living in Edinburgh. Tick. Us in the middle in Harrogate. Seemed like life was just where we wanted it - both in great cities and places to visit, and 2 hours away by train. Sadly, life doesnt stand still and another chapter starts.
So, this weekend - last trip to stay over in Edinburgh, a couple of weeks time up again to transport daughter and her stuff back home and, then, tatty bye Edinburgh!!
Will ye no' come back again? Will ye no' come back again? Better lo'ed ye canna be Will ye no' come back again?
As an aside. We will certainly come back and often, just won't be quite the same. Being truthful, I've lived in the South East in a number of places - Twickenham, Staines, Kingston, Kew - but would never be drawn to live there again - partly cost, partly the hustle and bustle; love to visit just wouldn't live. I've lived in Newcastle at and after Uni; I've lived in Derby for work; Crewe also for work; Doncaster for work. None of those would draw me back for choice. Our son was at Oxford Uni but it never charmed me at all as I thought and expected it might, for whatever reason - a bit too much like being in a suburb of London, and surprisingly grimy and cluttered - but that is a personal reflection!
I've visited all the UK for business or pleasure and none would draw me to live there, perhaps Bath would maybe have some tempation.
Apart from where we do live, Harrogate, which we love and plan to stay, the only place in the UK that would tempt me to live is Edinburgh.
Not to damn anywhere else, just that nowhere else has captured our hearts to the extent we would be willing to move there.
Several none UK places, with Palma and Lake Garda area at the top, would appeal enough to consider living there!
I guess everyone has a place that does that for them! it's Edinburgh that has done it in the UK, for us.
-- Edited by JonH on Sunday 11th of October 2026 07:19:40 AM
