Where to stay in Stirlingshire
High on its crag above the flat green fields of the Forth, Stirling Castle is quite a first sight. This is where the Lowlands meet the Highlands, and for centuries any army heading north had to pass this way. You can walk the old town's cobbled streets up to the Great Hall and the Royal Palace, climb the Wallace Monument for the view over Stirling Bridge, and stand where Bruce won at Bannockburn. Beyond the city you'll find the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel, and a stone pineapple in a walled garden near Airth. Out to the west there's the mossy red gorge at Finnich Glen and Deanston's distillery in an old cotton mill. It's all close together.
Words by Hidden Scotland
High on its crag above the flat green fields of the Forth, Stirling Castle is quite a first sight. This is where the Lowlands meet the Highlands, and for centuries any army heading north had to pass this way. You can walk the old town's cobbled streets up to the Great Hall and the Royal Palace, climb the Wallace Monument for the view over Stirling Bridge, and stand where Bruce won at Bannockburn. Beyond the city you'll find the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel, and a stone pineapple in a walled garden near Airth. Out to the west there's the mossy red gorge at Finnich Glen and Deanston's distillery in an old cotton mill. It's all close together.
Near Dunblane
Cromlix
Cromlix is a Victorian mansion turned country house hotel, set in its own private estate a few miles from Dunblane. The house was rebuilt in 1880 and became a hotel in the early 1980s. In 2013 it was bought by Andy Murray, who grew up in Dunblane, and it reopened in 2014 after a full restoration. Kim Murray led the interiors, which draw on Scottish makers and natural textures. The Glasshouse restaurant serves seasonal cooking in a bright, modern room. Outside there are tennis courts, woodland walks and wide lawns, so pack a racquet as well as your walking boots.
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