Mini Kilt Tours Self-Drive Touring Guide Stirling and Trossachs From/To Edinburgh

By Andrea Middleton

A self-drive touring guide to Stirling and the Trossachs, departing from and returning to, Edinburgh. Written by Andrea Middleton, an official Blue Badge Guide for Scotland with over 15 years experience, and herself a native of Scotland.
Departing from Haymarket in the centre of Edinburgh, take yourself away for the day around Stirling and the Trossachs as if you have your own personal tour guide with you, giving commentary, stories, folklore and legend, to make the area come alive, unlike standard guide books. Directions are also given to keep you on the right track. All you have to do now is set off and enjoy.

Stirling and the Trossachs is part of the series "Self-Drive Touring Guide" by Mini Kilt Tours.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrea Middleton
• Release date: Apr 20, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310904325

Andrea Middleton

A professionally qualified Scottish Tourist Guide for over 15 years, I wanted to allow visitors to Scotland to take me on tour with them but not have to pay for a private tour guide. So I came up with the idea of the 'Self-Drive Touring Guide' series of books which anyone can download and take away on their holiday/vacation to Scotland. Unlike other guide books I provide not only the history but the folklores and legends along the route to give you the full Scottish experience. Directions and handy hints also help you to make the most of the journey.

Book preview

About Andy

For more information about me please visit my website, where you can also sign up to my blog or access my social media pages if you want to stay in touch.

In the meantime, I hope this guide will help you enjoy Scotland as passionately as I do.

http://www.minikilttours.co.uk

CONTENTS

Preface

Contents

Introduction

Summary of Route:

Departure Point

1. The Road out of Edinburgh

Haymarket Station

Donaldson’s School for the Deaf

Murrayfield Stadium

Edinburgh Zoo

2. Across to Stirling

Shale Bings

Forth Valley

Linlithgow & Linlithgow Palace

Falkirk

Falkirk Wheel

Falkirk Kelpies

3. Approaching Stirling

Why Stirling was important

Approaching Stirling Castle

Church of the Holy Rude

Stirling Esplanade

4. Stirling

Stirling Castle

Broad Street

5. From Stirling to Callander

Deanston Distillery

Doune

Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park

Ben Ledi

Callander

Kilmahog

6. The Trossachs

Land of Giants

Highland Boundary Fault

Loch Venacher

Home of ‘The Lady of the Lake’

Brig o’Turk

The tree that swallowed a bicycle

Loch Achray and the story of Rob Roy Macgregor

Ben A’an

Loch Katrine

Duke’s Pass

Aberfoyle

Doon Hill

Lake of Menteith

Inchmahome Island

Flanders Moss

7. Additional stories and explanations

Story of Mary Queen of Scots

Story of the Battle of Bannockburn 1314

Story of John Damien

Story of William Wallace

8. Other Mini Kilt Tours ebooks

Acknowledgements

INTRODUCTION

Having been a professional tour guide in Scotland for 15 years I have written this guide book so you can navigate your way around a day trip from, and returning to, Edinburgh. I’ve also included a lot of the information and stories I’d be telling you if I was driving you there myself.

Unlike other guide books I aim to include local folklore and stories as well as historical fact to make the area come alive and hopefully give you a feel for the place rather than you just seeing it. Making it as if you had your own personal tour guide with you.

It’s hard to plan the text so that as you read it you arrive at different points, for we all drive at different speeds, but I’ve practised a couple of times reading the guide as I’ve travelled the route, and it does come together.

I have not included stops and visits, but have made some suggestions which I believe enhance your day.

Look out for directions starting ‘>>’, like this example below, as they’ll help you spot milestones along the route:

>> Turn left at the bridge (example)

SUMMARY OF ROUTE:

A8 out of Edinburgh

M9 to Stirling

A84 to Trossachs Trail, round Trossachs Trail and loop back to Stirling

DEPARTURE POINT

For the purposes of this tour, we will set our departure point at Haymarket Station in the city centre, heading west along the A8, towards Edinburgh Airport.

1. THE ROAD OUT OF EDINBURGH

In this first section from the city centre you’ll pass:

Haymarket Station

Donaldson’s School for the Deaf

Murrayfield Stadium

Edinburgh Zoo

>> Leave the city