Stirling Castle

Rabbies tours offers trips to Stirling Castle from Edinburgh, but it’s really an easy day trip to do on your own. There are trains that go directly from Edinburgh to Stirling, and Stirling Castle itself offers free guided tours that are very good and very interesting. And it’s my understanding that you’ll get more time inside the castle if you go by yourself and take one of the guided tours offered. That’s what I did and I loved it. It was a wonderful experience and the town of Stirling is well worth a visit as well.

Hi, farisbilby,

If you're planning to visit Stirling, you can pretty much do it on your own. You don't necessarily need to be in a group, unless that is your preference. Stirling is a very safe city. They are used to tourists!

Trains from Edinburgh are frequent and fast. There are about 40 departures each day, so you'd be able to leave at a time that is convenient for you. Once you get to Stirling, it's about a mile to the castle. If you decide to walk, it's mostly uphill to get there, but the good part is that it's downhill going back. A taxi would be in the area of 20 pounds. There is bus service to the castle from the Goosecroft Bus Station, which is to the left when you depart the train station.

If you decide to visit the Wallace Monument, you can either walk (it's a little over two miles), or you can walk back down to the Goosecroft Bus Station and take the number 52 (McGill's) bus. Last year, there was a hop on/hop off bus which serviced both sites. Most likely that service will be available this year.

A couple of years ago, Historic Stirling operated a shuttle between the two sites. Perhaps isn31c can pitch in here with more up to date information.

There's more to see in Stirling besides the castle and monument. There are also some very good restaurants and cafes/coffeeshops. Why not make a day of it?

Best wishes and safe travels,

Mike (Auchterless)

No one calls Stirling Bus Station 'Goosecroft' Bus Station now as it has moved (quite some years ago) and there are different stops actually at Goosecroft Road (opposite the Railway Station entrance). It is now just universally called Stirling Bus Station.
The shuttle bus every 20 minutes towards (but not to) the Castle is a park and ride service to a P and R site on the outskirts of the city (exit ten of the M9)- #P2. It drops you at the Church of the Holy Rude, you still have the walk up Castlehill to the Castle from there. It leaves from Stirling Baptist Church (not the Bus or Railway stations)- come out of the rall station, cross at the Traffic Signals and up Station Road to the junction with Murray Place.
The #52 towards Alloa (for the Wallace Monument) leaves from one of the stances on the left hand side of the Bus Station at 20 minutes past each hour.
The new HoHo bus replaces the former shuttle service between the Wallace Monument and the Castle.

Although McGills run the 52 and the HoHo the name you will see on all the local buses is Midland Bluebird (McGills local trading name) and the HoHo is painted bright orange (like the McGills HoHo and airport buses in Edinburgh, using the trading name of Bright Bus).
Last year the HoHo ran from the end of May to the end of August.
It starts at the Goosecroft road stop (opposite the station), NOT the bus station, to Bridge of Allan (a spa town just outside Stirling, which should also be part of the Stirling experience) then the University, the Wallace Monument, Stirling Art Museum (free entrance, and as much a general museum as an Art Museum) and then the Castle.
The stop at the University is to serve the excellent modern Art Collection and the two sculpture trails there- and the grounds of the University are a delight to wander round.

A day ticket on the HoHo bus also covers travel on the #56 every 30 minutes to the Battle of Bannockburn Experience.

The Church of the Holy Rude should be a part of any visit to Stirling as much as a visit to St Giles' Cathedral is in Edinburgh. It is really an integral part of the Castle story, and the story of the Church is very much one of Scottish history.

I Agree with all that Stirling is easy and better on your own than with a tour. Most tours we found included multiple other sites meaning we would have gotten about an hour at the castle. We took the train and spent the day in Stirling including 4.5 hours at the castle.