The ship today was berthed at South Queensferry just by the three bridges that cross the Firth of Forth; the red railway bridge, the old road bridge and the recently opened Queensferry bridge.
The trip we had booked was due to leave at 1.30 so we spent the morning relaxing on the ship, playing table tennis and trying out a new game (for us) of pickle ball. Played on a court similar to that used in badminton the game uses a plastic ball with hard wood bats. It kept us amused for a while but suffice to say neither of us will be taking it up professionally.
The tender ashore took us under the railway bridge to a small pier in the town itself and we boarded the coach to take us firstly to the Battle of Bannockburn site. Along the route we passed the town of Falkirk and the giant horses heads known as The Kelpies. These stand some 30 metres tall and lie next to the motorway, this photograph taken through the coach window.
Arriving at the Bannockburn Heritage Centre we were treated to a 3D film presentation outlining the events leading up to the battle. This was then followed by a brilliant presentation that took us through the battle hour by hour. The battle which took place in 1314 was fought between Robert the Bruce and his Scottish troops and King Edward II’s vastly bigger English army. Bruce used his knowledge of the area and some superb military tactics to defeat Edward’s army and in the words of the song ..”Sent him homeward to think again”.
Unlike Culloden where we visited yesterday, the battlefield has been developed with housing built on part of the site. Standing proudly in the centre of the field is a statue of the hero of the day, Robert the Bruce.
The battlefield sits just outside the city of Stirling in which the magnificent castle sits high on an extinct volcano dominating the plains below. Due to its key strategic location Stirling is one of the most besieged castles in the country with the Battle of Sterling Bridge taking place nearby. It was in this battle in 1297 that William Wallace (Braveheart) also defeated an English army.
As we approached the castle Sylvia couldn’t resist having her photo taken with her 21st Great Grand Father.
The castle gates or forework, seen here from the Queen Anne garden…….
….was installed by James IV (of Scotland) around 1500 and inside sits the Royal Palace. These have been completely renovated inside in the style of the 1540s such as here in the Queen’s bedroom.
Throughout the palace the hugh fireplaces were decorated with banners…..
….but the most spectacular part of the visit was the Stirling Heads Gallery. These are a series of tiles in the ceiling of the King’s Inner Hall depicting the heads of various great and good people. Unfortunately the originals have been lost in the long history of the castle but these replicas were commissioned to replace them.
Outside the Queen Anne’s garden are well laid out with lawns and a quite magnificent array of flowering plants.
From the battlements of the castle the Wallace Monument, built in honour of Braveheart himself, is visible in the distance.
We arrived back at South Queensferry and caught the final tender back to the ship. We now have a sea day tomorrow before our final port of call on Sunday, Le Havre.
