BEST BEACH


It’s a famous one of course, but I have to mention Barra. I've only been there once, when I was making a television programme in the 90s, but everyone had talked about the fact that the plane lands on the beach. I thought, for the experience, I should really do this once. It was such a beautiful day and I feared it would it be an anti-climax, but it was every bit as breathtaking as other people had described. I also have to mention Yellowcraig Beach. It has amazing family memories, of driving slowly down the coast and setting up camp there for fantastic picnics on Sundays.


BEST BUILDING
I have to choose the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh. Not only is it a beautiful building, but it also has so much personal significance for me. It was my first experience of theatre as a child and when I was at high school, I would make sure my route went past the King’s to look at the billboards, particularly at Christmas. Pantos went on forever then!


CHILDHOOD MEMORY
I’m back to that house in Upper Gilmore Place, and in particular the Christmases we had there. As a family, we’ve absolutely always loved Christmas, and I associate that house with the lights on the tree and the decorations. They were absolutely blissful childhood times. I think it takes a long while before you realise just how much effort parents put in to make Christmas as magical as possible for their children.


WALK OR CYCLE
I’ve been pretty lax with my cycling recently, but I do enjoy that route along the Union Canal. Clearly I do it because it’s flat and to be honest, it’s all the hills in Edinburgh that put me off cycling there. But when it comes to a walk, I have Blackford Hill right on my doorstep and that’s where I'll always choose to start.


BEST VIEW
Well, this ties in with the walk and it’s definitely that view from the top of Blackford Hill. You can see the Firth of Forth and across to Fife. I can even see the home of Hibernian FC from there. It’s another one of these amazing aspects of living in Edinburgh that you don’t appreciate. I say the same thing every time I go up.

 

BEST SHOP
Shopping for me now is shopping for vinyl in any of the great independent shops in Edinburgh or having a rummage around the charity shops.
It’s something I used to do as a teenager and I’ve got back into it over the past six or seven years. Record buying for me is a bit of therapy if I'm feeling a bit stressed or a bit freaked out by work. I’ll jump in the car and go to Morningside or Stockbridge and have a good old rummage through all the charity shops.


BEST STREET
I have two and they’re both in Edinburgh. One is Upper Gilmore Place where I grew up. It was such a happy house for us. Every time I’m around that way, I’ll always drive or walk past. It still brings back incredibly happy memories.
The other is a street that I cannot believe I hadn’t visited until recently, and that’s the picturesque Circus Lane. This is not a city that I’m unfamiliar with, but I’ll forgive myself as it’s a small thoroughfare and it would be difficult just to stumble upon.


BEST SCOTTISH DELICACY
I honestly don’t think there’s anything better than a fish supper. I’ll single one out too – the City Restaurant in Nicolson Street. It has an epic menu that I’ve probably worked my way through but I always come back to the fish supper. And yes, I’m absolutely proud to fly the salt and sauce flag.


BEST PLACE FOR A CUPPA
He was much more a coffee than a tea man, but Andy Gray was so excited when we were taking a show to Eden Court in Inverness. He wanted me to experience a high tea at the Waterside restaurant at the Glen Mhor Hotel. In the end it was a fish tea but it was good. I have wonderful memories of spending time with him there and looking over the water.


BEST PLACE FOR ALONE TIME
We’re back in my neck of the woods, and I would have to say Hermitage of Braid is a great place for me to do that, either with or without the dog.
Again it’s that thing with Edinburgh. There are so many quiet, green spaces. You’re surrounded by sweeping banks of trees and feel like you're miles away from anywhere, but you're actually in the centre of the city.