We visited Stirling Castle twice. The first visit was late in the day as it took ages to drive there as Storm Amy was in full swing. Roads were cut off so we were diverted a couple of times, and we also had to drive through flood waters twice which was a bit of a scary experience.

When we finally arrived it was pouring with rain and foggy, which really added to the atmosphere (see photos above). The castle was perched high up on a volcanic crag, with spectacular views across Stirling and the surrounding valley. The city sprawled up the hill right to the castle walls.

As you can see from the photos below, the inside of the castle was stunning, with many ornate rooms adorned with tapestries, artwork, antique furniture and the like. There were several interactive displays to engage younger children, such as the opportunity to dress up as a king or queen from the 1500s.

On our second visit the following day we were able to walk there from our accommodation, which was just a few minutes down the hill. This time we had the opportunity to look outside the castle in clear conditions, particularly at the Robert the Bruce statue and across to the National Wallace Monument, both of which I was keen to see.

Stirling Castle has been one of Scotland’s most significant sites for centuries as a stronghold for battle and defence, and a palace and home for several monarchs. Mary Queen of Scots was brought here from Linlithgow in 1542 when she was six days old to be crowned after the death of her father, King James V. We ended up staying a night in Linlithgow unexpectedly, and also got to see Queen Mary’s crown jewels at Edinburgh Castle – more on this later.

The site has been inhabited since at least the 7th century, with the castle itself established in the 12th century. Having seen many battles over the years, most of the current day buildings date to between 1490-1600. We did however find the North Gate (photos 5-7 above), which is the oldest surviving part of the castle and dates back to 1381 during King Robert II’s reign (Robert the Bruce’s grandson).