Stirling Castle

Unsurprisingly, Scotland's most popular paid visitor attraction is Edinburgh Castle. In second place is the Stirling counterpart - a hilltop stronghold steeped in royal and military history. Considered the de facto capital of Scotland during the Middle Ages, Stirling had long been a strategic crossing point between the Lowlands and Highlands. It was for centuries the furthest point downstream where the mighty River Forth was bridged. Indeed, the famous battle here in 1297 saw William Wallace's troops emerge victorious. A key point in the nation's history. Stirling Castle is visible from miles around but it was many years since I'd been inside the walls. My hand was somewhat forced, due to the hosting of a railway exhibition within the compound. The only way in was to purchase a regular castle ticket.

The advance price online was £18.50 but that turned out to be good value, as there is a lot to see inside the various buildings. The panoramic views across the surrounding landscape are immense. I travelled there by bus on a new route. Despite having city status and lying just 22 miles apart, Dunfermline and Stirling didn't have the benefit of a direct public transport link in recent years. Stagecoach have rectified this and a service departs hourly, via Alloa and the Springkerse Retail Park. I made my way uphill from the town centre to the castle - a lovely heritage walk in itself. Walking across the esplanade, I was greeted by a statue of King Robert the Bruce, sword in hand. Erected in 1876, the figure faces south towards the location of the Battle of Bannockburn, a 1314 conflict that saw the Scots gain a decisive victory over English forces. Another pivotal point in the country's fortunes. The last reigning monarch to stay in Stirling Castle was Charles II, who was crowned King of Scots in 1651. He was forced into exile following defeat at the Battle of Worcester - the last major conflict in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Republican soldiers occupied Stirling but the monarchy was eventually restored in 1660. I passed through the impressive castle gates and took in the view from the battlements, looking west. The vast flat plain of the Carse of Stirling spread out for miles. Once a virtually impassable peat bog, it has been transformed by drainage into prime agricultural territory. The old royal pleasure and hunting grounds are situated directly below the castle. The distinctive earthwork known as the King’s Knot (pictured below) was part of the formal garden area and is easily identifiable from above. The octagonal and rectangular design was created for the Scottish coronation of Charles I in 1633. After a period of abandonment, Queen Victoria ordered a full restoration. I proceeded into the cobbled courtyard and began to explore the castle history. Stirling has been a seat of Scottish royalty for almost 1000 years. The castle changed hands many times during the long-running Wars of Independence. Whoever controlled Stirling was said to hold the keys to the kingdom. Almost all of the present structure dates from 1490 to 1600, when successive generations of the House of Stewart developed the site. I passed through an undercroft, which contained several small exhibition rooms. The crossover between the Stewart and Tudor royal lineage was explained. The sister of Henry VIII married James IV of Scotland in 1503 This union led to the vacant English throne passing to the Scottish monarch James VI, precisely 100 years later. Before James IV became the last reigning sovereign to die in battle (at Flodden, 1513), he launched a programme of building works at Stirling Castle, the place of his birth. He was also the final Scottish king known to have been conversant in Gaelic, just one of many languages he spoke. After the travesty at Flodden, James V inherited the throne aged just a year and a half. Born at Linlithgow Palace, he spent much of his childhood at Stirling (where he was crowned) while a series of regents ruled on his behalf. At one stage, the Earl of Angus overstepped his authority and effectively held the young king prisoner, until the teenage James fled from Edinburgh to Stirling in disguise.

There didn't appear to be any effects of trauma below the waist, as James sired several illegitimate issue before being urged to marry and produce a legal heir. Visits to the French court were arranged and he became hitched to Princess Madeleine, who sadly died six months after the wedding at the age of 16. The second bride was noblewoman Mary of Guise, also of French extraction. The marriage helped maintain good relations between the two nations. It often seems that royal nuptials were more about business and diplomacy than actual matters of the heart. You could probably make a good case for this being true until very recently. James V continued and expanded his father's construction phase, creating the Royal Palace, now the centrepiece of the complex. He also specified the open courtyard design. The substantial dowries received from the two marriages helped meet the building costs. In fact, the King was legally contracted to provide a lavish home for his second wife, who would also retain the right of residency should James pre-decease her. Following the death of two infant sons, a daughter (Mary) was born. Six days later, she became Queen of Scots when her father passed, having recently turned 30. The exterior of the palace was adorned with fabulous carvings, including monkeys, parrots, gods and griffins. Talented woodcarvers were employed to create the intricate ceiling patterns. It was also not unknown for real live lions to be kept within royal compounds. I walked through the royal apartments and was surrounded by opulence. Access to the King was tightly controlled and it was considered a great honour to be granted an appointment. Most visitors - typically ambassadors, courtiers and nobles - would have met the monarch in the inner hall, after first being made to wait in the outer room. Only the most important guests were ushered all the way into the bedchamber. Queen Mary (of Guise) had a similar set-up in her royal quarters. Her state bed (pictured below) is on display today. The luxurious four-poster was purely symbolic. Both King and Queen actually slept in smaller apartments off to the side. James V commissioned a series of carved timber portraits (known as the Stirling Heads) to decorate the palace ceilings. The spectacular pieces were eventually taken down in 1777 when the surrounding plasterwork began to collapse. Most of the 38 surviving artworks (from an estimated original 56) are currently on display in a purpose-built gallery.

