Yesterday was slightly cloudy but it never rained. This morning, it was bright and sunny AGAIN, perfect for our Rabbie's Tour to Stirling Castle and to the Western Highlands.
On an extremely comfortable and panoramic 16-seater Mercedes van we set off at 9 AM with Duncan, our excellent driver and tour guide, for Stirling Castle.
the gatehouse - entrance to the stunning castle
Stirling Castle is, along with Edinburgh Castle, one of the greatest of Scotland's castles. Sitting some 250 feet above the plain on an extinct volcano, Stirling became the strategic military key to the kingdom during the 13th and 14th century Wars of Independence and was the favorite royal residence of many of the Stuart Monarchs. Many important events from Scotland's past took place at Stirling Castle, including the violent murder of the eighth Earl of Douglas by James II in 1452. Stirling Castle played an important role in the life of Mary Queen of Scots. She spent her childhood in the castle and Mary's coronation took place in the Chapel Royal in 1543.
There are excellent historical displays, a recreation of the 16th century kitchens with sensory and interactive exhibits and the Regimental Museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders which details their eventful history from 1794 to the present.
The vast Great Hall, which dates from the end of the Middle Ages, has been restored to its medieval glory and was formally opened by the Queen on St Andrews Day, 1999. Built by James IV in 1503, it was converted to a four storey military barracks in the 19th Century. The Hall has been restored with a new oak hammerbeam roof, restored wall walks, leadlight windows and interior galleries. When the scaffolding came down, the color and finish of the hall was the subject of some fierce controversy. Many believed that the building had been over-decorated and resembled an art deco cinema. It was eventually accepted that this is how the original building would have looked and it is now widely admired for its magnificence on the Stirling skyline.
The first fortification on the site dates to the 11th century. Much of the castle which exists today, including the Palace and Chapel Royal is magnificent Renaissance architecture with a strong French influence. The Chapel Royal, built by James VI for the baptism of Prince Henry in 1594, has been refurbished and features a seventeenth century fresco of elaborate scrolls and patterns.
The Royal Palace, 1540-42, is the finest Renaissance building in Scotland. A three-storey building with an ornate facade of tall windows and niches which contain a selection of grotesque carved figures and Renaissance sculptures. Over the Centuries, the Palace Block was stripped for military use and the Royal Chambers converted to mess rooms and officers' quarters.
The Wallace tower, opposite Stirling Castle
architectural details
After several hours exploring the castle, we were back on the road, into the Trossachs through Callander (the most popular base for visiting this scenic area) to Aberfoyle where we stopped for lunch.
To be accurate the Trossachs are a small area between Ben A'an and Ben Venue, and Lochs Katrine and Achray. More recently, the term has been used to define the whole of the area from Callander to Aberfoyle to Lochs Katrine and Lomond.
Aberfoyle
the two-lane road wound through tranquil countryside, laden with serene lochs, charming villages, stunning country estates, magical waterfalls and enormous and abundant rhododendrons
on Loch Lomond
a cup of tea on Loch Lomond before heading back to Edinburgh where Mar had an evening reception at her international conference. For me, it was a restful evening in our room with the magnificent view of Old Town. After spending these days in the city, it was idyllic to get out into the beautiful Scottish countryside, a full day which afforded us a very different perspective and added a deeper dimension to our visit to Scotland.
Comments (1)
What a beautiful day, and such beautiful countryside, Mary. You look so happy!
Your photos are fantastic, as always. But the shot of Wallace tower, and the architectural details, are especially lovely.
So much interesting history in these towers, and it's so funny to think that people feared the Great Hall at Stirling Castle must have been overdecorated during restoration! I suppose castles weren't necessary dark, damp and gloomy during the Middle Ages!
Posted by sandrac | August 13, 2009 11:11 PM
Posted on August 13, 2009 23:11