FACT—5000 SCOTSMEN UNDER WILLIAM WALLACE defeated the much larger Army of Edward I at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. You may remember the battle and Wallace’s blue face from the popular movie, Braveheart. Most everything else in the movie was based on a book by a minstrel called “Blind Harry” as re-imagined by Hollywood screenwriters.
Old Stirling Bridge—but not the original
National Wallace Monument
Worse, Harry, who wasn’t the most reliable person to begin with (and may not even have been blind) wrote his story 100 years after William Wallace met his gruesome end. Even Mel’s blue face was contrived—the Picts, ancestors of Scotts, hadn’t painted their faces blue since Roman times. And while we’re dishing dirt, King Robert the Bruce was probably the “real” Braveheart, a name given to him after his death.
Town of Stirling from the Wallace Monument
Stirling Castle from our Balcony
But William Wallace was, and remains, a Scottish hero, the victor at Stirling Bridge. The National Wallace Monument towers over Stirling and an Old Stirling Bridge still spans the River Forth not far from our AirBnB. It’s not the same bridge—that one was made from timbers and is long gone—but it is just a bow-shot from the original.
Bullfinch
Eurasian Treecreepaer
Eurasian Jay
Redwing
On Thursday we hiked the winding trails from the parking area to the tower and beyond for views of town, the river and Stirling Castle across the plain. Spring was not quite “in the air” but there were plenty of birds. We saw European Bullfinches, Song Thrushes, Jays, Blue Tits, Eurasian Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Redwings and more.
Blue Tit checking out spring bud
Daffodils, River Forth and Stirling Castle
The weather my have been blustery but the profusion of heather, daffodils and the bursting buds on the trees signaled that Spring can’t be far away.
