Hello there! Thanks for popping by.
I’m Susie and I started Thistles and Unicorns to celebrate and indulge in my favourite past times – namely wandering around Scotland, enjoying the best of what it has to offer, researching hidden treasures, planning memorable days out and indulging in far too many cakes and coffees.
My tagline and theme throughout of ‘consciously embracing a slower pace of life’ is not something that initially came naturally to me. It’s something I’ve had to work on. In 2016 I was diagnosed with a couple of overlapping autoimmune conditions whose preeminent fabulous features were fatigue, joint problems, internal nonsense and fatigue.
Did I mention fatigue? …I’m so tired.
After struggling for a couple of years I finally conceded that everyone’s advice of ‘you need to pace yourself’ might actually have something in it and I started planning out my days and weeks accordingly. I now block in time for leisure, time for work and crucially, time for recharging.
It wasn’t an easy transition (mentally or physically) to go from a stereotypical 100 miles an hour millennial to a measured reflective crawler but I’ve reconciled with it and now find myself genuinely happier than I’ve ever been – giving myself permission to slow down, fully engage in the present moment, to take deep breaths, to drink in the views, to get lost in good books and to properly enjoy the coffee. It’s pragmatic mindfulness.
So! Thistles and Unicorns is for folk who want to enjoy and indulge in some #SlowTravel throughout Scotland. For folk who want to be in the moment whilst creating fond memories. For folk who want the views but also want a forgiving bench. I’ll offer recommendations of accessible and affordable day trips throughout Scotland that you can enjoy yourself or recommend to a loved one (…take your grandparents/parents out for the day!). I’ll highlight what to look for, what to do and where the best places are to recharge.
Spoiler – I visit A LOT of coffee shops.
Sit back, read, plan your next day trip over a big mug of coffee and then have a celebratory nap. Let’s go and explore Scotland!
