As regular readers know, it’s my 50th this year and I originally had Big Plans. Like most people, though, 2020 has scuppered them, so I was thrilled when I got a chance to still do at least one thing I had on the list – go to Edinburgh to see my friends A & J.

I admit I was a bit nervous about travelling on a train, but the journey was OK (though it did feel slightly weird to be wearing a mask the whole way.) A & J live in Queensferry so we were away from the bustle of the city, and decided to mostly focus on things we could do outdoors. This meant a day trip to the coast, where we took in some gorgeous scenery even though the weather wasn’t great. A wander round Culross, which features some surprisingly Mediterranean looking architecture in the form of Culross Palace (alas, closed, but I will definitely revisit); a brief stop at North Queensferry, and even popping to see ‘the pineapple’, which is a Scottish National Trust building famous for its unusual decoration. This was all topped by a drive-by that evening to see the Kelpies illuminated (though I couldn’t get a good photo of that as I was basically hanging out of a car window).

Mostly though it was great to just have a change of scenery and company. A & J were fantastic hosts – J cooked delicious food and even made me a birthday cake (with a fairly spectacular candle, since no blowing out allowed now!) and the fizz and conversation kept flowing all weekend. Proving once again that whatever 2020 brings, at least our friends will get us through it.