Three big things and another castle

Sunday 24th September

We slept in, not waking until nearly 8.00 am! A rainy day with cloud all day,

1st up - The memorial to William Wallace who lead a battle against the English called the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1314. Wallace's troops although greatly outnumbered won the battle decisively and prevented the English taking Stirling Castle. The monument, which is taller than the Leaning Tower of Pisa but smaller than the Eiffel Tower, is situated high on a hill overlooking the battle site. Bruce went the 264 steps to the top, which was in misty rain, and Merilyn went 140 steps up to both history floors.

The 2nd stop was at the Falkirk Wheel, an amazing engineering structure which lifts boats, and the water the're floating on, from one canal to another 39 m higher up. We watched two boats go up and one come down. It is the only wheel of this type in the world.

3rd stop was also in Falkirk to see the Kelpies. Massive metal sculptures of horses on either side of a lock in a canal - Kelpies was the name given to the horses which pulled boats along the canals.

Finally we reached Edinburgh and "Tammy" the Tom Tom showed us to the door of our accommodation. Dinner was in a full and happily noisy Italian restaurant.

Monday 25th September

We have been away for 6 weeks. Very foggy morning. We walked to and then along the Royal Mile to  the Edinburgh Castle, built high on a rocky hill and spent several hours exploring this historic and significant place, which included a viewing of the Scottish Crown Jewels.

Along the Royal Mile

Edinburgh Castle

Still walking, we went to the Georgian House, No 7 Charlotte Square, owned by the National Trust in the 'New Town' which was designed and built in the late 1700's. A video with actors playing characters from the period, and well set up rooms, showed how the rich lived in the 1800's.  

No 7 has the blue door, and the rooms with 2 windows to the right and one to the left.

Walking home we stopped at an Indian Restaurant for dinner. A great day!