Scotland 2015: Day 1

Published June 15, 2015

I landed in Edinburgh. I picked up my rental car and got situated. I have one big list but it is broken into two parts. One part is of course the prints, the other are just the things I want to to in Scotland. Most of the prints come later in the trip but I really want to see everything I can – really circle Scotland!

Castle #1 – Linlithgow Palace. Just getting back into the swing of things. Drive, shoot, enjoy the castle, and then run to the next one.

Now that’s a spire! Church #1 – St Michael’s Parish Church, Linlithgow.

Castle #2 – Stirling Castle. I had been to Scotland before (in 2000) and this is one of the places I visited.

Church #2 – Church of the Holy Rude.

Don’t know what category to file this under – bridge? I am going to call it Historic #1. You might not agree with all of my categories but I like to tally everything I see and visit (& photograph). The Battle of Sterling Bridge was near here – but not here – because the bridge was destroyed during the battle. This is still a very old bridge, and you can see the castle in the distance.

I guess this goes with the bridge in the category Historic #2 – The National Wallace Monument. In 2000 I visited Stirling Castle but I was traveling solely by train and taxis. As I was looking out at the countryside I said I wished I could see the Wallace Monument and this old man who had been explaining everything about the castle to me told me he would drive me. “Don’t you work here?” I asked him. One of the other castle guides popped up, “Old Joe? Nah, he retired years ago but his wife doesn’t like him at home so he just hangs about and does this for free.” So I hopped in his car and he first drove me to see the bridge and then dropped me off at the Monument. Those are a lot of stairs and h back in 2000 I actually climbed to the top.

Church #3 and my first print! Cambuskenneth Abbey “The Abbey of Stirling” Print #1 – I think I got close!

Settled at The Faerie Tree B&B and then out for dinner – they served me a ginger ale like it was whisky (i.e. not very much and in a very small glass).