The best way to get to the Highlands from London is by the Caledonian Sleeper train. Photo / VisitScotland, Paul Tomkins
Tamara Hinson explores two of the UK’s top cities, London and Edinburgh – and finds out how the Caledonian Sleeper train service makes it easier than ever to combine the two.
Don’t get me wrong. On a cold winter’s day, nothing beats pounding the streets of London’s city centre, whether it’s along Oxford St or Covent Garden, with its buskers and bars. But England’s colder months are also great opportunities for subterranean explorations, and one of the newest options is the London Transport Museum’s tours of Euston Station’s disused underground tunnels, abandoned as the world’s first underground network expanded, but perfectly preserved.
The London underground dates back to 1863, and these tunnels were once part of the Charing Cross, Euston and Hampstead Railway, built in 1891. The tours are organised by the London Transport Museum, and as we’re led into the tunnel depths via a door in Euston underground station which I’ve passed countless times, our guide points out scarlet tiles (a shade known as oxblood, and one beloved by Leslie Green, who designed dozens of underground stations in the 1900s), old ticket booths and faded movie posters, including one for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, released in 1960.
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Not that there aren’t plenty of reasons to head above ground, too. Covent Garden might well be a tourist magnet but it’s also got some of London’s best independent restaurants, which is why I’d suggest bypassing the buskers and making a beeline for Plume. The blue plaque near this wine bar’s entrance hints at its rich history – in the 1800s it was Charles Dickens’ office.
It’s both cosy and quirky – my armchair-like seat has a cushion bearing a Renaissance-style portrait of George Clooney, and the menu’s packed with comfort food – I opt for the delicious NYC hot dog, served with gherkins and crispy onions, washed down with a Dickens Punch, made with spiced rum and orange (a fun fact – the bard’s tipple of choice was a pint of champagne).
Another great spot is the nearby Ham Yard Bar and Restaurant, famous for its Long Lunch – picture a Sunday lunch but bigger, better and boozier. You’ll get three courses (for the main, I recommend the beef rump, Yorkshire pudding and horseradish) and a glass of champagne for $115.
Combining London with Edinburgh became even easier in 2019 when the new fleet of Caledonian Sleeper trains rolled out. In my twin bunk room, a mattress made by Glencraft (the brand beloved by the British royals, no less), a complimentary eye mask and a cloud-like duvet mean I’m heading for the land of nod moments after my train slides out of Euston station at 11.45pm. The downside? The painful arrival time – I arrive into Edinburgh at 7.30am.
Thankfully, I’ve chosen my accommodation wisely – not only is the historic Scotsman Hotel metres from the station, but after I stagger into the lobby, blinking and bleary-eyed, the sympathetic staff offer me an early check-in. The hotel is perfectly located, perched on the North Bridge between the old and new town. It’s also close to the city’s newest attraction – Edinburgh Gin’s distillery and visitor centre, which opened in December 2024.
There aren’t many occasions when I find myself sipping gin pre-midday, although the plentiful samples are just one of many reasons to join the daily tours. The other is the insight into Edinburgh’s connections with gin. I discover that Edinburgh doctor George Cleghorn wrote numerous papers about quinine - more specifically its ability to protect against malaria – in the 18th century. Royal Navy sailors were subsequently given quinine (used in tonic water) as part of their rations, and they mixed it with gin to reduce the quinine’s bitterness. Later, another Edinburgh doctor, James Lind, discovered that citrus – particularly limes - helped sailors recover from scurvy. Lime joined gin and quinine on sailors’ list of rations, and the modern-day gin and tonic was born. Sort of.
There are more tributes to Edinburgh at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, famous for its new Storytellers of Edinburgh Afternoon Tea, served at the Hotel’s One Square Bar and Brasserie, and created as an homage to the finest local suppliers. I justify the calories by telling myself I’m lining my stomach in preparation for my visit to another Edinburgh attraction, Princes St’s Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky Experience Edinburgh and its Journey of Flavour, a 90-minute tour which provides an insight into the whisky brand founded in 1820 while busting various whisky-related myths.
I’ll avoid any spoilers, but it’s incredibly hi-tech – there are theatrical performances, stunning light projections and plenty of interactive experiences, including the chance to pour your own bespoke cocktail from a machine which dispenses your perfect whisky-based drink (a pre-tour taste test and hidden microchipped glasses are key to this particularly whisky wizardry).
Afterwards, I realise I’ve got just enough time for one more foray underground – this time Mercat Tours’ guided explorations of the Edinburgh vaults, a network of subterranean chambers which date back to the 1700s, and which were used as taverns, beer cellars and illegal gambling dens before local authorities evicted the (mostly illegal) tenants in the late 1800s. They were only rediscovered in the 1980s, and on tours of this dark, damp labyrinth, my guide shows me various artefacts found here, including animal bones and leather shoes made by 18th century cobblers.
It’s almost time to hop on the Caledonian Sleeper for the overnight journey back to London, so I opt for a nightcap at one of the many bars putting Edinburgh’s cocktail scene firmly on the map. The W Edinburgh hotel’s Joao’s Place is a speakeasy-style bar in the swanky St James Quarter, and it’s the perfect place to toast the year ahead. The menu’s inspired by São Paulo’s Liberdade neighbourhood, aka the world’s biggest Japantown. Which might not sound very Scottish, but you’ll find numerous ingredients which make the cocktails ideal winter warmers for chilly nights in Scotland’s capital, whether it’s the Welcome to Liberdade, a whisky-based concoction with a honeycomb hit, or the Tropicalismo, made with citrus gin, passionfruit and lime.
I board the Caledonian Sleeper minutes before it departs and, perhaps unsurprisingly, fall into a deep slumber the moment my head hits the pillow. And, I suspect, considering my weekend’s gin consumption, with lifetime immunity from scurvy and malaria. That’s what I call a win.
GETTING THERE
Fly from Auckland to London with one stopover with multiple airlines, including Qatar Airways, Emirates, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, often on a Star Alliance Codeshare basis.
DETAILS
The Caledonian Sleeper train departs London’s Euston station. The Lowland Sleeper takes roughly 7.5 hours to reach Glasgow and Edinburgh. It departs at 11.45pm (11.30pm on Sundays) and arrives around 7.20am.
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From skipping the queues to planning your parade spot, here's all you need to know.