Stirling

(WT/de) Mo

By plane

(WT/de) Mo

• Stirling Castle

  phone: +44 1786 450000
  address: Castle Esplanade, Stirling FK8 1EJ
  Pocket-sized edition of Edinburgh Castle, similarly poised on a crag with steep cliffs on three sides and tail of glacial rubble. It dates back at least to 12th C, but most of the interior is from 15th & 16th C when James IV, V and VI developed it as a royal residence in Renaissance style. It became an army base in 1800 and remains the HQ of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, though they are nowadays quartered in Edinburgh. Visits take in the Great Hall, the Palace and Chapel Royal, the kitchens, tapestries, vaults, the gardens, and Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders regimental museum. There is limited access for those with restricted mobility, but the "access gallery" gives them a view of the hard-to-reach sections. Argyll's Lodging just outside the castle is normally included in the ticket, but it's closed for building work. Unicorn Cafe inside the castle serves good quality food but is pricey.

• Argyll's Lodging

  phone: +44 1786 450000
  address: Castle Wynd
  The well-preserved 17th-century town house, erected by the 1st Earl of Stirling, is a fine example of renaissance architecture. In 2019 it's closed for building maintenance, re-opening date not known.

• Church of the Holy Rude

  address: St John Street FK8 1ED
  Beautiful church dating to 15th C with impressive stained glass; James VI of Scotland was crowned here. See also the adjacent cemetery, where one gravestone depicts an 1822 victim of body-snatching.
• Opposite Holy Rude, Mar's Wark is the facade of a 16th C townhouse; that's all that remains.

• Smith Art Gallery and Museum

  address: Albert Place / Dumbarton Road FK8 2RQ
  Small art gallery, local museum and cafe. Galleries One & Two have rotating exhibitions. "Stirling Story" in Gallery 3 sets out the history of the area and local industry. Displays the world's oldest football - did Mary Queen of Scots really play keepy-up with this?

• Cambuskenneth Abbey

  address: Ladysneuk Road FK9 5NG
  Ruins of an Augustinian 12th C abbey, on a loop of land far side of the meandering River Forth. It's mostly just courses of masonry but the bell tower has been restored. You can see the graves of Queen Margaret of Denmark and her husband James III here.

• Stirling Old Bridge

  address: north edge of town
  This stone bridge was built some time in the 15th C. The timber bridge that it replaced, 180 yards upstream, caused the English downfall at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297: see Bridge of Allan for this story.
• The other bank of the river is Bridge of Allan: visit here for the Wallace Monument and Stirling University. It also includes the abbey, but that's easier to reach from Stirling.

• Bannockburn

  phone: +44 1786 812664
  address: Glasgow Road, Stirling
  England's King Edward II tried to install a puppet king on the throne of Scotland, and garrisoned Stirling Castle. In 1314 the Scots under Robert the Bruce beseiged the castle then attacked the English forces to the south at Bannockburn. They won, a victory still celebrated today, eg in the song Flower o' Scotland. There's a monument and statue of Robert the Bruce that you can visit free anytime. But what the crowds come for is the Battle of Bannockburn Experience which is a 3D immersive battle game - no paintball involved but lots of CGI as you manouevre your assigned army unit. Admission is only by timed slot, with limited capacity so they often book out. After briefing and familiarisation, you spend 45 mins in battle play.

• See Bridge of Allan for walks in the nearby hills.
• Watch Rugby Union at Stirling County RFC. They play in the Premiership, the top tier of Scottish club rugby. Their home ground is Bridgehaugh Park, just north of the A9 bridge out of town.

(WT-en) Nicolesabrina

• Blair Drummond Safari Park

  phone: +44 1786 841456
  address: Blair Drummond, FK9 4UR
  Drive-through safari park, plus enclosures for chimps, sea lions, bugs, birds of prey, petting farm etc. Plus lots of theme-park stuff like pedalos and zipwires that charge extra. No dogs.

• Briarlands FarmChildren's farm: petting zoo, fruit-picking, go-karting, trampolines, a maize maze and other family activities.

• Sruighlea is Stirling's mid-August festival, incorporating Highland Games, a Food & Drink Fair, and a Creative Arts Festival. The next event is Sat 15 Aug 2020.

• Port Street has the usual range of high-street shops and banks. Stirling has a limited range of independent shops, mostly on side streets or north of the railway station.
• Europa Music at 10 Friars St is an independent music store, open M-Sat 09:30-17:30, Sun 12:00-17:00.
• Thistle Marches is a shopping centre just south of the railway station with the usual range of high street stores. Open late Thursday nights.
• Supermarkets include Tesco 5 mins north of railway station, Sainsbury's a little further north, and Morrison's a mile to the east. They're mostly open until 22:00.

• Stirling Arcade

  phone: +44 1786 450719
  address: King Street, FK8 1AX
  A Victorian shopping arcade, built in 1881, housing several boutique shops and cafés.

