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.
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 19th 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:
·
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 15th and 16th
centuries while a few buildings remain from the 14th 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
That is quite the castle - I've enjoyed your Scotland vacation.
ReplyDeleteHi, I have SO enjoyed your Scotland visit. I think I am connected to Robert the Bruce. How is Laurie connected? Maybe Laurie and I are long-lost-cousins......
ReplyDeleteI would love to go to Scotland (and/or Ireland)... I'm envious of your trip. IF we ever did it, we'd do it the same way that you all did it. I'd do my research (like you did) --and we'd rent a car and do it ourselves... I'm just not into those big tour bus/group trips...
Happy 2018.
Hugs,
Betsy
Lots of great photos, love the church, bakery, and castle and food. And I like your smile too! Thanks for sharing your trip, I really enjoyed it. Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDelete