We drive to Stirling for the visit of the castle
Online travel guide
Edinburgh-Stirling. 1 hr 10 mins
This road trip starts from the airport parking.
We headed straight to Stirling (to many people, one of the most beautiful towns in Scotland) in our rented car. We first visited the castle, the scene of many bloody battles.
Stirling Castle
1 – Stirling Castle is perched on top of a hill, built on a chunk of volcanic rock and surrounded on three sides by steep crags, which make it easily defensible.
It is one among the largest and imposing castles in Scotland and in entire Western Europe, both under the historic and the architectural point of view.
(opening times 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., last entry 5:15 p.m in the summer/ 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., last admissions 4:15 p.m in the winter) The visit lasts a couple of hours. If you want to avoid queues and save money, you must buy your ticket online.
The National Wallace Monument
While in Stirling, you can’t miss the monument to William Wallace.
2 – This famous historic memorial rises on top of a hill above the fields where William Wallace led his troops to victory over the English in the Battle of Stirling Bridge. It documents the story of the intrepid warrior who became Scotland’s national hero.
National Wallace Monument: (opening times: Jan. and Feb. 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; May and Jun. 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Jul. and Aug. 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Sept. and Oct. 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Nov. and Dec. 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; last admissions 45 mins prior to closing) You can purchase tickets at the Visitor Reception Building (just beside the parking). A complimentary minibus shuttle runs regularly between the parking and the monument.
Wallace Monument prices.
In the evening, you can easily find restaurants for dinner as well as pubs.
Who was William Wallace?
William Wallace was a Scottish national hero, famous for his fight for Scottish independence from England in the 13th century.
He was the leader of the Scottish revolt against English King Edward I, which culminated in the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297, where the Scots defeated the English army despite being outnumbered.
Wallace was later defeated by the English at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298 and captured shortly after. He was tried for treason and executed in London in 1305.
His figure has been romanticized and celebrated over the centuries, becoming a symbol of courage and patriotism for the Scottish people.
Here is the recommended itinerary around Scotland