Careful research by Historic Scotland - the current guardians of the castle - has revealed some of the inspiration behind the elaborate designs. The Heads were fashioned from oak trees felled in 1539, in modern-day Poland. Paint was originally applied, but only tiny fragments remain. Nevertheless, this discovery gives an insight to the original colour scheme of the palace interior. The imagery of the Heads reinforced James's position by aligning him with influential ancestors, key biblical players, historical giants and European contemporaries. Having noted allies in high places helped convey a sense of uncontested power, as did the emphasis on the lengthy and unbroken Stewart family line. By including figures such as Charles V - the Holy Roman Emperor and possessor of the fearsome Habsburg chin - James was making it clear that he stood firmly among the mightiest men on the continent. Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned at Stirling as an infant. She grew up in France and married the heir apparent Francis II, who became King shortly afterwards at the age of 15, following the accidental death of his father. The teenage ruler reigned for little more than a year before becoming gravely ill and passing away. Mary returned to Scotland in 1561 and often visited Stirling Castle. Having remarried, her son James was baptised here and became King at a year old, following a chain of events that prompted his mother's forced abdication and eventual execution. Growing up within the caste walls, young James was frequently used as a pawn between his regents and the nobles who wished to see Mary restored as Queen of Scots. James acceded to the English throne in 1603 and became ruler of two nations, moving his court to London. Stirling's role as a royal residence declined and the castle became primarily a military stronghold. It was used as a prison for persons of rank during the 17th century, and saw few visits by the sitting monarch. A powder magazine was created within the castle gardens and a formal garrison installed in 1685. Government forces moved quickly to secure the fortress during the Jacobite rebellion. From 1800, the castle was owned by the War Office and functioned as an army barracks. Many alterations were made over the years. The Great Hall became an accommodation block and the Chapel Royal was transformed into a lecture theatre and dining hall. The King's Old Building was repurposed as a military hospital and the Royal Palace found a new role as the Officer's Mess. Royal visits still occurred from time to time. Queen Victoria visited in 1842 and the Prince of Wales in 1859. The army departed in 1964 and the King's Old Building now houses the regimental museum of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. The fighting force was formed in 1881, following an amalgamation of two individual county units. The soldiers used Stirling Castle as their training headquarters. I wandered in for a look around the various galleries. Entry to the museum is included in the general admission ticket.

The new combined regiment expanded rapidly upon the outbreak of the First World War. Battalions served in several locations and around 7000 men were lost over the four years of the conflict. Many Highland communities were stripped bare of manpower, with devastating consequences to the local economy, not to mention the social impact. Two decades later, global war erupted again and the Argylls were involved on all fronts. Troops fought in the Korean War in the early 1950s, a somewhat forgotten struggle, yet a brutal one. In more modern times, the regiment was engaged in Northern Ireland for 30 years. The Argylls staved off the threat of disbandment in 1967 but eventually the Highland force was absorbed into the Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006, when the entire army structure was reduced in size and reorganised. I enjoyed my wander through the museum. The themes examined stretched beyond the battlefield campaigns, looking at issues such as military medical progress, sporting opportunities, life at home during the world wars and the changing face of Highland culture during the industrial revolution. Well worth investigating. I walked across the courtyard into the Chapel Royal, built in 1594 as the setting for the baptism of Prince Henry, the oldest son of James VI. He died aged 18 and his brother Charles endured an ill-fated reign. Yet another historical twist with far-reaching consequences. An undoubted highlight for visitors is the fully restored Great Hall. Renovation commenced after the army moved out and the spectacular hammer-beam roof contains the timber of 350 oak trees and is held together by 4000 handmade pegs. Queen Elizabeth II performed the opening ceremony in 1999. A historical talk was in progress and I caught some of that before seeking out the railway photography exhibition. I traversed the defensive wall and enjoyed the views of the Wallace monument atop nearby Abbey Craig. The choo-choo experience is covered in a separate post. I poked my head into the gunpowder store and checked out a tapestry display in the far corner of the castle footprint. Thought to be the biggest project of kind undertaken anywhere in Britain for over a century, seven new tapestries were woven, based on the original designs commissioned by James. The final design was completed in 2014. The castle visit had been extremely satisfying and it's not hard to see why it attracts tourists from all over the world.