• Fast food outlets are Greggs (various locations), McDonalds (by station) and Pizza Hut (300 yards north of station). Lots of cheap & cheerful restaurants and takeaways also.

• Poonthais

  address: 9 Baker Street, Stirling FK8 1BJ
  Highly commended Thai restaurant.

• Greengrocer Cafe

  address: 81 Port St FK8 2ER
  Gourmet sandwich lunch menu and amazing cakes.

• Napizza

  phone: +44 1786 464411
  address: 15 Friars Street, FK8 1HA
  Neapolitan pizza baked in a mosaic-covered wood burning oven. Half a dozen tables, reserve during busy times. Does takeaways.

• The Crossed Peels

  address: 8 Spittal Street
  Wetherspoon pub with food all day
• Splurge at

  Hermann's

  phone: +44 1786 450632
  address: Mar Place House, 58 Broad Street FK8 1EF
  Excellent Austrian/Scottish fusion restaurant. Offers delicious local produce with an original twist.

Bars

• Nicky-Tams

  address: 29 Baker Street FK8 1BJ
  Opened in 1718, friendly (and dog-friendly) atmosphere, mostly student clientele, food served to 21:00. Live music most nights, pub quiz Sun evenings.

• Corn Exchange

  address: 11-13 Corn Exchange Road FK8 2HX
  Now a Belhaven pub, has decent food and good meals.

• The Portcullis

  phone: +44 1786 472290
  address: Castle Wynd FK8 1EG
  Located at the bottom of the castle car park. Good whisky selection. Also offers good quality meals and accommodation.

• Settle Inn

  phone: +44 1786 474609
  address: 91 Saint Mary's Wynd FK8 1BU
  Traditional pub close to the castle, dog-friendly. Frequent live music. Board games available for customers to play.

Clubs

• Fubar

  address: 6 Maxwell Place FK8 1JU
  Club with 2 floors, programme varies by day.

• Dusk

  phone: +44 1786 464904
  address: Dalgleish Court FK8 1BJ
  Nightclub: Mon is "guilty pleasures", Tue is "skint" cheap drinks, Thurs is LivItUp club tunes, Fri is Dusk'n Ladies Night, and Sats we're promised is the pinnacle. Age 25+ only, you need photo ID to prove it.

Budget

• Stirling Youth Hostel

  phone: +44 1786 473442
  address: St John Street FK8 1EA
  Built behind the façade of an old church, it offers 2 to 6-bedded rooms, good self-catering kitchen, internet, friendly staff and TV-room; breakfast £7.50. Book ahead during summer. Open all year.

• Willy Wallace Hostel

  phone: +44 1786 446773
  address: 77 Murray Place FK8 1AU
  Located in the centre of the old town, mixed & female dorms, lounge. Open all year.

Mid-range

• Premier Inn is on the riverside just east of the railway station.
• Lots of B&Bs, those central include Lost Guest House at 4 Melville Terrace, Castle Walk B&B on Back Walk, and Munro's at 14 Princes St.
• The Golden Lion is a 3-star hotel at 8 King St FK8 1BD, B&B double £60.

• Stirling Highland Hotel

  phone: +44 1786 272727
  address: Spittal St FK8 1DU
  Hotel in Victorian schoolhouse in old centre.

• Hotel Colessio

  phone: +44 1786 448880
  address: 33 Spittal St FK8 1DX
  Central boutique hotel.

• Holiday Inn Express Stirling

  phone: +44 1786 449922
  address: Springkerse Business Park FK7 7XH
  Modern chain hotel with 80 a/c guest rooms, meeting facilities, bar, coffee lounge and free parking. 20 mins walk from centre, but use the Park & Ride bus from the nearby Morrison's supermarket, every 12 mins Mon-Sat.
• There's a caravan site at Blair Drummond by the safari park.

• Hillview Cottage

  address: Kirk Lane, Blair Drummond FK9 4AN
  Open all year, with 3 en suite bedrooms (sleep 2, 3 or 4). Just 50 yards off main road yet quiet.

• Stirling Central Library

  address: Corn Exchange Road
  Several computers with free internet access available, though you may need to join a queue.

• Post Office is within WH Smith, opposite Marks & Spencer, Thistle Shopping Centre

• Bridge of Allan — a town north-west of Stirling which is nice to walk around; the Lecropt Kirk is close-by
• Dollar — (10 miles (16 km) east of Stirling on the A91) to visit Castle Campbell and walk through Dollar Glen.
• Doune — (10 miles northwest of Stirling off the A84) with Doune Castle, 14th century castle with a great view over the landscape. Take a walk along a river right behind the castle. The castle was used during the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail to portray most of the castles in the film.
• Dunblane — with Dunblane Cathedral, an impressive cathedral with an early Pictish stone found on the site.

Max Naylor