We caught a train at Waverley station to go to Stirling — £6 return for a 1 1/2 hour train ride. We went with Robin and his friend Bill Spackman who was visiting from Calgary.
It was very cold as we walked to the castle, uphill all the way.
Stirling jail
Stirling castle
Wallace Monument
inside Stirling Castle
The area where the Battle of Bannockburn likely took place. Robert the Bruce’s defeat of Edward II is considered the most significant victory by Scotland over an invading English army.
We stopped for lunch at Portcullis pub down the hill a bit from the castle.
We then caught a taxi to take us to the Wallace Monument. The driver proudly told us that Stirling Castle has never been taken in battle — surrendered, yes, but never taken in a fight. We were dropped at the parking lot for the Wallace Monument. After shuddering at the sight of the statue of Mel Gibson as William Wallace, we walked up hill to the base of the monument.
Sidney and I stayed at the bottom and hung out at the gift shop while the others walked the 264 steps to the top.
Wallace’s sword
We returned to Edinburgh and then to Robin’s flat at Fraser Court, the international students housing at the University of Edinburgh, where Scott cooked his specialty, steak au poivre.
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