Our Last Day in Scotland…

This was our last day in Scotland during our combined Scotland and Ireland adventures…

Appropriately enough, it was a dark and rainy day…with a touch of gloom added in.  Even the beautiful drive back up headed east through Glen Coe seemed to sum up our feelings about our upcoming departure.  It was still beautiful but it was a much more subtle beauty. 

I can’t even remember where this building was along our route.  It was or is a pub or restaurant…but it was the amazing stone work on this big structure that drew our attention.  Click on the photo to see what I'm talking about!

When I planned this trip for us, I’d marked up my map (an actual paper map) showing where we were staying, a number of attractions and every little town along our route that was listed as the most picturesque, charming or scenic.  Killin, located along the River Dochart at the western end of Loch Tay in Stirling (Perthshire) was one of those villages. 

We decided that we deserved a break…some comforting refreshments…before we drove the rest of the way to our hotel near the airport in Edinburgh.  We dropped into Shutters Restaurant on Main Street to relax a wee bit before moving on. 

Some of us had tea and the rest just a bit of coffee.  The surroundings inside Shutters Restaurant were cozy and very clean.

Killin has a population of about 700 residents.  The MacNab Clan used to dominate the area.  Their ancient burial ground is on an island in the River Dochart just below the Falls of Dochart.  Just north of the village, you can find the ruins Finlarig Castle, the former stronghold of the Campbells of Breadalbane.

To learn more about the Clan MacNab, you can go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Macnab.  

Of course, the Campbell Clan was one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland Clans.  As for the Campbells of Breadalbane, John, the tenth Earl died childless in 1995 and the title has become dormant.  There are those who are trying or have tried to claim the title, to no avail at this point.  To learn more about the Campbells of Breadalbane, just go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_of_Breadalbane_and_Holland.

The bakery counter was well stocked and we all snacked on something shown above…but I didn’t take any photos.  We were happy to have stopped here along the road to Edinburgh.  Shutters does not have a website but their reviews on Trip Advisor are very positive…

Check them out at https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g551940-d3387894-Reviews-Shutters_Licensed_Restaurant-Killin_Loch_Tay_Loch_Lomond_and_The_Trossachs_Nation.html.

As we drove east, some of the towns grew a little grittier and the rainfall increased…adding to sort of a downer of a day!

As we worked our way east and a bit south along Hwy. A84, we passed through the town of Callander.  Unfortunately we would miss the local Jazz and Blues Festival because we would be in Ireland… 

If my research is correct, this 19^th Century Gothic style church was named after Saint Kessog, an Irish missionary who is said to have preached in the area back in the sixth-century.  The church closed in 1984 and it served as a visitor center between 1990 and 2006.  It’s now the headquarters for The Claranald Trust for Scotland. 

Notes:

·         To learn about St. Kessog, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessog.

·         For information about the interesting work of the Claranald Trust for Scotland, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clanranald_Trust_for_Scotland.

·         Rob Roy MacGregor, a popular folk hero who has had movies made about him and who has a cocktail named after him was from this area.  To learn more about the ‘real’ Rob Roy, just go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Roy_MacGregor.

Laurie just liked the architectural look of this corner facing sandwich shop.  We didn’t stop at Apple Jacks but they are on Facebook if you’d like to learn more.  https://www.facebook.com/APPLEJACKScallander.

Do you see that big castle sitting on the bluff looking down on the green field full of sheep?  That is Castle Stirling.  This is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland.  It’s positioned on top of Castle Hill and it’s surrounded on 3 sides by steep cliffs, which offer a strong defensive position.  Until the 1890’s, it was located at the farthest upstream crossing of the River Forth, a true strategic position. 

We were running short of time so we didn’t stop…this time.  Laurie and I visited Stirling Castle on our last trip to Scotland, ‘only’ 31 years earlier! (The next 4 photos are from that visit) Most of the key structures of Stirling Castle date back to the 15^th and 16^th centuries while a few buildings remain from the 14^th century…700 years or so ago!  The first actual record related to the castle dates back to ca. 1110, when King Alexander I dedicated a chapel here.  It must have been an established royal center by this time as Alexander actually died here in 1124.  

