Back to Old Blighty

An early start in Ieper saw us arrive at the Calais ferry terminal as the previous ferry was boarding, so we were offered the earlier ferry. It was a beautiful, sunny morning, which meant that the white, chalk cliffs of Dover were shining in the sunlight. 

 The extra time we had made up was soon lost however, when the M25 became a carpark and we sat still  in traffic for at least an hour. needing a break and some sustenance, we stopped for a late lunch in Cambridge - famous for the university.

 Back on the road, we headed north and found a quaint little village just off the main highway, called Boroughbridge. The beautiful, historic Crown Hotel was our stop for the night and we were spoiled with leisure club facilities, (ie: hot tub) and a full English breakfast.

The countryside featured rolling hills and a patchwork of crops and fields for cows and sheep.

 Close to Newcastle, we came upon The Angel of the North, which is an iron sculpture by Antony Gormley. It overlooks what used to be known as the Great North Road and its foundations are set in old mine shafts.

 The next distraction from the long drive towards Scotland, was a quick visit to Alnwick Castle, which was used in many of the castle scenes in the Harry Potter movies.

We arrived in Edinburgh in the afternoon, and checked in to the only available accommodation within our price range - a Snooze Box. We settled on a Snooze Box because Edinburgh is practically booked out, due to the Royal Military Tattoo and the Fringe Festival being on this month. It would be safe to say that we stayed in the newest, most up to the minute digs in the city of Edinburgh, mainly because it is a portable hotel. There are 4 sleeping 'spaces' (and I use the term 'spaces' loosely) in each shipping container and they are each fitted out with a double and a single bed, an ensuite bathroom and air-conditioning. The 120 or so rooms will be packed onto trucks and moved to the next city holding a festival to provide extra accommodation. Great idea - interesting experience!