Last weekend we took the train up to Stirling. We visited the Wallace Monument--a tower on a hill called Abbey Craig--and then walked through the woods and fields to the village of Cambuskenneth to see the ruins of Cambuskenneth Abbey, resting place of King James 3 (he was killed in battle or murdered nearby in 1488).

From there we went into the town of Stirling itself for lunch, and then up to Stirling Castle. The importance of this castle is a good part of the reason why the surrounding area is so "historical": kings lived there, and major battles were fought nearby, including William Wallace's triumph over the English at the battle of Stirling Bridge, and Robert the Bruce's triumph over the English at the battle of Bannockburn, a bit further away.