Considered one of Scotland' s most important historic sites, the castle peaked in importance in the 1500s. Throughout the Wars of Independence with England (1296–1356), Stirling was hotly fought over and changed hands frequently. Bloody battles waged nearby include: Wallace’s great victory over English forces at Stirling Bridge (1297) and Robert the Bruce’s decisive defeat of Edward II at Bannockburn (1314). The Castle was the preferred residence of most of Scotland’s later medieval monarchs, and most added something to its impressive architecture. Stirling Castle is a must-see attraction which we can visit en-route either on the outward or return journey through The Scottish Highlands, depending on your chosen route.

Situated eight and a half miles northwest of Stirling, Doune Castle is a small but impressive example of a medieval courtyard castle. Its most impressive feature is a cathedral-like great hall which features a minstrels gallery and a distinctive central hearth. From the walls there are impressive views over the River Teith and towards the Menteith Hills and Ben Lomond. The castle grounds include a woodland walk and the site of a Roman fort as well as a modern pedestrian bridge. Doune Castle has been used as a location in the Outlander, Game of Thrones and Ivanhoe TV series as well as in the films Monty Python and the Holy Grail and a 1952 Ivanhoe version.

Many visitors find this beautiful and tranquil loch surrounded by towering mountains as a gentle introduction to the experience of rugged and dramatic Highlands of Scotland . Lùbnaig means crooked in Gaelic and looked at from the mountains or on a map you can see how it came by its name. Situated 5 miles north west of Callender, we drive along g the A84 on the eastern side of the loch.

Glencoe is a spectacularly beautiful glen still haunted by the infamous massacre of 1692 when the local inhabitants, the Clan MacDonald, were murdered by government soldiers whom they had previously welcomed into their homes for nearly two weeks. Situated in Glencoe National Nature Reserve, the dramatic scenery of Glencoe has formed a background location for films including Skyfall, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

The magnificent remains of Linlithgow Palace occupy the top of a mound of high ground between the centre of Linlithgow and Linlithgow Loch. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries and the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots in 1542. The English army pursuing the Jacobites in 1746 was billeted at Linlithgow Palace and accidentally caused a fire destroying most of the buildings and leaving the shell of the magnificent Renaissance building we can see today. Adjacent to the Palace, is St Michael’s Parish Church. Constructed in the 15th century, it is the most complete example of a surviving late medieval church in Scotland. Linlithgow Palace has been used as a background setting for Outlander and for the historical epic, Outlaw King