I’m so lucky to have this beautiful expanse of countryside right on my doorstep. Holyrood Park is a magical place – you don’t have to walk far and you could completely forget that you’re in a capital city. It feels wild and solitary even though it’s surrounded by urban sprawl. Nature is powerful and resilient but humanity is the biggest threat to its existence. In areas of the world which we have tragically made inhospitable for our own species – Vietnam after the war, littered with unexploded mines, Hiroshima and Chernobyl after nuclear disasters, infused with radiation –plants and non-human animals flourish against all the odds. The way that Arthur’s Seat stands its ground in Edinburgh, the old volcano dominating manmade buildings, is a comforting symbol to me that nature will always prevail. The Innocent Railway Line used to be one of the railway lines in Edinburgh, before Waverley Station was built and a new line constructed through Princes Street Gardens. Now, it’s a public footpath that winds along the bottom of Arthur’s seat and past Duddingston Loch. It’s a great spot for blackberry picking in autumn, fyi. The Innocent Railway Tunnel still exists although the entrance is concealed at the bottom of a housing estate and pretty hard to find. It’s gloriously creepy – the lights flicker, the ceiling drips, and it’s deceptively long. The light at the end of the tunnel seems to never get closer as you walk further along.
Outfit Details: Dress, Vintage (PicknWeight, Berlin) / Jumper, ASOS (Old) / Hat, Charity Shop (Loros, Loughborough) / Coat, Vintage (Inherited from my Grandma) / Shoes, Emilio Luca X Brantano
I decided to get wrapped up for a walk through the park. I swear it’s not still gloves weather in Scotland but I’m suffering from some painful eczema at the moment, so I keep my gloves on when I can to protect my hands from the elements. This dress is another one that I picked up at the PicknWeight Vintage shop in Berlin. The ties by the collar are a little frayed and make me look scruffy but I like it that way – it suits my scruffy personality. Long dresses with cropped jumpers are like a uniform for me, so I get a lot of wear out of this dress. It’s not quite an Indian gauze dress but it’s got a similar vibe and I love the colours. I have this perfect cream coloured cropped fluffy jumper that’s so well loved it’s lost its stretch and has come apart at the seams. I bought this black jumper that I’m wearing in the hopes of replacing it and although it’s pretty cute it’s stiff around the arms so it’s not quite as comfy. The search goes on!
Outfit looks great & the scenery’s spectacular! Thanks for all the piccies ~
xx
Thanks Del! x
How lovely to have a green spot in the city. I love places like that. Little pockets of nature in the cities.
WE are lucky to live in a very green place, not a big city at all really… and so we have a lot of beautiful trees and plants. I like your optimism about nature prevailing. Sometimes it looks very very bleak. I know little good bits happen, and big ones too. But we humans are such consumers and wasteful too. It’s hard to be chipper sometimes… .BUT I love this outlook. I’ll now channel it when I’m feeling “grim about the mouth”. I love this dress too. It seems like it would be lovely year-round. 
XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
Having a little nature in the city is so important! There’s actually something called nature deficit disorder where the fewer trees there are on your street / the less opportunity you have to interact with nature on a daily depressed the more likely you are to be depressed. It’s quite scary really! We are very wasteful as a species but I think we are also creative and there’s so many good things happening – I am optimistic about the future. x
Jess these photos are beautiful as always, you’ve certainly trained James up to be a natural (assuming he took these)! I’m so glad you showed me this place I was just thinking about that tunnel the other and how insane and affecting it was. I really hope your eczema gets a bit better too that must be so irritating! xxx
Yes, this was a photo session with James! He’s getting pretty good isn’t he? It was funny, as we were taking these there was a guy there day drinking and chatting to us – I think we’d stolen his hangout spot. He’s in the background of quite a few of my photos. I’m so glad you liked it there! x
Your site is awesome! Love your style
Thanks for the lovely comment! x
Wow, you are such a beauty!
Your look is dope! Love your pretty skirt!
XX,
Photography & Fashion Blog
CHRISTINA KEY
http://www.CHRISTINAKEY.com
♥
Thank you! It’s actually a dress but I’m really pleased with it, I wear it all the time
i’ve hardly explored holyrood park at all, and it does seem awesome! these are some lovely shots, and i’m definitely planning a blackberry picking trip, ha! also, i’m loving your coat! clothes inherited from grandmas are the best:-) xxx
The blackberry picking season always seems so short, but it’s amazing to be able to forage for wild berries like that, even in the city! Holyrood Park is really one of my favourite places, there’s so much to explore x
Wow, such beautiful photos! I love your outfit and the lovely backdrop! You remind me a bit of Effy from Kids in the pics!
Bad Taste Toast – My Life and Style in Düsseldorf
Thank you! Do you mean Effy from Skins? If so, people used to tell me that all the time when I was a teenager. I don’t mind though, I would love to look like her! x
You look super beautiful Jess!!! I love and miss Edinburgh. Cannot WAIT to be there soon xx
Ahw thank you lovely and yes, Edinburgh is the best. Come back soon, I have more places to show you! xxx
Ah, in love with your hat and that fun skirt. Amd what a beautiful scenery!
-Kati
Thanks Kati! The scenery is beautiful isn’t it, I can’t believe it’s just a short walk from where I live xx