< previous
next >
Day 5: April 1, 2024
It was a relatively early start from Tomintoul as we headed to the A9 road to travel south to Edinburgh. We made good progress to Loch Morlich near Aviemore, a beautiful loch with a natural beach nestled in the mountains! Then off back on the road, lunching in pretty Pitlochry, made famous by Queen Victoria in the 19th century when she set the trend for visiting the small town, which continues to this day! The next stop was at Stirling Castle, where the Highlands meet the Lowlands of Scotland. Mary, Queen of Scots, spent much of her childhood in the castle and in 1297, the Battle of Stirling Bridge was fought nearby between Scottish and English forces. The battle was part of the Scottish Wars of Independence, which involved William Wallace, immortalised in the film Braveheart and ultimately led to the defeat of the English forces by Robert the Bruce at nearby Bannockburn in 1314. The last visit enroute to Edinburgh was at the Kelpies, a recent art installation celebrating both the magical spirit of the horse spirts in Scottish folklore but also the debt owed to horses throughout the Industrial Revolution. Dinner was at a pizza pub in Edinburgh before checking into the Moxy Edinburgh Airport hotel where the group would be staying for three nights!