An Easy Guide – OUR CROSSINGS

Last updated on the 8th of August, 2025

For thousands of years, castles have shaped the Scottish landscape.

They’ve been home to some of the greatest heroes and villains in the country’s history.

Today, many of them still stand strong and rank among the most striking and visited in the world.

They are icons of Scotland’s historic fighting spirit, bursting with incredible stories of warfare and bloody sieges.

Steeped in hundreds of years of captivating history, Stirling Castle is everything you would want from a castle – it’s rustic, historic and has grit, just like the Scots themselves.

It’s a castle where King James V resided, and his daughter, Mary, was crowned as Queen of Scots in 1542.

It is no coincidence that two of the major battles in Scotland’s struggle for Independence, Bannockburn and Stirling Bridge, were fought within sight of this castle – it is guarding a key crossing point on the River Forth.

Stirling Castle sits atop a volcanic rock formation

Where Is Stirling Castle?

As the name suggests, Stirling Castle is located in the historical city of Stirling – midway between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The castle – one of Scotland’s largest and most important – sits atop a 250ft extinct volcano and has a real castle wow factor. Steep cliffs surround it on three sides, giving it a strong defensive position.

Back in the day, the castle was of immense strategic importance and was the main residence of Mary Queen of Scots – who was just six days old when she became Queen of Scotland.

If you are planning a trip to Stirling, visiting the castle is a must.

Courtyard within the Stirling Castle, Scotland

A Short History of Stirling Castle

”He who holds Stirling holds Scotland” – the significance of Stirling Castle is evident from the often-quoted phrase from centuries past.

Due to the castle’s strategic location and invincible fortifications, it was both a safe refuge for royalty and a focus for conquest.

So much turbulent history occurred around this castle and given the famous names linked to it, including William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie, I would be remiss not to touch upon it.

Throughout the Wars of Independence with England, Stirling was relentlessly fought over and frequently changed hands between England and Scotland.

The Castle was first mentioned around 1107 when Alexander I wrote of a chapel on the spot where the castle now stands. In 1174, Stirling castle was given as a ransom to Henry II of England in exchange for William the Lion, the then King of Scotland.

Scots took over the castle in 1297 when William Wallace and Andrew Moray defeated the English at the very first battle of Scottish independence – the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

However, the castle fell back into the hands of the English under attack from Edward I in 1304, only to be salvaged by Robert the Bruce following the 1314 Battle of Bannockburn.

How To Get To The Stirling Castle

Stirling is only a 45-minute drive from Glasgow and around an hour from Edinburgh, making it easily accessible by road. If you plan your day accordingly, you can have a great day trip from either of the cities.

Getting Around – Once in town, you’ll find an excellent park-and-ride service which regularly travels through the city centre and up to the old town of Stirling for access to the Castle.

Local Bus – park-and-ride service runs every 20 minutes during the weekdays. You can look at the route it travels – Castleview – Castle Business Park – City Centre – Castleview and the timetables, clicking on a Stirling Council webpage.

On Foot – of course, you can easily walk up to the castle, too. But be warned – while the stroll is fairly short, it’s up a steep hill, and the streets are cobbled.

Beautifully ornated rooms at the Stirling Castle, Scotland

The Highlights of Visiting Stirling Castle:

The Queen Anne Garden is a wonderful garden with rose beds and plenty of space to walk around. It has great views of the area and a 200-year-old twin beech tree.

The Castle Exhibition – a fantastic interactive section telling the history of Scottish kings and Queens, showing how skeletons discovered on the grounds were identified.

Living History Performers – You’ll find costumed interpreters in various rooms setting the scene and answering visitors’ questions.

The Palace Vaults – a maze of rooms with animated games and hands-on fun. You can try on medieval clothes, learn about jester’s jokes and play ancient musical instruments. This section is very child-friendly.

The Great Kitchens – Learn about the life of cooks and servants in the castle’s kitchens. This is an entertaining area with a video and a recreation of the food in the 16th century.

Don’t miss: The Stirling Tapestries on the Queen’s Inner Hall wall in the Royal Palace were created as part of the £ 2 million project and took 14 years to reinterpret and create.