Falkland Palace

The historic village of Falkland sits at the foot of East Lomond Hill in Fife. The settlement grew around Falkland Palace - a former country residence of Scottish monarchs. Mary, Queen of Scots, was a regular visitor. The grand building and its beautiful grounds are now managed by the National Trust. Being reasonably local to us, it was an easy property to tick off the list. Since re-joining the heritage organisation, our plan has been to visit one or two places per month. We had seen the inside of Falkland Palace around 15 years ago, when Nicole's parents came over from Germany. The time was right for a return trip.

We arrived late morning on a warm Sunday and our itinerary was a palace tour, followed by lunch in the formal gardens. One thing unavailable to view today was the tapestry collection, currently removed as a precautionary measure due to water ingress. A fine example of a Renaissance palace, Falkland was commissioned by James IV and his son James V between 1510 and 1541. A royal hunting lodge, later expanded to a castle, had previously stood on the site. James V died here in 1542, aged just 30. Legend insists his passing was brought about by the shock of his army's defeat at Solway Moss in a border conflict with English forces. It is more likely that James succumbed to cholera or dysentery. The next monarch to breathe his/her last in Scotland was Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. James was succeeded by his infant daughter Mary. His widow (Mary of Guise) stayed frequently at Falkland and the new queen made many recorded visits during her tumultuous reign. She enjoyed hunting, horse riding and tennis (more of that later). Following the Union of the Crowns in 1603, Falkland became less important as a royal retreat. Subsequent Stuart monarchs Charles I and II both came to Fife, but only briefly. The palace was damaged by fire during the Cromwellian Republic and began to decay from 1660 onwards. It was saved from complete ruin in the late 19th century by John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute. Innovative and in possession of deep pockets, the new owner gave the ailing building a new lease of life and his great-grandson Ninian lives on site today as hereditary Keeper. The National Trust entered the picture in 1952. The tour took us through the warren of recreated royal apartments. The ornate Falkland Bed was reputedly made for King James VI in 1618. The Queen's Room is laid out to reflect how Mary might have used it to entertain guests. The Chapel Royal is the only part of the palace where you can see original details. A wooden screen and ceiling date from 1540, when the place of worship was completed. The body of King James lay in state for a month here, following his death. The tour ended on an elevated balcony overlooking the gardens. A giant chessboard was painted on concrete below. Expanses of lush lawn were dotted with mature trees and we climbed down for a stroll through the three hectares of peaceful grounds. The gardens are not original. They were designed by Percy Cane in 1947 after a spell of potato growing for the war effort. With little surviving historic evidence to work from, Cane created a modern layout that is widely acknowledged for both its historic connections and artistic value. We found a shaded lunch spot in the bottom corner, near the glasshouse and beehives. Grapes were growing against a wall. Not a common sight in Scotland.

Falkland Palace has the world's oldest royal tennis court still in play. It was built around 1540 at the behest of James V. As a young king, he was looking to establish himself as a respected European leader. James had married the King of France’s daughter and had learned to play the sport overseas. The arena was fully restored in the 1950s and the local club has around 35 members who play all year round (despite the lack of a roof!). Visiting players can compete for a £10 daily fee. The court has four high walls, which are part of the playing area, as is the roof of the viewing gallery. Elements of squash here. Extra points can be gained by hitting the ball against various structures, or through the small holes carved into one end of the enclosure. Modern lawn tennis was introduced in the 1870s and is now a wealthy global sport. The much older ancestor is played on 45 courts around the world. The palace orchard is located across the Maspie Burn from the formal garden area. The compound is bounded by willow beds and has a deliberate unkempt feel. Mown grass strips can be followed past cherry, apple and pear trees. The presence of a mixed native hedge provides a valuable resource for local wildlife, as does the wildflower meadow. East Lomond Hill looms in the background and the Willow Queen sculpture stands in a central clearing. The figure represents Mary, Queen of Scots, who enjoyed hunting with her hawk within the palace grounds. Falkland is best visited on a bright day as there is a lot to see outdoors. The village itself is a charming destination.

