Taking a 'Mental Health Holiday' : My Trip to Edinburgh
Last week I read an article about how taking a holiday is statistically proven to improve your mental health and to be honest, the moment I read it, I was sold. Before I went away, life had unexpectedly got a lot more stressful for me and I felt as though I really needed a break. Reading that article was just what I needed to give me the push to book something.
It suddenly occurred to me just how much I love exploring new places and that there are so many cities that I'm always saying I'd love to see but I never make it happen. I thought to myself, why should I allow the fact that I hadn't arranged for anyone else to go with me stop me from exploring the places I want to go? My answer - I shouldn't. So that was it. Straight after reading the article I booked myself a short three day break to Edinburgh. Call it impulsive, spontaneous, a spare of the moment decision but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made recently.
The Benefits of Taking a Solo Trip:
~ You can go exactly where you want when you want
~ You can spend all your time away doing the things that you enjoy
~ You can sleep for however long you want, eat when you want to eat and take a rest when ever you need one
~ It gives you a sense of independence and accomplishment
~ You are granted time to step back, reflect on your life and just be
Don't get me wrong, I do like going on holidays with other people! I go away on holidays with my friends and family every year and always have a lovely time. I just find it really helps me in my recovery sometimes to go away on my own as well. It gives me some space to get away from the stresses and strains, focus on myself, where I am in my life and where I want it to go.
Why I like taking trips away on my own:
~ It makes me realise how much I am capable of
~ It allows me to create new memories for myself which will eventually replace the bad ones
~ I find it exciting to explore new places - it makes a nice change to walk new paths rather than the ones I'm used to
~ It challenges me to take responsibility for my recovery - I have no one watching over me who will notice if I don't eat and so I have to eat entirely off my own back
~ It challenges me to manage my mental health problems when away from familiar surroundings
~ It gives me a sense of independence - it builds my confidence when I see that I am able to plan a whole trip for myself
~ It gives me a chance to be a bit selfish and do the things that make me happy and that I enjoy
~ There is just something about walking across a beautiful landscape or taking in new sights and sounds that has such a positive impact on me
I find a bit of peace with myself :)
My Trip to Edinburgh
Edinburgh was far more beautiful (and hilly) than I could have ever imagined. I was very lucky with the weather though - it was a little chilly but very sunny, so much so that I even got sunburnt! I traveled by train so had a long six and a half hour journey each way but it gave me the opportunity to pass the time by starting to write up my dissertation (a mammoth task!). I only had one full day in Edinburgh but as you can see from the photos - I certainly made the most of it. In fact, I worked out afterwards that I had walked 20 miles! I would really not recommend covering that much ground in one day, there is a lot to see so you could easily split the trip over a few days, I just got very carried away in the moment.
My hotel was situated a little way out of the city centre on the Water of Leith pathway which was convenient as I began my full day by walking the pathway all the way to the Leith Docks. The walk was so peaceful and tranquil - I love to just be able able to hear the sound of water trickling down a stream. The docks were a bit of a maze to get out of but Leith was very picturesque with a number of impressive boats to take in. Once I eventually found my way out of the docks, I walked along the coast line to Portobello Beach and this is probably the part of the trip that stands out most in my mind. It was also most probably the section of the walk where I gained my beetroot-like complexion! As you probably know if you've read some of my other blog posts, I absolutely love the beach as I find it so calming and Portobello Beach was no exception. It was sandy, largely undisturbed and simply breathtaking.
Next I headed to the Holyrood Mountains. Up until my trip, I had no idea that these mountains even existed but you certainly can't miss them when you're in Edinburgh. They are a really good landmark to use actually as they give you a sense of where you are in relation to the city. As tempted as I was to join the walkers clambering over the mountains, I decided to take the more flat and sensible route of walking around them. At the foot of the mountain there was the most beautiful lake filled with swans. I have a bit of a soft spot for swans so there were many good photo opportunities at this point with the mountains as the back drop. On the other side of the mountains, I came across a small loch, Duddingston Loch, again filled with swans and I sat by it for quite a long period of time as it was so quiet and peaceful. Also by that point, my legs were in serious need of a rest!
Once I made it back around to my starting point at the foot of the mountains, I went briefly across to Figgate Park, which to be honest, I was a bit disappointed by. Saying that, I had just walked the whole way around a mountain. I then set out back towards the city centre (going via a Morrisons) to climb Calton Hill and believe me, it really is quite a work out to get up there! I did see someone manage it with a pushchair though! It was so worth it though for the panoramic views I got up there across the whole city. It was amazing just how far you could see out and I was incredibly lucky to see it just as the sun was going down. I also got a sense of how far I had walked that day and was in a state of shock! I ambled back down the hill into the city, grabbed some dinner and ate it in Princes Park. There are so many green spaces in Edinburgh city centre and the architecture all around is simply incredible so there is no shortage of places to sit and enjoy. I then managed to haul my aching body back to the hotel for the evening for a much needed hot bath.
During the rest of my time in Edinburgh, I mainly explored the city centre. I visited the National Gallery but also had a good look around the shops :)
They have a huge Primark there so I was in heaven!
