We camped in a town called Linlithgow (where Mary Queen of Scots was born), a little ways outside of Edinburgh. We set up camp, had lunch, and then left to explore the town. Since there are no bears or other life-threatening wildlife on Great Britain, I wasn't too concerned about safeguarding our food. Which was a mistake. When we got back to the tent, we discovered that a man-eating squirrel had chewed its way through our window and attacked our leftovers. Hana was traumatized, since it ate through her side of the tent. We wound up cutting off one of the mesh pockets inside and sewing it over the hole for her. But the whole rest of the trip, she kept one eye trained on the window as she fell asleep.
Cooking in the rain, again.
Walking up to Edinburgh Castle.
This claymore is about as tall as Andrew is.
Hana and Andrew watching the One o'Clock Gun at Edinburgh Castle. In the past, this is how the city would measure their time and synchronize their watches. Why 1:00 p.m. and not something more logical, like noon? Why waste 12 rounds of ammunition when you can wait an hour later and use only 1.
Hana and Lane found this hut in the woods by our tent.
Falkirk is right on the way from Edinburgh to Stirling, so we thought we'd swing by to visit this very famous battlefield (i.e. William Wallace, Braveheart). First, we wandered for an hour following the signs to the Falkirk Wheel, which seemed like it might be neat enough. Then we got suckered into following the signs to the Falkirk Mariners' Centre (I thought it would be a museum honoring some sort of Scottish maritime tradition - it was just a rec center). But we had absolutely, positively no luck finding signs to the battlefield at Falkirk. In fact, no resident of Falkirk seemed to have the foggiest idea what we were talking about. Finally, Andrew came across a man in a park who gave us a few sketchy directions towards some sort of monument to the battle. At long last, we found the elusive marker, which quite decisively reads "the Battle of Falkirk was Fought Around Here...." Brilliant.
Cromwellian soldiers. The school kids on their field trip thought the stories of piking people through the eye were great. Hana wasn't so sure.
The William Wallace Monument in the distance.
One of the courtyards at Stirling Castle - which is considered by some to be the most haunted castle in the world.
Gardens at Stirling Castle. I don't know why we even pretend we can have a real garden like this out West. It's totally futile.
Cooking in the rain, again.
Walking up to Edinburgh Castle.
This claymore is about as tall as Andrew is.
Hana and Andrew watching the One o'Clock Gun at Edinburgh Castle. In the past, this is how the city would measure their time and synchronize their watches. Why 1:00 p.m. and not something more logical, like noon? Why waste 12 rounds of ammunition when you can wait an hour later and use only 1.
Hana and Lane found this hut in the woods by our tent.
Falkirk is right on the way from Edinburgh to Stirling, so we thought we'd swing by to visit this very famous battlefield (i.e. William Wallace, Braveheart). First, we wandered for an hour following the signs to the Falkirk Wheel, which seemed like it might be neat enough. Then we got suckered into following the signs to the Falkirk Mariners' Centre (I thought it would be a museum honoring some sort of Scottish maritime tradition - it was just a rec center). But we had absolutely, positively no luck finding signs to the battlefield at Falkirk. In fact, no resident of Falkirk seemed to have the foggiest idea what we were talking about. Finally, Andrew came across a man in a park who gave us a few sketchy directions towards some sort of monument to the battle. At long last, we found the elusive marker, which quite decisively reads "the Battle of Falkirk was Fought Around Here...." Brilliant.
Cromwellian soldiers. The school kids on their field trip thought the stories of piking people through the eye were great. Hana wasn't so sure.
The William Wallace Monument in the distance.
One of the courtyards at Stirling Castle - which is considered by some to be the most haunted castle in the world.
Gardens at Stirling Castle. I don't know why we even pretend we can have a real garden like this out West. It's totally futile.
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