Braveheart

The Forth River at the base of Stirling Castle

May 19, 2017 - We left Edinburgh today for a day trip to Stirling Castle. This area is as rich in history as any in England. The castle sits on a high bluff and controls the only river crossing to all access to the North of Scotland. Mary Queen of Scott's grew up here. James I of England was from here.

And on September 11, 1297 William "Braveheart" Wallace became a legend here. The pictures show the Forth River at the base of the castle. At the time there was a very narrow wood bridge here. Wallace was at the spot across the river shown by the tower.

Looking down from the castle at the Forth River. It was a wooden bridge at the time of William Wallace. His Army was located at the tower in the distance

The English who had 2/3 more men and heavy Calvary than Wallace and his Scots seemed assured of success. The English began crossing the narrow bridge 2 by 2 feeling like Wallace would, like a proper Englishman , wait until their entire army was across, set up then fight.

Wallace was not English and he didn't wait. After about 1/3 of the English were across, Wallace attacked. The Calvary could not maneuver in the soft mud and where they now play rugby just across the bridge, it became a killing field. The English were routed.

Wallace's victory was short lived however and he was captured a year later. He was later executed, but because of this bridge on a September afternoon, he is revered here in Scotland.

Another view of the bridge over the river where Wallace defeated the British