I think we all need a break from time to time and it can be so good for us. It's such a shame that so many people have all these places that they'd love to go and explore and yet somehow it never happens. Sometimes it's just about finding that little thing to push us to make it happen. You never know perhaps it will be reading this blog post...
It suddenly occurred to me just how much I love exploring new places and that there are so many cities that I'm always saying I'd love to see but I never make it happen. I thought to myself, why should I allow the fact that I hadn't arranged for anyone else to go with me stop me from exploring the places I want to go? My answer - I shouldn't. So that was it. Straight after reading the article I booked myself a short three day break to Edinburgh. Call it impulsive, spontaneous, a spare of the moment decision but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made recently.
The Benefits of Taking a Solo Trip:
~ You can go exactly where you want when you want
~ You can spend all your time away doing the things that you enjoy
~ You can sleep for however long you want, eat when you want to eat and take a rest when ever you need one
~ It gives you a sense of independence and accomplishment
~ You are granted time to step back, reflect on your life and just be
Don't get me wrong, I do like going on holidays with other people! I go away on holidays with my friends and family every year and always have a lovely time. I just find it really helps me in my recovery sometimes to go away on my own as well. It gives me some space to get away from the stresses and strains, focus on myself, where I am in my life and where I want it to go.
Why I like taking trips away on my own:
~ It makes me realise how much I am capable of
~ It allows me to create new memories for myself which will eventually replace the bad ones
~ I find it exciting to explore new places - it makes a nice change to walk new paths rather than the ones I'm used to
~ It challenges me to take responsibility for my recovery - I have no one watching over me who will notice if I don't eat and so I have to eat entirely off my own back
~ It challenges me to manage my mental health problems when away from familiar surroundings
~ It gives me a sense of independence - it builds my confidence when I see that I am able to plan a whole trip for myself
~ It gives me a chance to be a bit selfish and do the things that make me happy and that I enjoy
~ There is just something about walking across a beautiful landscape or taking in new sights and sounds that has such a positive impact on me
I find a bit of peace with myself :)
My Trip to Edinburgh
Edinburgh was far more beautiful (and hilly) than I could have ever imagined. I was very lucky with the weather though - it was a little chilly but very sunny, so much so that I even got sunburnt! I traveled by train so had a long six and a half hour journey each way but it gave me the opportunity to pass the time by starting to write up my dissertation (a mammoth task!). I only had one full day in Edinburgh but as you can see from the photos - I certainly made the most of it. In fact, I worked out afterwards that I had walked 20 miles! I would really not recommend covering that much ground in one day, there is a lot to see so you could easily split the trip over a few days, I just got very carried away in the moment.
My hotel was situated a little way out of the city centre on the Water of Leith pathway which was convenient as I began my full day by walking the pathway all the way to the Leith Docks. The walk was so peaceful and tranquil - I love to just be able able to hear the sound of water trickling down a stream. The docks were a bit of a maze to get out of but Leith was very picturesque with a number of impressive boats to take in. Once I eventually found my way out of the docks, I walked along the coast line to Portobello Beach and this is probably the part of the trip that stands out most in my mind. It was also most probably the section of the walk where I gained my beetroot-like complexion! As you probably know if you've read some of my other blog posts, I absolutely love the beach as I find it so calming and Portobello Beach was no exception. It was sandy, largely undisturbed and simply breathtaking.
Next I headed to the Holyrood Mountains. Up until my trip, I had no idea that these mountains even existed but you certainly can't miss them when you're in Edinburgh. They are a really good landmark to use actually as they give you a sense of where you are in relation to the city. As tempted as I was to join the walkers clambering over the mountains, I decided to take the more flat and sensible route of walking around them. At the foot of the mountain there was the most beautiful lake filled with swans. I have a bit of a soft spot for swans so there were many good photo opportunities at this point with the mountains as the back drop. On the other side of the mountains, I came across a small loch, Duddingston Loch, again filled with swans and I sat by it for quite a long period of time as it was so quiet and peaceful. Also by that point, my legs were in serious need of a rest!
Once I made it back around to my starting point at the foot of the mountains, I went briefly across to Figgate Park, which to be honest, I was a bit disappointed by. Saying that, I had just walked the whole way around a mountain. I then set out back towards the city centre (going via a Morrisons) to climb Calton Hill and believe me, it really is quite a work out to get up there! I did see someone manage it with a pushchair though! It was so worth it though for the panoramic views I got up there across the whole city. It was amazing just how far you could see out and I was incredibly lucky to see it just as the sun was going down. I also got a sense of how far I had walked that day and was in a state of shock! I ambled back down the hill into the city, grabbed some dinner and ate it in Princes Park. There are so many green spaces in Edinburgh city centre and the architecture all around is simply incredible so there is no shortage of places to sit and enjoy. I then managed to haul my aching body back to the hotel for the evening for a much needed hot bath.
During the rest of my time in Edinburgh, I mainly explored the city centre. I visited the National Gallery but also had a good look around the shops :)
They have a huge Primark there so I was in heaven!
I think we all need a break from time to time and it can be so good for us. It's such a shame that so many people have all these places that they'd love to go and explore and yet somehow it never happens. Sometimes it's just about finding that little thing to push us to make it happen. You never know perhaps it will be reading this blog post...
Happy Holidays,
The One Day Seeker
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