26.09.09 Firth of Forth continued

There was so much to see on this trip that we can only give a small impression really. The highlights of the north shore of the Forth are the towers, which used the be the nobility's mansions until they got out of fashion. The one pictured here in Clackmannan was unfortunately inaccessible but was worth going to because of the fantastic views of the Forth valley.
The tower in Alloa was open for viewing and very impressive, whereas the rest of the town wasn't very exciting. We also learned that Cromwell has certainly done his part destroying Scotland's heritage: nearly every ruin has his name on it!



The next stop was Stirling Castle, sitting at a spectacular location on a hill with marvelous views. We didn't go in the actual castle but walked around the nearby cemetery and church which were very scenic as well. So much that we ran into two weddings complete with bag pipes and ginger kilt-wearing groom who looked like a Viking.




This is the view from the Stirling Castle terrace. Forgot who the warrior was, but note the tower in the background, which has an open roof, something we've seen more often here. Doesn't this look like a scene from Lord of the Rings?








Our final stop was at Blackness (stress the last syllable!), the only thing worth seeing along the south shore of the Forth between Strirling and South Queensferry really. It has a nice small marina and, naturally, a castle, with nice views on the Forth Railway Bridge (see below).