Stirling

The National Wallace Monument

In 2019 after we toured the castle we the castle we went on to the Wallace National Wallace Monument.

The National Wallace Monument is a 67 metre tower on the shoulder of the Abbey Craig, a hilltop overlooking Stirling. Commemorating William Wallace, the 13th – 14th century Scottish hero, the 67m tower offers fantastic views, it was worth the climb to the top.

Dawn even had me take her picture at the top to prove she made all 246 steps.

Falkirk

Falkirk is the home of a unique rotary lift lock, the “Falkirk Wheel,” This unique lock lifts boats 79 feet to the upper canal.

The tour boat we road travels up the canal through a tunnel to a junction where there is room to turn around. To get there the canal the passes through the Roman Antonine Wall.

The City

Dawn and I first visited city of Stirling in 2005.

After visiting the castle, we wandered around the city.

Down Castle Wynd we found Argyle’s Lodging which the Duke made his base when the king was in residence at the castle.

The Church of the Holy Rude has been the historic Burgh Kirk, or Parish Church, of Stirling for 900 years. It is the only church still in active use, apart from Westminster Abbey in London, to have hosted a coronation. The infant King James VI of Scotland (later also James I of England) was crowned in the Holy Rude on the 29th July 1567.

The Old Town Jail was built to replace dehumanising conditions found in the Stirling Tolbooth. In 1840 Frederick Hill was appointed as Scotland’s first Inspector of Prisons. He condemned the Tolbooth as “The worst prison in Britain.”

Argyle’s Lodging

Church of the Holy Rude

The Old Town Jail

The Unicorn

Scotland’s National Anal

Gates to the Necropolis

Doune

Just north of Stirling is Doune Castle. I found this site interesting as it provided a glimpse of a castle that was not so great and grand. Notably the Historic Scotland narration is by John Cleese and Sam Heughan.

On entering the main gate, I turned right and found the gift shop. It features a good selection of coconut shells. My first thought was ‘why’, then remembered that this well-preserved small castle was a film location for both Monty Python’s Holy Grail as well as and Outlander.

Stirling Castle

We made a second visit in 2019 to Stirling. I felt Elaine should visit Stirling Castle and I also wanted to see how far along the restorations were.

At the time of our first visit, the Chapel Royal and the Great Hall were complete. Now, much more of the castle restored to its former glory, it was worth the second visit.

This time the Royal Palace with their remarkable ceilings and magnificent tapestries was open to the public.