After leaving the Isle of Mull, we stopped in Stirling for a visit to its old town and Stirling Castle. I think I’m a bit spoiled when it comes to castles (nothing is ever quite as impressive to me as Conwy) but Stirling does have its own charm.
Before getting all the way up to the castle, I stopped at Mar’s Wark for a look around. The townhouse was built in the 1570s and you can walk around it to see the inside.
After that short break, I finished walking up the hill to the castle and enjoyed a tour. I especially appreciated seeing how the castle has changed over time, and how its history is linked with Welsh history. (King Edward I stopped construction of his “perfect” castle in Beaumaris, Wales, to fight the first War of Scottish Independence and besiege Stirling Castle.)
Aside from the sites, I also have to highly recommend Mediterranea as a place to eat in Stirling. We ended up there a bit by chance, and it was incredible food in such a friendly, cozy atmosphere.
After Stirling, we decided to head back home through the Lake District — it’s a beautiful area and it made for two short drives instead of one really long day of driving. It was also a great excuse for going out on a lake, since we were already there! So we got two canoes and spent a couple hours on Lake Windermere. No pictures since I was afraid of dropping my phone in the lake, so you’ll just have to trust that it was gorgeous and a fun end to our trip. 🙂
Expat Linguist 