Stirling is a lovely and historic town, well worth a visit. It’s an easy day trip from Edinburg. We spent a couple of nights there and found plenty to amuse ourselves.
From the train station, we had to climb up through town to find the Stirling Youth Hostel, just below the Church of the Holy Rude, which is just below Stirling’s major tourist attraction, Stirling Castle at the “Top o’ the Town.” Thankfully, the hostel welcomed us without demanding evidence of our “Youth.” We had a small room with two twin beds. From here we could walk uphill to find the castle and other historical sites, or downhill toward the shops and restaurants of the city.
The Church of the Holy Rude: One of our first stops, since it sits just above our Youth Hostel, was this beautiful medieval church, the parish church of Stirling. The “Holy Rude” (or Rood) refers to a relic, believed to be a piece of the actual cross on which Jesus was crucified. Throughout the British Isles, a few such relics are claimed. When Sara and I visited, we met a deacon of the church who told us about the history and structure of the church. Since Stirling Castle was a favorite home to Scotland’s kings, this church was especially important. In 1567 King James VI of Scotland was crowned in this church – the same King James who in 1603 became King James I of Great Britain and Ireland. Note that this is also the same King James of the King James Bible.
The Guild Hall: Recently restored as a Guild Hall, this building dates back to the seventeenth century, when wealthy merchant John Cowane bequeathed funds to build a hospital/ almshouse for the town. Today, the building features an exhibit about John Cowane. The Guildry of Stirling still holds its court meetings in this lovely hall.
Haggis at the BREA: We’re in Scotland, so we had to try the local cuisine. Everyone has heard of haggis, but few have heard its praise. So Sara bravely ordered the haggis while I opted for a salmon dish, and as usual we shared with each other. The service at the BREA was fantastic and both meals were delicious. We loved the haggis. Perhaps it’s nasty elsewhere, but this haggis was really good. We enjoyed our dinner at Brea so much that we hoped to dine here again, but we had no reservation so we were unable to go back.
Music at the Tollbooth: We learned about an afternoon concert at a small cafe in The TollBooth. The artists were a young couple, with Rebecca Hill playing the harp and Charlie Stewart on the violin. They called their music “contemporary / traditional,” featuring a few of Charlie’s original compositions. We loved it. We even bought one of their CD’s, something we usually avoid. Now I just need a CD player.
Stirling Castle: Atop the hill sits Stirling Castle, much of which has been restored today, and it’s well worth a visit. As the favored home of Scotland’s monarchs, it tells a rich history. On the approach to the castle is a statue of Robert the Bruce, of great importance to Scottish history. Looking from the hilltop castle and across the valley below, we could see the Monument to William Wallace (of Braveheart fame). Restoration has made the castle’s interiors very colorful. Visitors are warmly greeted by historical figures in period costume, all there to explain their roles and their character’s history.
We had a great stop in Stirling. But next we’re bound for Edinburg.