There have been at least 8 sieges of Stirling Castle.  Several of them took place during the Wars of Scottish Independence.  The last siege took place in 1746 when Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart) unsuccessfully tried to capture the castle.   The nearby town surrendered but the castle’s governor refused to and his cannons destroyed the artillery set up by the attacking Jacobite forces…

Prior to Scotland’s ‘union’ with England, Stirling Castle was used as a home by many members of Scottish royalty.  It was a palace as well as a fortress.  Several Scottish Kings and Queens were crowned here, including Mary, Queen of Scots back in 1542. 

The statue is of King Robert the Bruce, one of Laurie’s ancient Scottish ancestors.  Over the centuries, the castle changed hands many times, but Robert the Bruce captured it in 1299 when King Edward I of England failed to reinforce the English garrison. 

Edward’s forces took it back in 1304, but by 1307 Edward had died and Robert the Bruce was now the King of Scots.  At this point, the English only occupied Stirling and 3 other Scottish Castles.  The castle was retaken by King Robert following the Battle of Bannockburn which took place within sight of the castle.    

I ‘borrowed’ this aerial photo of Stirling Castle from the Internet.  It’s easy to see why this site was chosen as a location for a fortress!  It’s naturally well protected on 3 sides! 

Today Stirling Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument…a major tourist attraction managed by Historic Environment Scotland.  To learn more about visiting the castle, go to http://www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/.

As we rolled along the 4-lane M9 limited access highway toward Edinburgh’s international airport, Laurie took this photo of one of the pair of “Kelpies”.  

The Kelpies are horse-head sculptures that are 98.5 feet high and they were completed in 2013.  They form a gateway at the eastern end of the Forth and Clyde Canal.  They are a monument to horse-powered heritage across Scotland.   The Kelpies name reflects the mythological transforming beasts (water horses) possessing the strength and endurance of 10 horses…

So much for the most interesting portion of our day.  We arrived at our hotel, the Hilton Doubletree adjacent to the airport and checked in.  Then Laurie and I took the rental car back before relaxing and getting ready for our flight to Ireland the next morning…

I ‘had’ to include a photo of the hallway to our room at the Doubletree.  I’ve stayed in hundreds, if not thousands, of hotels and I’ve never seen a brick inside corridor.  It’s a little narrow too… Weird!

The room was nice…modern and very spacious too!  Of course, given its proximity to the airport and Edinburgh and its overall facilities, it wasn’t a bargain either.  However, it was extremely convenient and I earned points toward a 'free' room somewhere on another trip!

This was the bar/lounge area of our hotel…warm and comfortable.

This was the view from our table in the Doubletree’s restaurant, which is named “The Space”.  Service was friendly and efficient and our table was against a wall, allowing us a quiet place to recap our adventures.

Laurie took this photo of yours truly.  I was sort of smiling…an unusual photographic occurrence! 

Then it was my turn!  I captured this rather nice photo of my better half.  She looked happy even though we were leaving Scotland in the morning.

Then Bonnie joined us for something to eat and I took a photo of the sisters.  Where’s Bill?  As it turned out, he came down with the 12-hour crud and was down for the count!  No dinner for him…

This was the Warm Cheese Flatbread...after a few pieces had been consumed. (5.65 PS/$7.35 US) It came with a trio of dipping sauces.

This was the soup of the day with a nice ciabatta roll…but I don’t recall what kind of soup it was. (5.75 PS/$7.50 US) I do know that it was well received.

This was the Club Sandwich…a triple-decker with French Fries. (13.50 PS/$17.55 US) I had to help finish it and it was good…but pretty pricey for a club sandwich!

What can I say!  I wasn’t in the mood for fish and chips, soup or a sandwich.  This was my entrée… It’s the Steak and Caledonian Ale Pie with mustard mashed potatoes and green beans. (14.95 PS/$19.45 US) The meat was nicely flavored but the crust over the top was too crispy…

All in all, it was a decent meal…if not up to the quality of most of the local restaurants that we dined in as we explored Scotland’s countryside.  To learn more about The Doubletree by Hilton and its restaurant located at Edinburgh’s international airport, you can go to http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-edinburgh-airport-EDIAPDI/index.html.

Well…that’s about it for our adventures in Scotland!  My first blog from Ireland will be published on January 12, 2018. 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for sticking with me for our tour in Scotland!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave