Dunblane, the hometown of Andy Murray, is located 3 miles from Cromlix. A small Scottish country town, Dunblane has not only easy access to the Scottish countryside but also great links into the cities of Stirling, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Within Dunblane itself there are several things to do and see, from the Dunblane Museum to the beautiful Dunblane Cathedral, and of course the Golden Post Box, gilded after Cromlix’s owner Andy Murray won gold in the 2012 Olympics men’s singles tennis.
With parks and a river flowing through the town, Dunblane is also a lovely spot to simply walk or cycle through and enjoy.
For more information on Dunblane please see www.dunblane.info
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland.
The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, giving it a strong defensive position. Its strategic location, guarding what was, until the 1890s, the farthest downstream crossing of the River Forth, has made it an important fortification from the earliest times.
Most of the principal buildings of the castle date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. A few structures of the fourteenth century remain, while the outer defences fronting the town date from the early eighteenth century.
Several Scottish kings and queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1542.
There have been at least eight sieges of Stirling Castle, including several during the Wars of Scottish Independence, with the last being in 1746, when Bonnie Prince Charlie unsuccessfully tried to take the castle.
Stirling Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is now a tourist attraction managed by Historic Scotland.
The Bannockburn Heritage Centre is situated at one of the most important historic sites in Scotland. In June 1314, on the battlefield beside the Bannockburn Heritage Centre, King Robert the Bruce routed the forces of King Edward II to win freedom for the Scots from English domination. Today, Bannockburn Heritage Centre contains an exhibition on this period of the battle and an audio-visual presentation.
Near the centre is the famous Borestone site which, by tradition, was Bruce’s command post before the battle. Walk the battlefield and admire the impressive equestrian statue of Bruce by Pilkington Jackson. Throughout the summer you can enjoy living history presentations and mini battlefield tours. Family craft activities are available daily during the summer and at weekends during the rest of the year.
A brand new state-of-the-art visitor centre opened in March 2014, ahead of the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn and the year of Homecoming 2014.
The National Wallace Monument (generally known as the Wallace Monument) is a tower on the summit of Abbey Craig, a hilltop near Stirling in Scotland. It commemorates Sir William Wallace, the 13th century Scottish hero.
The tower was constructed following a fundraising campaign which accompanied a resurgence of Scottish national identity in the 19th century. In addition to public subscription, it was partially funded by contributions from a number of foreign donors, including Italian national leader Giuseppe Garibaldi. Completed in 1869, to the designs of architect John Thomas Rochead, at a cost of £18,000, the monument is a 67-metre (220 ft) sandstone tower, built in the Victorian Gothic style. It stands on Abbey Craig, a volcanic crag above Cambuskenneth Abbey, from which Wallace was said to have watched the gathering of the army of King Edward I of England, just before the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
The monument is open to the general public. Visitors climb the 246-step spiral staircase to the viewing gallery inside the monument's crown which provides expansive views of the Ochil Hills and the Forth Valley.
The park consists of many mountains and lochs, and the principal attractions are scenery, walking, and wildlife. For walkers seeking a challenge, the West Highland Way passes through the park, while the mountains of Ben Lomond and The Cobbler in the Arrochar Alps attract most hikers. Less intrepid visitors can detour from the A82 to view the Falls of Dochart.
There is a national park visitor centre at the southern end of Loch Lomond, called Loch Lomond Shores, which includes a visitor information centre at the most popular gateway to the park, as well as an aquarium, shops and restaurants.
On Loch Katrine, visitors can travel on the historic steamship SS Sir Walter Scott, while cruises on Loch Lomond can be taken from Tarbet, Argyll and Bute and Balloch; there is also an extensive water taxi service between most lochside communities.
Edinburgh’s city centre ranks as one of the most handsome in Europe. With its elegant Georgian streets set against the dramatic silhouette of Edinburgh Castle and the medieval turrets and spires of the Old Town, the Scottish capital’s city centre offers visitors an exciting fusion of shopping, dining and architectural splendour. Attractions include Edinburgh Castle, the National Gallery of Scotland and the Old Town.
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and the third largest in the United Kingdom. It is situated on the River Clyde in the country's West Central Lowlands. To say there's something for everyone in Glasgow is an understatement.
There is a fantastic variety of attractions, museums, galleries, shops, festivals and concerts to be enjoyed throughout the year and with an integrated transport system in and around the city, exploring really couldn't be easier. Or take a little guidance and enjoy a tour of this fabulous city. Attractions include Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow Science Centre, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the Royal Concert Hall plus outstanding shopping.