Pre-trip work!

 May 5, 2025   Old Town Cemetery, Stirling

Today's adventures include a shopping trip to Tesco, our favorite shopping place in Ireland for our 2018 European trip. It's like a little Meijer. We passed this sign as we pulled in. Tell me if you know what it means.

???

 After we unloaded the groceries and put them away, we returned to the King's Knot with the kids because they hadn't walked it yet. We followed a trail up to the Old Town Cemetery outside Stirling Castle and the Church of the Holy Rude (Rude=Cross).  There were some interesting historical plaques along the way.

Back to the King's Knot below Stirling Castle.

The path leading up to the cemetery.

A historical plaque that accompanied the next picture.

A carving of an apple with a bite out of it and a worm in it.

We saw Gollum along the way.

The next two pictures are men kneeling, one without his head. The plants make them hard to see. 

This statue looked kneeling and headless.

This statue looked kneeling and lifting up something with his hands.

The view along the way.

The first view of the cemetery when you reach the top of the climb.

Here is a link to the cemetery with three interesting video by the resident archeologist:  https://www.smithartgalleryandmuseum.co.uk/valley-cemetery/

Here are some of my favorite headstones. 

John Knox. He's not buried here.

Andrew Melville. He's not buried here.

A view from a bluff next to the cemetery.

Next to Old Town Cemetery is the Church of the Holy Rude. I only have outside pictures right now. There was a fee to go inside and we didn't have the time to tour it properly today. We will return.

The side of the Church of the Holy Rude.

Walking toward the entrance door.

The side of the church and the kids investigating a cannon.

Church of the Holy Rude.

This was a hospital and sits across from the church.

Now it's time for the shenanigans photos!

Clare's attempt at climbing the wall of old town Stirling.

Aaron and Paul plotting their climb.

They decide two will be more successful than one.

That's as far as they got.

Aaron tries it alone at another spot.

That's as far as he got. We decided the old town was very secure from foes!

We finished the night by heading into town to a bar that advertised live folk music. We were hoping for something with a bagpipe, but were disappointed. It was two girls singing modern songs with a guitar and a phone for lyrics. 😜