West Highland Way: Trailblazer Ochils and Campsie Fells

 Images of Scotland

 Stirling Castle

Walking in Scotland - Lonely Planet The Corbetts - SMC

Photographs of the historic Stirling Castle

 in Central Scotland

Circuit of Stirling Castle & Gowan Hill


Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle

The castle is one of the largest and most important,

 both historically and architecturally, in Scotland.

 The castle sits on Castle Hill

surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs

 providing a strong defensive position.

 Stirling Castle is a 
Scheduled Ancient Monument

 and a major tourist attraction

 managed by 
Historic Scotland.





Stirling Castle






Stirling Castle - old postcard

Stirling Castle

 - old postcard






Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle 





Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle 





Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle 





Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle 





Stirling Castle






Stirling Castle aerial view






Stirling Castle aerial view







Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle 





Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle 





Back Wall of Stirling Castle above Dumbarton Road

Back Wall of Stirling Castle

 above Dumbarton Road




Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle 






Map of the Old Town of Stirling

Map of the Old Town of Stirling

( Note: Click here or on above for large format copy )



Map of the Old Town of Stirling

Map of the Old Town of Stirling






Main Gate of Stirling Castle

Main Gate

 of Stirling Castle





The Palace in Stirling Castle

The Palace

in Stirling Castle





The battlements of Stirling Castle

The battlements

 of Stirling Castle





The battlements of Stirling Castle

The battlements

 of Stirling Castle






The battlements of Stirling Castle

The battlements

of Stirling Castle






The Princes Tower at Stirling Castle

The Princes Tower

at Stirling Castle





The Princes Tower at Stirling Castle

The Princes Tower

 at Stirling Castle





The North Gate at Stirling Castle

The North Gate

 at Stirling Castle




The Great Hall at Stirling Castle

The Great Hall

 at Stirling Castle






Stirling Castle







Robert the Bruce statue at Stirling Castle

Robert the Bruce statue

 at Stirling Castle






Robert the Bruce statue at Bannockburn

Robert the Bruce statue

 at Bannockburn






Wallace Monument in Stirling on ascent of Dumyat

Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle

 from Dumyat

in the Ochil Hills



Wallace Monument and Dumyat in the Ochil Hills

Wallace Monument and Dumyat

in the Ochil Hills 




Wallace Monument and Ochil Hills from Stirling Castle

Wallace Monument and 
Ochil Hills

from Stirling Castle 



Stuc a Chroin and Ben Vorlich beyond Stirling

Stuc a' Chroin and Ben Vorlich

beyond Stirling




Stuc a Chroin and Ben Vorlich beyond Stirling

Stuc a' Chroin and Ben Vorlich

beyond Stirling




Stuc a Chroin beyond Stirling

Stuc a' Chroin 

beyond Stirling





Location Map for Stirling and the Ochil Hills

Location Map for Stirling

 and the Ochil Hills
 


Map of the River Forth

Map of the River Forth



VIEWS FROM THE CASTLE:

The views from Stirling Castle are some of the best in Scotland. To the west, the Carse of Stirling stretches for 20 miles, with the familiar head and shoulders of Ben Lomond in the distance.
To the east, the river Forth flows in sinuous curves through a rich floodplain of old orchards and green meadows towards the spider’s web filaments of the Queensferry Crossing and its twin sisters.
The top of a rocky, volcanic outcrop that has been a fortress and home to kings since the 12th century is not the most obvious place for a garden, but there is one here and the peace and tranquillity
that reign here today are in stark contrast to the castle’s turbulent history.
The Queen Anne Garden sits on a sunny, southern terrace just below the castle, shaded by two beech trees that have performed sentry duties here for 200 years.
The herb and heather garden is filled with plants that would once have been used to treat the ailments of castle residents and the flat lawn,
which was used as a bowling green from the 1620s onwards, may have been played upon as a child by James VI, who grew up in the castle following the death of his mother, Mary Queen of Scots.
Today the rose beds — one red, the other yellow - echo the Stuart dynasty’s heraldic colours and are a reminder that Bonnie Prince Charlie laid siege to the castle during the Jacobite Uprising, in
a failed attempt to return it to Scottish hands.
The garden was first laid out in the 14th century, so the clash of steel has been heard from here on many occasions.
On a more grisly note, the Douglas Garden at the highest part of the castle rock, is where the body of William, 8th Earl of Douglas landed when he was thrown from
a window in 1452 at the behest of King ]ames II.
Directly beneath the castle lies the imprint of another historic space.
The King’s Knot garden was laid out in formal style at the start of the 16th century for James V and his wife, Mary of Guise, who was French.
At one time the mounds and banks would have been adorned by trees and plants but these had disappeared 200 years later and the grassy outlines are now all that remains of this once intricate garden.
For many years, swirling rumours have connected the Knot Garden with the legend of King Arthur and in some quarters the belief persists that the round table ‘lies buried beneath the raised earthworks.

