Falkirk
Scotland
It might seem an odd place to visit but Falkirk is quite famous for several reasons.
One of my close friends has a cousin who lives in Falkirk so our original trip was to go up to meet them but our 2nd trip was just for us.
A miracle of modern Scottish engineering is the Falkirk Wheel. This rotating boat lift raises or lowers boats between the Forth & Clyde canal and the Union canal. This has to be seen or experienced to be believed. It's still on my bucket list of experiences to accomplish during my travels in England.
In Scottish folklore, a kelpie is a dangerous shape-shifting water creature that can appear on land as a horse. The kelpie appears to their human victims as a grey or white horse, entices them to ride on their back, then carries them down to a watery grave.
However, these modern sculptures, standing 30m high, were built to pay homage to the working horses used to pull the barges through the Scottish canals.
A Castle Fit for a Pleb
During our 2nd stay, we managed to find this amazing hotel in the shape of a castle. Airth Castle is located just near Falkirk.
The original fortification was merely wood, destroyed by William Wallace in the late 13th century.
A later castle was destroyed after the defeat of King James III in 1488. A more modern castle was constructed around the 16th century and is the castle you see today.
We were extremely lucky to get a room at all as there was a traditional Scottish wedding on at the time. It was also the first time I experienced the taste of Haggis.
I'll never forget it...our bathroom was inside one of the turrets of the castle. It was the very first (and last) castle I've ever stayed in.
GhostLore
The castle, like many in the area, has a variety of ghostlore stories associated with it. These stories include:
Sightings of a nanny with two young children who are said to have died in a fire at the castle.
The sound of children playing being heard in rooms 3, 4, 9 and 23.
Heavy footsteps can be heard outside room 14 before suddenly stopping and disappearing.
People have also reported hearing cries and screams believed to be from a maid who was attacked by her master and left to die.
A ghost dog, with a predilection for biting ankles, is believed to roam the hallways.
A groundsman reportedly haunts the lower floor of the castle.
Our Suite
