Happy Wallace Wednesday! As dawn breaks through a misty morning in Stirling, the enduring spirit of Sir William Wallace stands sentinel atop The National Wallace Monument. This legendary figure of Scottish independence is immortalised in stone, sword raised high, overlooking the very lands he fought to free.
Wallace's tale is one for the ages: a common man turned knight who rallied his countrymen against English oppression at the end of the 13th century. His most renowned victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 became a symbol of national pride and resistance. Although he was ultimately captured and executed, his legacy is far from forgotten. In fact, it's etched into the very fabric of Scotland's history and identity.
This striking image captures more than just the chill of a foggy morning; it's a reminder of the resilience and enduring fight for freedom. Wallace's silhouette against the awakening sky is a powerful representation of Scotland's past and its continuous inspiration for the future. Let's take a moment to remember and honour the man behind the monument, the hero of Scotland
This is Bass Rock, where Davie is imprisoned. Robert Louis Stevenson's cousin designed the lighthouse.
A "solan goose" isn't a goose at all, but a gannet.
And Bass Rock is home to the world's largest colony of northern gannets.
They're now protected, so it's only specific communities that are allowed to eat them. The population was once reduced to less than 4,000 pairs at Bass Rock, but since hunting stopped, it recovered to 75,000 pairs today.
This hillfort ('an dun' just means 'the fort') is surrounded by trees nowadays and might well be near impossible to spot from the road, but back when it was used it must have had a majestic view across to the Cairngorms. Today you can also see the bright Blue of Loch Faskally and the River Tummel, as well as the town of Pitlochry stretching across the hills. You get a great view of the Pass of Killiecrankie, a natural separation line between this area and the depth of the Scottish Highlands beyond. No wonder this is considered the Northernmost hillfort in Perthshire. This hillfort is not well known these days, so we really enjoyed exploring it in depth. On the way back we went up further into the hills and were rewarded with an amazing view of the Cairngorms sprawled across the horizon. Beinn a'Ghlo was especially prominent and reminded me of the time we tried to go up, but found ourselves in a cloud that wasn't budging. The River Tummel provided an accent of intense blue. Up on the hills, we could only see it with the drone, but as we descended back towards Pitlochry on the circular walk, the view towards the river opened up, which you can see in the last photo.