Southern Scotland

From Edinburgh to Stirling, passing through Falkirk

We arrive in Edinburgh with EasyJet, about an hour late. The car rental process goes smoothly and we get a VW Golf.
Falkirk: the wheel allows for lifting boats to connect the different levels of the canal that links the Clyde and Forth estuaries, namely Glasgow and Edinburgh. It works through a system of enormous gears, which require only eight toasters to lift boats up to 35 meters.
Antonine Wall: The Wall of Antoninus, built around 140 AD by the emperor who pushed further north in his conquest of what was called Britannia. It is less than 1.5 km from the wheel.
Aberfoyle, where we didn't stop.
Trossachs Let's take a walk, reaching a cold hilltop at about 243 meters, the Old Duke's Pass. The sky is partly cloudy, but it doesn't look like bad weather is coming, with plenty of clear patches.
We get off the plane. Callander Amidst stunning rows of pine trees, we could see the beautiful church from the outside. We passed by a castle that the guide didn't mention, but it was still remarkable. It is a resort for wealthy people.
We arrive at Stirling before dinner, to immediately see the Wallace Monument, dedicated to William Wallace, the famous Braveheart, a Scottish hero who died in 1305.

First night in Stirling

We find a wonderful B&B for £63. We walk into the city center for our well-deserved dinner. The castle guard, seeing us looking somewhat lost on the street with the map in hand, indicates how to reach the city center. While British cuisine doesn't offer many variations, given the multi-ethnic nature of this country, especially thanks to its former colonies, we can't find a single restaurant that serves local food. There is a wide selection of Indian restaurants, followed by Chinese ones. We stop at a Mexican-style restaurant, where we can finally enjoy a steak and salmon as expected. One last walk to see the Holy Rude Church, the prison, and the castle illuminations, which are located on top of a hill, before returning for a well-deserved rest and letting the younger generation have fun driving around in their cars on Saturday evenings. We notice the presence of numerous barbershops and pubs with questionable taste, featuring ugly signs outside, typical Dickensian taverns.