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Cross Country to Crieff
Away Days From Stirling: One This is essentially a self-organised bus tour, not one laid on by a company, but the fairly frequent service that runs from Stirling Bus Station cross country to the charming Perthshire town of Crieff to the north. On several of our walks...
Bannockburn: Village and Burn
Sketches of Stirling: Ten After some months, our outings have resumed. This one has been planned for quite a while. Perhaps in winter, perhaps in spring? Not meant to be! And that’s because we had no idea just what natural treasures would present themselves on a trip...
Bridge of Allan: Blairforkie Drive and Glen Road
Sketches of Stirling: Nine After weeks of rain, dark cloud and perpetual dampness of spirit, a February day dawns when the sun shines and snow sparkles on the tops of the Ochils and Trossachs. We were hoping that the weather forecast had been correct because of our...
Day of the White Dove
A True Story A whole year on from that day last January. Cold and frosty, a removal van out in the road, and human comings and goings. No rest, nothing settled. Your home torn apart as boots tramp across carpets from room to room and up and down the stairs. Suddenly...
Cambusbarron and Gillies Hill
Sketches of Stirling: Eight I meet my walking companions at the corner of Torbrex Lane, in the village of the same name which lies to the south west of Stirling, once an important area for weaving. From there we walk along Torbrex Road, taking a left over the M9...
The Smith Gallery
Sketches of Stirling: Seven Proceeding through the porticoed entrance to the Smith Gallery on Stirling’s Dumbarton Road we enter a different world, a delightful time warp, greeted by two friendly members of staff at reception. This place is Stirling’s special treasure...
Cambuskenneth and Riverside
Sketches of Stirling: Six On this lovely summer’s day we plan to walk from a high point in St.Ninian’s down from the top of Coxithill Road, then continue onwards towards town past Beechwood Park and the police station to Port Street. Our sights are further afield...
Tinkers’ Loan
Sketches of Stirling: Five Our journey begins down a pathway along which many before us have marched, run, or simply strolled. Sma Folk, from Gillies Hill, armed with spears, apace with the feet of warfare, trained by King Robert the Bruce. Early morning joggers when...
Yellow Hill and the Bluebell Woods
Sketches of Stirling: Four Our walk today takes us via St. Ninians passing the back of the Robert the Bruce Centre, otherwise known as the ‘Brucie’, across Glasgow Road and on to Yellow Hill. We climb gently into nature, a fresh wind blowing through our hair, the sky...
Airborne
Sketches of Stirling: Three I can’t quite believe my eyes when, sitting at my computer desk, I look up into the still light Scottish evening sky and see a line of gold with a poker red tip heading north eastwards over the treetops before disappearing out of sight....
The Stirling Wolf
Sketches of Stirling: Two At the gates to the King’s Knot stands a lone wolf. Cast in black iron, he guards his territory as he once did many hundreds of years ago, defending the settlement of Stirling against Viking invaders. Back then his bleak howl reached across...
The King’s Knot
Sketches of Stirling: One The walk to the King’s Knot starts in Torbrex on the outskirts of the Royal Borough of Stirling in central Scotland. Here a collection of weavers’ cottages dating from the eighteenth century and more modern houses stand where there were once...