We lingered over breakfast with last conversations. The Servas stays are by nature only two nights, which is good, but nearly always leaves you wishing to have a little more time together. We headed off in our different directions.
Dick and Patti walked the third of the mile to catch the train into downtown Glasgow Central. We then had only about a four block walk to the next station. Then it was a little over half an hour to catch a train to the next town, Stirling.
Stirling at one point was one of the most important castles in all of Scotland and we would have a night in the area, enjoying learning about its history. We were able to arrive in the late morning and so had a little bit of time to look about the town before we did a early drop off of our luggage at our interesting historic inn where we are spending the night.
This place was several hundred years old and at one point was a blacksmith shop, and it was not so long ago a restaurant and now a bed and breakfast. Our host owned the restaurant and part of the amazing thing they have to offer is what is called a “full Scottish breakfast”, which we will look forward to eating the next day.
Having dropped off our luggage, we went off and found a small park where we ate our lunch from our Servas home and then spread out a blanket for a rest. Dick was having memories of the musical Brigadoon, set in Scotland. Patti was able to find the musical sound track on her phone and we spent a lovely hour dozing and listening to this romantic music. Very lovely!
Then, we walked a short way to meet our guide for a tour around the town of Stirling where we could hear more about the illustrious history. It was an informal small tour, but we learned many interesting facts about this area that was considered at one time the most important castle in all of Scotland. It was here that Mary Queen of Scots was coronated, where Robert the Bruce and William Wallace (made famous by the movie Braveheart) fought epic battles. And Bonnie Prince Charlie invaded England from here.
This town has 900 years of history and it is fascinating to think we walked the streets where kings and queens had walked.
Following the city walking tour, our guide brought us up to the castle and we went on one hour tour with a very enthusiastic young tour guide who told us many tales. It was the final tour of the day and we were tired and the skies were brooding with some sprinkles starting in the middle of our tour. We could’ve lingered longer, but we were ready to stop. It was a good tour, with many wonderful stories.
Google maps showed us the shortest way from the castle was taking what was called the Kings Stable Lane that took us down this quiet path where we could imagine horses being ridden and lead from the castle straight down the hill to the street where we were staying.
We got back to our Airbnb, a house that was built prior to the 1500s and had been many things, including the shop for the blacksmith for King James up in the castle. Our innkeeper was Colin and his wife Betty. They had bought and rehabbed this place that had been in very bad shape and made it into a charming bed-and-breakfast. There was time for Dick to join in with his family zoom call give a little report from Scotland.
Then we walked about 10 minutes to a dining room in an old hotel, The Golden Lion Hotel. There we had a nice fish dinner and then walked back to our B&B. We spent a little time watching some of the soccer, Dick worked on pictures and then off to sleep. By now, Patti‘s feeling quite a bit better with a cold, and Dick is sneezing and has a very stuffy nose. Time for bed.
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