We decided to go on a day trip, on our first day in Edinburgh. We headed to Waverley station in Edinburgh and spoke to the the attendant about heading to Sterling. Apparently there was track maintenance going on, and the normally straight forward train to Sterling would be a bit more complicated today. We purchased tickets from the vending machine (9 pound each) and waited to board our train.

Instead of the straight forward train ride from Edinburgh to Sterling, we got off at the station about 15 minutes into the trip and transferred to a bus, then to another bus. We eventually arrived in Sterling about 3 hours later. Usually the trip is about 50 minutes. We definitely did not have luck on our side this day, but rest assured, I think the construction that we experienced was a one weekend occurrence.

Once in Sterling we started our journey towards Wallace’s Monument. Wallace monument is named for William Wallace, the great hero made famous by the Brave heart film.

Along the walk to Wallace monument, we came across the Old Sterling Bridge. This is the site at which William Wallace lead the Scottish to a victory over the British, and secured the Scottish independence.

The hike from Sterling train station to the top of Wallace Monument was a lot easier than we thought it would be. The trip took about 45 on foot. The last portion of the hike is a bit taxing, and completely up hill. However, the walk is completely worth it, and I would recommend the hike rather than taking a cab.

The hike to the top is free and you can enjoy the view of Sterling from the top of the mountain for free. There is a fee however to enter the monument it self . It is 10.50 pounds for an adult and 8.50 for a child. There are also family prices.

After enjoying the view from Wallace Monument, we decided to head towards what appeared to be Sterling Castle.

The walk from Wallace Monument to Sterling castle was really enjoyable, and took about 30 minutes. We found a lot of cool abandoned buildings along the way, and enjoyed reading about the sites.

The streets and alleys surrounding Sterling Castle were incredibly interesting. This area seemed a lot more medieval and classic.

Sterling Castle was interesting, but what we enjoyed even more was the cemetery and partially abandoned and collapsed building in the cemetery (this is right next door to the castle).

From Sterling Castle we caught the bus/train/bus back to Edinburgh in order to enjoy a dinner there later that night.