Stirling and Linlithgow

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Started the day off with a hearty breakfast and then headed for the train station. Today’s destinations, Stirling and Linlithgow.

The trains here are super easy to navigate. You can buy a ticket through the app, using one of the machines in the stations or by visiting one of the helpful information folks. I went the in-person route as I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing. Tickets can be one way or return and allow you to get on and off at any station in between the origin and destination. The ticket can also be used at any time during the day, which is super helpful when you do not know your return time!

The trip from Haymarket to Stirling is about 50 minutes and the train I took made a few stops along the way. Early on a Saturday morning the train was quiet and I was able to enjoy looking out the window at the countryside. Saw lots of sheep with small lambs, some cows and some horses.

I had already prepared myself for yet another uphill climb and walked at a leisurely pace. I had booked a ticket for the 10-10:30 entrance time as I was not sure what train I would take and wanted to allow some time. Turns out I made it up the hill before 9:30 and was able to go in once they opened since it was not sold out.

Stirling Castle is amazing! It was first mentioned around 1100 and many monarchs lived, were crowned or died here. William Wallace fought at the nearby Battle of Stirling Bridge and Robet the Bruce defeated the British at Bannockburn, just to the south of the castle. Mary Queen of Scots was crowned in 1543 and James VI was baptized in 1556. There is so much to learn here and a lot to explore. I started off in the Queen Anne Garden and walking along some of the castle walls. The views over the valley to the mountains beyond are stunning! But I also needed a snack and luckily there is a café on site. I was able to get a warm scone with clotted cream and jam, which I ate outside near one of the fortifications.

Re-energized I continued my exploration of all the areas of the castle. The Royal apartments have had their ceilings redone to look much how they would have when the castle was lived in. One of the most interesting features is the Stewart heads. These are wood carvings laid in the ceiling, which have been recreated in the rooms and some of the originals are on display in a gallery. Other places of interest are the Great Hall, palace kitchens and all the walls you can walk on. I spent about two hours here but you could certainly stay longer.

The Church of the Holy Rude was my next stop. There is a very old cemetery here which could be wandered through for a long time. I did go in to the church itself as it is the only surviving church in Scotland to witness a coronation, that of James VI. It also has its original wood beams, which is quite impressive!

Lunch was a delicious brie, bacon and chutney toastie at Darnley’s House. As you guessed it, this used to be the home of Lord Darnley, husband to Mary Queen of Scots. They also make their own cordials and I had the rhubarb, orange and vanilla with sparkling water. It was a really good lunch.

Headed to the train station to catch a train back towards Edinburgh. One of the things I love about train stations in Europe is waiting outside on the platform and seeing all the other trains pull in to the station, stop for a few minutes to swap passengers and then head out to their next destination. Travel by train here is easy, the cars are clean and quiet, many run on the electric wires overhead and you can get so many places.

My last stop of the day was the Palace of Linlithgow. Linlithgow itself is a very old city with lots of historic buildings. Fun fact, in 1847 the first sample of chloroform was created here! The Palace stands in ruins just a short five-minute walk from the train station. It is in the care of Historic Environment of Scotland. Something I have not mentioned is all three main sites I have visited so far fall under the management of this group. You can purchase an annual membership, individual tickets at each site or an explorer pass of various lengths. I bought the 14 day pass ahead of time as it pays for itself if you visit at least 3 major sites. So far, I have been to two, Edinburgh and Stirling Castles. Other large sites will be visited in the coming days.

Anyway, back to the Palace. The earliest part of the current structure dates to 1424. And, you guessed it, this has major connections to Mary Queen of Scots. She was born here in 1542, lived here for a time as a child and visited often as an adult. Various other monarchs visited here until it eventually fell to ruins by around 1668 and was destroyed in a fire in 1746. Today portions of the palace are undergoing restoration due to being structurally unsafe.

The admission here includes a free audio guide download using their wi-fi but it was slow and I preferred to explore on my own. There are so many passageways, rooms and staircases leading to more passageways and rooms. I do not know how many times I went up and down the same staircase due to missing something the first time. The empty, echoing rooms allow one to imagine what life must have been like back in the fourteen and fifteen hundreds. It is also humbling to walk the same floors as hundreds of people before you.

Outside the palace is Linlithgow Loch surrounded by green space called Linlithgow Peel. I took a few moments to sit on a bench by the water and enjoy the stillness. Once done reflecting it was time to head back to the train station. A short wait and a quick ride and I was back in Edinburgh.

By this time, I was exhausted and grabbed some quick takeout from Jollibee and headed back to my room. Yesterday I put in 29,837 steps and today was 24,221. I love exploring European cities on foot and it’s even better if some of those steps are earned while exploring historic sites!

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Photos

Palace of Linlithgow
Original East entrance. There would have been a ramp leading up to it and a drawbridge that was let down.