The Great Kitchen of Stirling Castle, Scotland

Stirling Castle Ghosts

Scotland’s castles are famed for their ghosts; it’s very much part of the folklore, and Stirling Castle is no exception.

Beyond the tales of human history, the castle is shrouded in ghostly legends, with both numerous staff and visitors encountering mysterious sightings.

It is believed that numerous ghosts inhabit the castle, the most famous of which is the ghost of the Green Lady who – according to a legend – was a servant to Mary Queen of Scots.

She can usually be seen shortly before unfortunate events take place.

The other two are a male ghost wearing a traditional Highland kilt who usually appears near the dungeon, the Pink Lady who can be seen walking to the church and the Woman in Black who has been seen roaming on the Back Walk that circles the Holy Rude graveyard.

*Fun Fact – the highland ghost was captured on camera in 1935 by an architect carrying out surveying for upcoming building work.

Mary, Queen of Scots, Separated from Her Faithfuls. Many believe the ghost of the Green Lady was one of the queen’s handmaidens.

Top Places You Should See At The Castle

Stirling Castle is a complex monument of diverse buildings which was built in various stages from the 14th century onwards, with spaces added over the centuries.

With so much to see and do, it can be overwhelming to decide what parts of the interior to spend the most time in – especially if you’re on a tight schedule.

Everyone should see a few important parts, with the following being the most popular ones.

1. The Great Hall

The castle’s centrepiece, the Great Hall, has been restored to its 16th-century splendour.

It is the largest of its kind ever built in Scotland – the Scottish oak triple-height ceiling and the ornate stained glass windows are sure to stop you in your tracks. Walking around, you can easily imagine the Scottish monarchs hosting pageants, dances and feasts.

From 1800 to 1964, the Castle was under the wing of the War Office, and during that time, the Great Hall was used as barrack accommodation to house the Argyll and Southerland Highlanders.

In 1991, a government organisation in charge of protecting Scotland’s historic treasures took over guardianship of Stirling Castle and began the challenging task of restoring the Great Hall.

Don’t be surprised to find that the exterior walls are painted in an eye-catching yellow colour as they would have been in the 1500s.

*Insider Tip: I found a fascinating podcast about the restoration of The Great Hall by 99% Invisible called The Great Restoration

The impressive, 220-foot-tall Great Hall

2. The Royal Palace

The other highlight of the castle is the Royal Palace, which lies within the castle walls and is considered to be one of the best-preserved Renaissance buildings in Great Britain.

It was built by James V, who, together with his French wife Mary of Guise, tended to present themselves as wealthy and sophisticated.

The Palace consists of Royal Lodgings for the king and queen, and each apartment has three capacious rooms – in ascending order of privacy: an Outer Hall, an Inner Hall and a Bedchamber.

Following a major programme of research, the palace has been extensively restored to look much as it may have looked during the 16th century.

You can now tour through the King and Queen’s outer and inner chambers as well as their bedrooms and admire elaborate and colourfully rich decorations.

The wonderfully restored Queen’s Inner Hall at Stirling Castle.

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum

Don’t miss this museum within the castle – it’s well worth a visit if you are interested in history and have time to learn about the fascinating stories of the Regiment’s battles.

The museum closed in September 2018 for renovation, which involved creating a new floor to expand the items on show. There are around 5,000 objects in the museum’s collection, including a bible which saved the life of Private Robert Wren.

You’ll find many fascinating and moving stories of the soldiers’ experiences told through their personal belongings, weapons, letters, tools, and uniforms.

The museum is well laid out with various exhibitions giving a splendid look at the regiment in the periods of the Crimean Wars, Boer Wars to WW1, WW2 to Korea, and more recent conflicts.

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Regimental Museum.

Opening Times and Ticket Prices

Stirling Castle is open all year round, seven days a week. As with most major attractions around Scotland, the summer months are the busiest. Try to avoid weekends if you want to escape the crowds.

We recommend booking your tickets online in advance for the best price and to guarantee entry.

The admission price also includes entry to nearby Argyll’s Lodgings – an elegant 17th-century townhouse built in the middle of the 16th century for a wealthy burgess of Stirling named John Trail.