SEASONAL SPOOKlNESS:

With its long history, some of it gruesome, Stirling Castle is the perfect place to indulge in a spot of Halloween hocus pocus and visitors will be able
to take part in A Potion Maker’s Quest, identifying plants that would have been used to brew up all kinds of concoctions. Find all the herbs that grow in the gardens and claim a reward.
Also daily walks explore the links between royalty, flora and fauna in the castle grounds.
The tour takes a dip into the history of the rock and identifies the signs of some of the present-day birds, insects and mammals that have made their home in the gardens and ramparts around the esplanade.


DETAILS:

The castle is open daily, 9.30am- 6pm.
Entry to the Queen Anne Garden and the King’s Knot is free.
Tickets to the castle are: £17.50 /£14 /£10.50 /free ( under-7s ),
Tel: 01786 450000.



Stirling Gallery Photo Gallery

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Guide Books & Maps - Scotland:-


West Highland Way: Footprint MapWest Highland Way - Map West Highland Way - Map Western Scotland & the Western Isles OS Road Map Northern Scotland OS Road MapSouthern Scotland OS Road MapGlasgow Popular Hills - Map





  

  Ochils and Campsie Fells  Loch Lomond & Trossachs - 25 Walks  Loch Lomond & Trossachs NP - Vol 1 - West  Loch Lomond & Trossachs NP - Vol 2 - East  Scottish Hill Tracks  Central & Southern Scotland - Backpackers Britain  Walking Loch Lomond and the Trossachs The Corbetts - SMC 
 

Glasgow Visitor Guide - Colin Baxter Itchy Insider's Guide to Glasgow Glasgow Footprint Pocket Guide Glasgow Insight Pocket Guide Glasgow Guide Pub Companion Glasgow Scotland's Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide Scotland - Rough Guide Walking in Scotland - Lonely Planet 

Glasgow Insight Pocket GuideCollins Street Map of GlasgowGlasgow: Then & NowThey belonged to Glasgow Phillips Street Atlas of Glasgow & West Central Scotland Glasgow: The Photographic Atlas100 Hillwalks around Glasgow 50 Walks in Glasgow & SW Scotland

Visit Scotland - Touring Guide Scotland: Where to Stay - Hotels & Guest Houses Scotland: Where to Stay - Bed & Breakfast Rough Guide ScotlandScottish Highlands & Islands - Rough Guide Scotland - Lonely PlanetScotland's Highlands & Islands - Lonley Planet Great Glasgow StoriesGlasgow & Surroundings - Insight Guide

West Highland Way: Official GuideWest Highland Way: Rucksac ReadersWest Highland Way: TrailblazerThe West Highland WayWest Highland Way: Footprint MapWest Highland Way - Map West Highland Way - Map West Highland Way Wet Highland Way - Official Guide

Munro Almanac The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland The Munros: Scottish Mountaineering Club The Isle of Skye The Isle of Arran Wilderness Walks Ski Mountaineering in Scotland

More Wilderness Walks 50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay Skye - W.A.PoucherMagic of the Munros Mountaineering in Scotland and Undiscovered Scotland by W.H.MurrayA Long Walk on the Isle of Skye

Classic Climbs - Central & Southern Highlands The Isle of Arran Lonely Planet, Walking in ScotlandPathfinder Guide: Skye and NW Highlands WalksPathfinder Guide: Fort William and Glen Coe Walks Rambler's Guide: Ben Nevis and Glen Coe50 Best Routes on Skye and Raasay - Chris Townsend










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