Stirling Castle

Today we rented a car at the airport in Edinburgh and took off to explore the Scottish country. We did not have a firm plan for where to go first, so we just went where the road took us. It's really a challenge driving in Scotland....on the left side of the road, shifting gears with your left hand, and trying to figure out how to interpret the road signs and navigate the many roundabouts they have here. So this first day we travelled approximately 50 miles altogether, and we ended up in Stirling, where there is another castle!


There is an open (no hand rail) stair case that leads to a catwalk near the top of the wall. There is no guardrail on the catwalk, either. And that is why I am hugging the wall in this photo:

Robert the Bruce once defended this castle against the English king, but when he realized he was outnumbered and the cause was futile, he began to systematically dismantle the castle so that the English could not use it. Strategically Stirling was important for the English who needed it to access their lands in the north. This is the most narrow place in the country, and there are two navigable rivers.
While the castle was occupied by Scottish royalty, they entertained many guests, and prepared a lot of food. They had at least five buildings dedicated to the "grand kitchens." Here are two of them that remain:


They've just hired some new help. He seems to be more animated than the other two guys, so maybe the royal guests won't have to wait too long for their steak pie, haggis and sticky toffee pudding!

When we walked to dinner, we passed right by Wallace's Monument. It is a tower that stands atop a hill overlooking Stirling Bridge. It was here that William Wallace stood in 1297 and directed his men in their successful attack of King Edward's army. Wallace waited until the English were half way across the narrow Stirling Bridge, then ordered his men to attack. After dinner we walked over to the bridge and this is what it looks like today: