The Wallace Monument Revisited
In blog post number 91, I featured the Wallace monument. I recently made a return visit and this time took to the stairs to the top. I don’t make the climb every time I go – it’s not free – but recently I chose to go early morning, but unsurprisingly I wasn’t the first. It was busy. On reaching the top, there was already a group of tourists posing for photographs. I picked up on their use of Spanish, and I was pleased with myself, being able to recognise certain words and phrases, so my lessons are starting to pay off. They appeared to be having the best time, shooting videos and taking selfies and admiring the view.
After ten minutes I was left on my own, which was pretty cool. It meant I could easily look out from all sides and not have to negotiate space for taking ideal photographs. It was near freezing, with a noticeable drop in the temperature at the top. Sometimes the monument is shrouded in mist, but today, although cloudy, the view was clear and magnificent. As a vantage point from which to take in the Forth valley, it is unsurpassed, apart from the Ochil hills themselves of course which also provide a terrific view. Of course, going up the hills has its own challenges, so the monument is a great place from which to take in the scenery. If you are taking to the hills, then the Dumyat is nearby and a good one to begin with as the walk up is not too onerous. It’s extremely popular and by far the most accessible of the Ochil Hills.
The winding of the Forth river can clearly be seen as it snakes across the countryside, from Stirling out towards the coast. The University of Stirling, which is adjacent to the monument, looks very toylike from up here, and you can easily see the numerous buildings that make up its self-contained campus.
The spiral stairs are narrow and challenging, especially if you meet someone in between floors. There is very little room to manoeuvre, so be careful and mindful of other folk, and watch your footing. There are two floors providing historical background along with a short film. Wallace’s sword is also on display. It’s quite astonishing anyone could wield such a huge weapon! If you do manage to visit, it’s well worth taking the time to climb.
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