Scotland: Arthur's Seat and City Lights

As if we hadn't already crammed our Saturday full of amazing things, Tera and I decided we needed to experience Edinburgh at night, on top of Arthur's Seat (that dormant volcano we ran up earlier that day during our 10K).

This little building was off the side of the road on our walk there. Basically one of the cutest things I've ever encountered. It was so small! And it looked like it belonged in a Disney movie. The seven dwarfs could have made a very happy home in there.

We made our way to this point, and weren't really sure which way to go. We had heard that there were a couple of ways to get to the top...the meandering path (easier) or the hundreds of stairs straight up (more challenging). We decided to look for the stairs.

I turned around in the same spot I was standing in the picture above and looked back toward the city. Calton Hill (where the columns are) is in the background. Pretty pretty.

Remember how we decided to look for the stairs? We looked. We thought we saw some stairs and headed that way. They were sort of like stairs...at least what we thought stairs on a Scottish extinct volcano trail would look like.

But shortly after they started, they stopped. We turned around and tried a different way.

We walked along with the sky getting darker and darker. We weren't completely sure we were on the right path, but figured we would get there eventually. It didn't really matter, the company was good and we were in no sort of hurry. I can't even explain how strange and awesome it is to have a night with nothing to do except explore at your own pace, not worrying about getting home for anything. A real treat.

I took a picture of this and thought that maybe one day I would track down my Geology teacher from college and send it to him. I think he might appreciate it.

Tera took a picture of a mountain goat she saw. The view has to be up here somewhere!


We came around a bend and all of a sudden we saw what we had been looking for. Who knows if we ever made it to the actual top of Arthur's seat. But this was a crowning moment to the whole wonderful day.

A little more zoomed in.

When I look at those pictures I remember that night. How I felt like this whole experience in Scotland was a gift from Heavenly Father. Surrounded by great friends and amazing experiences, I felt like he was saying, "You did it. You made it to the end of this time spent away from your husband. Enjoy, and know that you are loved." It sounds completely silly when I type it out like that, but it truly is how I felt. Thank you Tera for sharing this crowning moment with me. It is a night I do not intend to forget.