Culross Palace

Isn't it strange how we travel far and wide to visit famous tourist attractions, but often neglect treasures on our own doorstep? I am certainly guilty as charged. For the past 20 years, I have lived a short drive from Culross Palace without ever going inside the A-listed merchant's house in the heart of the historic royal burgh. The small coastal town has gained international recognition in recent years as a filming location for the globally successful TV series Outlander - a fantasy time-travelling drama set mainly in Scotland. Seven seasons have been produced. Culross Palace was completed in the early 17th century and is now managed by the National Trust. It was never a royal residence, but King James VI paid a visit in 1617. It was finally time for Nicole and I to explore this famous yellow-painted property.

Self-guided tours commence every half hour. Ticket holders are grouped together at the start and shown a video presentation outlining the basic history of the palace and surrounding burgh. The house was built as a dwelling for local industrial pioneer and international trader George Bruce. He developed new mining techniques and was lauded for the construction of the Culross Moat Pit - the first known example of coal extraction below the sea bed. It used an Egyptian wheel (powered by horses) to drain excess water from the shaft. A continuous chain of 36 buckets scooped the water away. Good quality coal could be loaded on to waiting boats for export, while the less premium material was suitable for fuelling salt pans - a major industry on the inner Forth Estuary. Launched around 1590, the moat pit ran successfully for over three decades until a severe storm flooded the complex in 1625, leading to its abandonment. Bruce passed away just five weeks later. We climbed the stairs to the withdrawing room, an informal lounge where guests would gather after dinner. Outlander scenes were created here. The panelled walls were added in the 18th century, while the painted ceilings are original. These colourful images must have appeared ghostly in the days of flickering firelight. The High Hall had a grand fireplace and a dry privy was situated within an alcove. The contents of chamber pots were tossed down here. Bruce's house was close to the harbour, allowing him to monitor vessels coming and going. Culross is regarded as one of Scotland's first industrial communities and Royal Burgh status was granted in 1588. This permitted international trade and the right to stage a regular schedule of markets and fairs, further cementing the prosperity. A monopoly was achieved on the manufacture of girdles - flat iron plates used for baking over an open fire. The practice ended in 1760 with the opening of the Carron Iron Foundry across the water. A less progressive aspect of the town's history is the trial and execution of around 50 women for witchcraft in the first half of the 17th century. The plague arrived in the 1640s, brought by rats aboard ships. By Victorian times, the town's fortunes had declined and Culross missed out on the railway boom. A line did belatedly appear in 1906 but it was never profitable and passenger services ceased as early as 1930. Freight lingered on and the construction of Longannet Power Station in 1962 secured a future for the single-track corridor. Coal trains rumbled by my house (in Cairneyhill) until 2008, when delivery runs were switched to the western end of the route via Alloa. Longannet closed in 2016 and the trademark towers were demolished five years later. The Culross railway remains open but is lightly used, seeing occasional steam charters and diversionary stock movements. The campaign to establish a Fife to Glasgow passenger link along the Forth has gone quiet lately. By the 1930s, Culross was a quiet backwater and had largely escaped modern redevelopment. The National Trust stepped in to preserve many of the historic properties and the medieval street plan. The project strongly featured a desire to retain "little houses" - ordinary homes that were part of the community fabric. By safeguarding the future of these buildings and releasing them for private ownership, Culross could be presented as a living museum. A major European prize for architectural heritage was awarded in 1976. A framed letter of congratulation from the late Queen Elizabeth II hangs on a wall within the palace.

A dress worn by the character Geillis Duncan in the first series of Outlander is prominently displayed. Her costumes were deliberately designed to reflect 1960s life, creating a sense of disorientation among the audience and strongly hinting she was out of place in the 18th century, before the time hopping angle was revealed. We wandered into the apothecary and kitchen. Herbal remedies were commonly used to treat all manner of ailments back in the day. We then explored the extensive terraced and walled garden to the rear of the building. It has an impressive range of fruit, vegetables and flowers. I spotted pear trees and mulberry bushes. A small section of the period compound was roped off due to the presence of a wasp's nest. The Palace was opened to the public by the National Trust in 1994 and its future is now secure. The building is A-listed and has been designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Visitors flock to the old burgh all year round, fuelled in no small part by the Outlander connection. Filming in Culross stretches back to 1971, when Michael Caine starred in Kidnapped, an adaptation of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson adventure novel. More recent productions include A Dying Breed (2007) and The 39 Steps (2008). After our tour, we enjoyed a coffee outdoors at Bessie's Café, part of the Palace operation but accessible to all members of the public. I wonder why it took us so long to explore this internationally known attraction just a few miles from out home?