a little trip to Stirling, Scotland
 

Message: Our son will be studying abroad at the Univerity of Stirling and we have the luxury of visiting there for a few days. We will be flying on free miles to London Gatwick. From London, would it be better to fly to Edinburgh or Glasgow? I assume we will rent a car in Scotland if that is advised. We will make our home base in Bridge of Allan or Stirling so we can have dinners with our son, but want to tour during the days. What do you suggest we see? It is our first trip to Scotland. I know we can't see a whole lot so want to make the most of our short time there. If you have suggestions of a charming or wonderful place to stay, I would appreciate it. Thank you for your input.

Glasgow is nearer Stirling than Edinburgh but not by much so don't worry about that.

From there, for day trips, you should see the Trossachs, Highland Perthshire and Fife.

I like the Tormaukin Inn in Glen Devon- about 10 miles from Bridge of Allan. And the Sheriffmuir Inn is meant to be good.

As for which, Edinburgh or Glasgow, it really makes no difference. They are about the same distance from Stirling, with Edinburgh just slightly closer. But I would advise Edinburgh because the drive up to Stirling from the airport is VERY easy and straighforward.

What to see? How long do you have?? Seriously you will run out of time LONG before you run out of things to see as day trips.

The short list:

Edinburgh (go by train from Stirling and avoid the parking hassles in Edinburgh)

Doune Castle - very near Stirling and really interesting.

Inchmahome Priory - a lovely ruined prior on an island in the only "lake" in Scotland

The Trossahcs - the general area west and NW of Stirling - really lovely scenery

Perth/Scone Palace

Loch Leven castle - another lovely site on an island

Lochs earn/Tay, etc and teh Falls of Dochart in Killen

St Andrews and the Fife fishing villages.

And up to Glencoe or over to Oban would also be reasonable drives.

Meant to say -- Edinburgh AIRPORT is slightly closer than Glasgow AIRPORT. If you are talking about city centers - Glasgow is a wee bit nearer. But it is really 6 of 1. half dozen of the other.

If you plan on visiting London - - AND if you want to economize, then Ryanair flies to Glasgow <i>Prestwick</i> - - which is probably the furthest of the three, but the difference among all three is still negligible.

Our daughter is going to Stirling for this (fall) semester also. We were able to incorporate a visit to Stirling last May (2003), in conjunction with our trip to Prague/Austria/Poland (the unceasing wonders of cheap Ryanair fares!)

It's not a taxing drive from Prestwick to Stirling at all.

We are &quot;in discussion&quot; (a perfect marriage, you understand - - we never <i>argue</i> - - wink!) about whether to go visit at Thanksgiving.

If you want to compare notes about any &quot;non-public&quot; aspects of parenting a kid abroad in Scotland this fall (I don't know what those whould be, actually), feel free to write to me. Our daughter has heard from a few students who have been there in recent years, and we have heard nothing but good reports.

Best wishes,

Rex Bickers
Floyds Knobs, Indiana

p.s. = = I see that you are new here and that you posted twice in a shirt time interval. Many newcomers have trouble finding their own posts once they have posted. You need to refresh, sometimes - - but you can always find your own posts by clicking on your own name (upper lefthand corner, once you have logged in).

My younger son (now 31) spent a semester at Stirling his junior year at Grinnell, and loved the whole experience! We were unable to visit him then, but did go in 2003. One of the first phone calls we got from him included a request to stay longer and do a tour of Europe. We were able to do that for him and he had the time of his young life (was at St. Peter's on Christmas Eve!). Rex, at the time we were living in Marion, IN.