Kilchurn Castle

This castle is the ancestral home of the Breadalbane family. It sits beside the still waters of Loch Awe in the western highlands.

Stirling Castle

This old fortress was held by the English Army prior to the Battle of Bannockburn. Robert the Bruce laid seige to it, and told the weakling King Edward II that he would take it by midsummer's day 1314 unless they capitulated. Instead of commanding his soldiers to surrender to the Scots, Edward sent one of his "friends" at the head of an enormous army to meet Bruce at Bannockburn. Although seriously outnumbered the Scottish army led by Bruce won the battle. As a result, Scotland regained its freedom from England, and its first independent kingdom since the death of King Alexander in 1286. The Scottish War of Independence had lasted 28 years.