The overnight train from London departs at 11:45pm and arrives at 7:30 am. So, between the late night excitement and early morning packing, we probably managed 5 hours of sleep. Upon arrival, you have 30 minutes to vacate your room before the train continues on its way to Glasgow. I had expected a conductor to come through to check, or an announcement of some kind, but there was just the train sitting, doors closed at a station. One which we hoped was the correct station. We eventually managed to get our bags settled and dragged them groggily onto the train platform, only half certain we were in the right place.
After a period of wandering and asking, we eventually managed to find our way to the rental car lot. I learned at this time that car rentals in the UK appear to be manual transmission by default, with an extra charge for automatic. I can’t recall the last time a manual transmission was even an option in the US and I hadn’t noticed this when booking. We were unfortunately forced to pay quite a bit for the last minute “upgrade”. But the busy, narrow and confusing streets or Edinburgh is not the place to learn left-handed shifting. So we dealt with the price hike and were at least thankful there was a similar sized car available for the week.
The plan for today was to exit Edinburgh as quickly as possible and make our way toward Glasgow. We planned plenty of time to explore Edinburgh at the end of the trip, which worked out perfectly as it is a beautiful city and was truly a highlight on which to eventually end our trip.
The Kelpies
Our first stop on this new roadtrip was The Kelpies. A Kelpie is a shape shifting spirit of Scottish folklore. This sculpture was built in 2013 to represent both the folklore as well as the important role of horses throughout the history of Scotland. This symbol felt like a perfect first stop to welcome us to Scotland. Once we made it out of Edinburgh, the route on M8/9 provided easy roads that helped in getting comfortable with the left hand driving. And we arrived early, even before the visitor center had opened, which meant we had the place to ourselves.
Stirling Castle
After leaving The Kelpies we returned to the M9 for a short drive to Stirling. This castle served as the primary seat of government for much of the Stewart dynasty, which ruled from the 14th to the early 18th century. Outside the castle is well maintained and restored, while inside, the castle hosts actors in period clothing who tell stories or answer questions while remaining in character. We explored the castle from end to end before heading down through the town.
The town of Stirling is also an impressive sight and worth spending some time. Narrow cobblestone streets lined with centuries old stone buildings wind their way down from the castle. The nearby 15th century church, Holy Rude, is open to visitors as is the Old Town Jail.
Glasgow
We arrived in Glasgow around mid-afternoon and went straight to check in. We had booked a room at the Marriott, which conveniently had secure parking, but was a 10-15 minute walk from Buchanan Street, the central walking street of Glasgows shopping district. I might have preferred something closer for our brief half-day visit, but we were able to manage. Buchanan street seemed like the place to stay, and we headed there for a meal and some sights immediately after checking in.
The statue of the Duke of Wellington is not to be missed. His permanently traffic-coned head became famous on the internet years ago, and the statue now appears well suited for its location in front of the Gallery of Modern Art, which is free and definitely worth a visit.
We spent the remainder of the day shopping and hunting for the many street murals scattered around Glasgow. Info about the murals can be found at this link (https://www.citycentremuraltrail.co.uk), and is a very entertaining way to explore the city.
Notes
The Falkirk Wheel is also close by along this route. The uniquely impressive structure that lifts boats along the Scottish canals. Initially this was a planned stop after Stirling, but I had dropped it off the route in an effort to spend more time in Glasgow. I would have wanted to briefly visit a few museums like the Kelvingrove or the Riverside museums, but we arrived hungry and, with about an hour left before museums close, we decided to look for food. An extra day in Glasgow might be an option if you want to see more of the city.
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