Go On Adventures and Make Things: Wallace Monument and Queen Elizabeth Forest Park

A month or two ago when I was registering with the University of Glasgow, I also had to choose some well-known Scottish landmarks that I would like to visit during International Student Orientation. I selected the Wallace Monument and Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. So last Wednesday I piled into a big tour bus with my roommate Maddie and a bunch of other international students to embark on our first adventure into the Scottish countryside!

Our first stop was the Wallace Monument. The monument is a 220-foot high stone tower situated on Abbey Craig about two miles north of the town of Stirling. It was completed in 1869 after eight years’ construction and was built to commemorate Sir William Wallace and the Scottish victory at The Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. It was from on top of Abbey Craig that Wallace watched the English army approach before leading the Scots into battle...

the Wallace Monument on top of Abbey Craig

We learned all this from a very patriotic Scot dressed as William Wallace himself who gave us a very entertaining and theatric performance of the tale. It wasn’t quite as dramatic as Braveheart, but his accent was certainly much better than Mel Gibson’s. We were even allowed to pose with him afterwards!

please excuse the awkwardness of this photo - "William Wallace" held his
dagger to my throat right before the photo was taken and I was most bewildered

After our brief history lesson, we were allowed to enter and climb the 226 spiral steps to the top of the monument. There were three levels before the top, each containing a room that was dedicated to something pertaining to Wallace or the battle. One room housed a 3D model of Wallace that spoke (a little hokey I know) and included information on his death, which was rather gruesome. Apparently he was hanged, drawn and quarter, decapitated, and then divided into pieces - his head and body parts sent around England to be put on display to remind what would happen to traitors to the crown. I know it sounds horrific (and it is), but apparently this was considered standard punishment for those who committed treason. Yikes.

a statue of Sir William Wallace outside the monument

Once we got to the top of the monument, the day cleared up significantly and we had beautiful and expansive views of the town of Stirling and Stirling Castle, the Ochil Hills, Forth Valley, the Trossachs, and Loch Lamond. It was absolutely stunning and much more of what I expected Scotland to be like. So green and so many sheep! We were eventually driven down by the whipping wind though and boarded our bus again to head off to Queen Elizabeth Park.

the view of Forth Valley from on top of the monument

Along the way we stopped right outside of the town Callander to visit one of Scotland’s most famous celebrities – Hamish the Highland bull! I still don't quite understand the hype behind Hamish, as Highland cattle seem to be everywhere in the countryside, but that didn't stop me from petting him (he was exceptionally friendly), taking a billion photos, and then buying a Hamish poster for Maddie's and my room.

Hamish enjoying some attention

Then it was off again to Queen Elizabeth Forest Park! The park is named after Queen Elizabeth the second and lies between Loch Lamond and Strathyre. The park is filled with forests, mountains, lochs, small settlements and villages, glens, and abandoned railway lines; all of the trails make for great walking and even mountain biking. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time at the the park and only got to explore a limited area. Maddie and I started at the very touristy David Marshall Lodge, where we ate some very Scottish and very yummy potato and leek soup, and then took a long walk around the surrounding area. Even if we didn't get to visit all the beautiful sites the park had to offer, we did find some wild blackberries, a lovely waterfall, several arresting hilltop views, and a playground that was like a miniature Hogwarts (sorry for all the HP references - they're so easy to make here!).

Queen Elizabeth Forest Park

The day was a long one and we felt like quintessential tourists, but I enjoyed every moment. It felt so refreshing to journey out of the city and into the countryside. Even though I'm very appreciative of the urban experience I'll be gaining in Glasgow, my trek around these iconic Scottish sites only reaffirmed that I am a small town country girl through and through!