The house has been carefully restored to replicate its 1680 state. Visitors can see how servants lived as well as admire the luxurious rooms of the owners.

The rooms on the first floor are furnished, and you can see elegantly upholstered chairs, beautifully carved and inlaid tables, hangings and glorious tapestries.

Castle Opening Times: Open seven days a week, all year

Admission Price when booked online : Adult £17.50 / Concession £14.00 / Child £10.50

Other Things To See and Do In Stirling

Besides the impressive castle, there’s lots more to see in Stirling.

Stirling and its beautifully preserved Old Town is beaming with cobbled streets and historic buildings.

Depending on how much time you can dedicate to exploring the city, you can stop by the beautifully arched stone bridge, visit the Church of the Holy Rude and see the ornate facade of Mar’s Wark (wark is an old Scots word for ‘building’).

Some of the must-see tourist attractions you should pay a visit to are:

National Wallace Monument | Honouring the world-famous freedom fighter Sir William Wallace, the National Wallace Monument is one of the most iconic Scottish monuments. If you wish to learn about the Battle of Stirling Bridge, see the Wallace Sword, catch a glimpse of Scottish history and take in the views from the top of the tower, then you must pay a visit.

Old Town Jail | Take a tour around the former prison with the help of informative, costumed guides who bring history to life. With the help of guides and an audio tour, you are sure to hear a few gruesome tales. You can also learn a few things about Scottish history, enjoy views from the top and see what the prisoner’s exercise yard looks like.

The Impressive National Wallace Monument, Stirling – photo courtesy of GPSMYcity

Incredible Places To See Nearby

One of the must-see places near Stirling I would suggest visiting is the impressive Kelpies, stainless steel horse-head sculptures devoted to the horse-powered heritage of Central Scotland.

While the sculptures are easily seen from the road, getting up close to these giant pieces of public art is a wonderful way to appreciate the size of these monumental sculptures.

The construction of The Kelpies began in the summer of 2013, with workers slotting about 30,000 small plates of steel to put the sculptures together, and it was opened to the public in April 2014.

The Kelpies are equally impressive at night because once the sun goes down, the sculptures light up!

How to get to the Kelpies | The sculptures are located in Helix Park between Falkirk and Grangemouth, about 30 minutes by car from Stirling

Kelpies parking fees | The small Helix Car Park, located about a 10-minute walk away, is free of charge, but you have to pay for the one near the Visitors Centre.

Address | The Helix, Grangemouth, FK2 7ZT

*Fun Fact – the iconic horse heads are 30 metres high and weigh 300 tonnes each.

The Magnificent Kelpies near Stirling, Scotland

Stirling Weather And the Best Time To Visit Stirling

If you are looking to dodge the crowds, then early Spring, from April to May and early autumn, from September to October, are great times to visit, as the weather can be pleasant for walking and exploring.

Late fall tends to be the rainiest time of the year, but as Stirling receives a substantial amount of rainfall throughout the year, you have to come prepared.

Over the last few years, we visited Stirling numerous times during early September and always had a fabulous weather condition.

Summertime | With the temperature ranging between 17⁰C and 20⁰C and with an abundance of daylight hours, June to August is a great time of the year to visit Stirling. If you are visiting the Scottish Highlands in August, bring plenty of insect repellant, as midges can be a nuisance.

Autumn | During the autumn, the weather is usually cool and crisp, and crowds of visitors thin out considerably. It’s an utterly atmospheric time of the year to be in Scotland, as you can cosy up by a fireplace in a traditional pub.

Winter | Only the brave visit Stirling in winter, as given its northern latitude, there’s very little daylight. Winters seldom see snow, but given the low temperature, you’ll want to bundle up in layers.

Spring | From the green hills to blooming wildflowers, spring is a wonderful time to visit Stirling. April to May sees less rain, fewer crowds and pleasant temperatures.

The characteristic buildings in Stirling, Scotland

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Now, over to you!

Have you been to Stirling Castle? Let us know in the comments!

Let us know if you are plotting a visit to Scotland and have travel-related questions!

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