Okay enough fish and chips. I need to get off the coast for a day, so decided to go to Stirling.
However, I got seduced by the names of places round here: Bridge of Earn, Yetts of Muckhart, Path of Condie. Feels like straying into Lord of the Rings territory and I couldn't resist.
The Path of Condor turned out to be just that, a magical single track road through green fields littered with sheep, up the mountain and down the glens, fat pheasants, one almost blind sheep dog by a gate, a curious lamb who had jumped the wall and no people that I could see. Someone lives there though. There were recycling bins at the end of tracks.
Lots of pinewood plantations and lots of leftovers from forestry.
Seems odd that one or two trees seemed to get missed. Made the area look like the aftermath of some disaster somehow.
I came across a quiet lake...
The odd isolated farm with spectacular views.
Or ruins where farm buildings used to be. Lovely in May especially as the sun is out!
Came off the mountain road into a little village called Dunning where the church has Commonwealth war graves. And just outside the village, in a field, I spotted this crude stone memorial to a woman called Maggie Wall who was allegedly burnt at the stake on that spot in 1657 for witchcraft.
I googled her when I got home and found she is a bit of a mystery. Some people believe she never existed and the monument is a fake, others think she had an affair with the Lord of the Manor at that time, Lord Rollo and got caught out. There's lots more on the internet if you are curious.
Back on the road towards Stirling and spotted a sign to Highland Games at Blackford. Had to stop.
It might have seemed like village folks enjoying simple rustic pleasures
but it was more than that. There were stalls of various sorts including some really nice tartan bags by Carole Mungall. You can see them at www.tweed-bags.co.uk
There were competitions with cash prizes. Lots of young girls on a stage Scottish dancing in competition with other young girls, a marching band, cycle racing and runners.
And most exciting of all, the `Heavy sports'; eight athletes who have competed internationally at hammer throwing in the Olympics. They were all wearing kilts, though not all were Scots. One man was 6ft 7 inches tall and had been runner up in The Worlds Strongest Man Competition last year.
Stirling here I come but first The Tullibardine Distillery.
Meet Ian Fraser...
My fount of all knowledge concerning things whiskey, and advice on places I should be visiting further North on my travels.
And now Stirling - via The William Wallace Monument. Very steep climb up pretty woodland pathways to the summit of Abbey Craig to get there
and by the time I did I was red faced and felt as though I now had calf muscles to challenge the caber tossers!
Once there the monument is impressive.
It's nowhere near as old as other places I've seen - it's only Victorian - but it commemorates the 13th century Scottish hero William Wallace and the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 against the English. He met a grisly end however after he was betrayed. On 23rd August 1305 he was tried, found guilty, hanged, disembowelled, beheaded and quartered.
Stirling much anticipated was an anticlimax. Like many other cities around the country it has sacrificed its high street to a shopping centre where you could be anywhere. No heart, no soul, little reason to visit at all. It does have a castle but I am done with castles for today. As a tourist my first and lasting impression of the town is not favourable. Lots of high end nail fairies and hair dressing salons, and low end law firms. What is that saying?
Ten minutes after I got back to Forgandenny my lovely hostess Helen said she was taking me out.
She was concerned that there were lovely places in Scotland that I would not see because I was largely focussing on the coast.
She took me to Birham of MacBeth fame where we saw a charming garden dedicated to the children's writer Beatrix Potter who liked to holiday there.
Then a little further to Dunkeld a village of whitewashed houses restored by the Scottish National Trust and rented out. Lots of individual shops there. Definitely worth a visit.
There was also a small partially ruined Cathedral
and riverside walks along the River Dee.
And gin and tonic. So the day ended on a high note!!!
It must feel fantastic, seeing so many places and meeting such a diverse collection of people. I imagine I would experience sensory overload at times but in a nice way. A lovely read!
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