Why?
He who controlled Stirling once controlled Scotland. The bridge over the River Forth was for centuries the only link between lowland and highland, and the rugged landscape surrounding it is littered with the debris of past feuds. Although it sees its share of tourists, Stirling has avoided being gussied up to the eyeballs in tartan. Now is the time to visit, with fewer people and a line-up of Christmassy events as part of the Stirling Winter Festival.
What you do
Start by invading the castle. The Back Walk path runs up from the Church of the Holy Rude — scene of James VI of Scotland’s coronation in 1567 — and hugs the volcanic crag for views of the Forth Valley as you loop back to Stirling Castle’s entrance (£15; stirlingcastle.scot).
The castle’s medieval Great Hall has five fireplaces and a hammerbeam oak ceiling, but it is the Royal Palace that really stands out, thanks to its gargoyles and costumed folk telling stories of Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Robert the Bruce looms large — immortalised in stone outside the castle. Netflix’s Outlaw King may recount Bruce’s 1314 defeat of the English in gory detail, but it can’t beat stepping into the action at the Battle of Bannockburn Experience, a 15-minute drive south (£11.50; battleofbannockburn.com).
Back in the city, stroll to the much fought-over Old Stirling Bridge, before paying homage to another of the country’s warriors, William Wallace. The National Wallace Monument is uphill from the bridge and celebrates Scotland’s victory in the 1297 Battle of Stirling Bridge, though it’s mostly worth climbing for the view (£10.50; nationalwallacemonument.com).
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Seven miles north is Doune Castle, as seen in television’s Outlander and Monty Python and the Holy Grail, where it appears in many guises. An audio tour by Python member Terry Jones includes clips from the film (£6; historic environment.scot).
Just outside Doune, Argaty Red Kites has daily feeding sessions. The resident population was reintroduced here in 1996 and puts on quite a display, the birds circling before swooping down to tussle for the easiest feed they’ll get all day (book ahead, £6; argatyredkites.co.uk).
It’s five miles back east to Dunblane, with its imposing cathedral (free; historicenvironment.scot). Have a coffee on the terrace at the Riverside (from £1.75; theriversidedunblane.co.uk) and a freshly baked pie from John Hill Butchers on the High Street.
Where you eat
Street food has come in from the cold at Loving Food — once a food truck, now a cafe serving mainly tacos and flatbreads. It’s vegan-friendly down to the homemade cakes (mains from £5; loving-food.com). Below the castle, Hermann’s uses local produce in its Austrian dishes and also makes a cracking cullen skink (mains from £12.50; hermanns-restaurant.co.uk); while Brea’s Scottish dishes include haggis bonbons and scallops with black pudding (mains from £14.95; brea-stirling.co.uk).
Where you stay
The Andy Murray-owned Cromlix, near his home town of Dunblane, has vast suites packed with antiques, and roaring fires to welcome you back from woodland walks. Its restaurant, Chez Roux, does a mean venison Wellington (mains from £21; doubles from £235, B&B; cromlix.com).
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The Cross Keys Inn, in the village of Kippen, is simpler, with three cosy rooms and a warm welcome from Jessie, the resident chocolate labrador (doubles from £79, B&B; kippencrosskeys.com).
Helen Ochyra was a guest of the Cromlix, the Cross Keys Inn and the Caledonian Sleeper, which has overnight trains from London Euston from £85, one way (sleeper.scot)