Exploring ICONIC Castles In Scotland
Wallace Monument Visible from Stirling Castle
Scotland used to be home to more than 3,000 castles, of which only 116 remain. Aside from the one in Edinburgh, we only saw three more.
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Doune Castle
Doune Castle was originally built in the 13th century, though due to heavy damage during the Scottish Wars of Independence, it had to be rebuilt and was done so in the late 14th century by Robert Stewart, the son of King Robert II of Scotland. It is now a popular place to visit as both Monty Python and Outlander have filmed here.
Midhope Castle
Midhope Castle (Lallybroch in Outlander) is a 16th-century tower house of five stories and a garret, which was added two centuries later. Though it changed hands throughout the centuries, it has become somewhat derelict, though is still routinely used in Outlander episodes (their filming prevented us from seeing the grounds - we only got the one snapshot below).
Stirling Castle
If you only get a chance to see one castle outside of Edinburgh, make it Stirling Castle. In fact, stay overnight in the town and thoroughly explore everything, because you can’t cram it all into one day.
Built in 1107, Stirling Castle has had quite a history. For almost 200 years, the Scots and the British continued to fight (in rather bloody battles), causing the castle to change hands multiple times. It wasn’t until almost 400 years later that the castle was expanded - it was also during this time that royal births, deaths, and coronations took place. In the 18th century, it became a fortress for the French war, then later, in the late 19th century, became military barracks (until 1964).
Stirling Castle - Old Town Cemetery
Right next to the Holy Rude Church built in 1129, is the site of the cemetery that has been used since 1579 (elite members of the church were buried under the church floor until 1623). While many of the gravestones are weathered, many of them do depict how the buried had died, particularly if it’s the gravestone of a service member.
Stirling Castle - Queen Anne Gardens
One of my favorite parts of touring the castle was the Queen Anne Gardens (established in the 1400s). It’s a peaceful place on the south side of the castle, overlooked by the Queen’s Lodgings and the Prince’s Tower. Note that the Beech tree has been standing in its spot for over 200 years!
Stirling Castle - The Top of the Town
This town made me fall in love with Stirling! While some of the buildings can date all the way back to the 12th century, many are of the 18th and 19th centuries, which were lovingly restored during the 20th century. Walk down the cobblestone streets of Castlehill, Broad Street (the marketplace and public trials location during Medieval times), Ballengeich Pass and Mar Place. Take a peek inside Argyll’s Lodging, Mar’s Wark, Bruce of Auchenbowie’s House, and Cowane’s Hospital. Need a place to eat? Head to Brea (see Blackbeard’s video review below) - a fantastic (and cozy) restaurant down Baker Street (it has an abundance of delicious gluten-free options).
