After the sadness of losing my little friend, I was more than ready for a break in August, and there was only one place that The Bloke and I wanted to go: the west coast of Scotland. It’s my favourite place in the world, we have visited a number of times (even getting engaged years ago on the clifftop overlooking Dunnottar Castle), and we had been looking forward to it for months after booking the same beautiful cottage that we stayed in last year. 

The drive from Birmingham is a long one, though, so we decided to break it up with an overnight stop. Last year, we stayed in Falkirk and visited The Kelpies and Blackness Castle, and then visited Doune Castle the next day. This time, we chose to stay in Stirling. We have passed it on many occasions during the drive up there, and it has been on our list of places to see for a while. It felt like the perfect place to pause.

The drive up was surprisingly easy, and we arrived earlier than expected, so we decided to spend the afternoon at Stirling Castle. 

Stirling Castle is one of those places that really captures Scotland’s history in one visit. Sitting high on a rocky hill, it dominates the skyline and offers incredible views across the countryside, with a turbulent history featuring William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie that dates back to ancient times.

With the sun shining and barely a cloud in the sky, it was the perfect afternoon to wander through the grand halls and courtyards, taking it all in. We spoke to a few members of the team, who were more than happy to provide lots of details about individual rooms and stories told in the tapestries on the walls. In the warm weather, I didn’t envy them having to wear their costumes, particularly the woollen tights.

After a good night’s rest and an early breakfast, we headed out to visit The National Wallace Monument. It has been on my bucket list for a long time, and it was well worth the wait. 

The Wallace Monument was built in the 19th century (completed in 1869) to honour Sir William Wallace, one of Scotland’s most celebrated national heroes. It is a stunning 67-metre sandstone tower, designed in the Victorian Gothic style, and has became a symbol of Scottish pride and independence. It stands on the Abbey Craig, overlooking the site of Wallace’s famous victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. Inside, there are exhibitions about Wallace’s life, the fight for freedom, and the monument’s construction, that can be accessed through stone steps leading upwards through the tower. 

We arrived just as the sun had come up, and having the place completely to ourselves made it even better. The early light, the quiet, and the climb up through the trees all made for a really special start to the day. We sat on one of the benches overlooking the view for several hours, and then decided to leave just as we saw other tourists starting to arrive. A truly magical place. 

After that, we grabbed our luggage and got back on the road towards Johnshaven, where we would be spending the next week… and I couldn’t wait to get there.