Winter is definitely arriving, already we’re getting ice on the footpaths here in Edinburgh. The bus trip to Stirling was mostly along the M9, and offered beautiful views of the surrounding rolling hills, covered in a light white frost.
Once in Stirling we walked to the castle, all uphill, taking in along the way the farmer’s markets in the town centre, some window shopping, and walking past various historic buildings. Almost everything we laid eyes on was historic and full of character.
The views from the castle are spectacular and difficult to capture in photographs. The day in Stirling never really warmed up, which was OK, as the air was crisp and fresh and complemented the white coloured mountains visible in all directions. The misty air, with the sun trying to break through, was most dramatic, and many large flocks of birds passed us by probably migrating south.
The castle itself was most interesting, and while not showing the trappings of others we’ve seen, was still was unique in other ways.
They have some interesting restoration projects underway also. The most recent completion was the Great Hall. With today’s know-how and technology, it took over one year to construct the roof, even though it was covered with a temporary building so not to be hampered by weather. It’s easy to respect what a large task it must have been, back in the old days.
Helen was particularly interested in the tapestries they are remaking, by hand, trying to stay faithful to the original. Taking years to complete, some are already on display while others have only just started.
After walking back down the hill, we visited Jimmy Chungs Chinese Buffet for a late lunch. We have tried the Edinburgh branch so had to try the Stirling one to compare! So far, Edinburgh is preferred.
Sufficiently fed and watered, we boarded the bus as the day was getting dark, to return home. Not without drama! I left Helen’s All Blacks hat on the bus as we got off in Edinburgh which caused a world of upset; Helen because it was her hat, and me because I had a cold head walking home.
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