Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle was already a formidable fortress when William Wallace defeated the English at Stirling Bridge. The castle, the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots, stands on a volcanic rock on the border between the Highlands and the Lowlands and seems almost indestructible. After Robert the Bruce's victory at nearby Bannockburn, he had the walls destroyed to prevent it falling into English hands. But they were rebuilt more than once on the castle's strong foundations. It was at the center of Scotland's wars of independence in the 13th and early 14th century and still becomes a rallying symbol whenever talk of Scottish independence is in the air. Find out more about what makes Stirling Castle one of Scotland's top 10 Castles.
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Loch Awe and Ben Cruachan - the Hollow Mountain
At certain times of day the waters of beautiful Loch Awe in Argyll seem mirror still. At other times they are choppy enough to capsize the unwary in small boats. That's because the loch is part of an amazing hydroelectric generating plant one kilometer deep in the adjacent Munro, Ben Cruachan. At time of low demand, water is pumped up to a reservoir at the top of the mountain. Later, is pours down through turbines within the mountain, generating electricity. Don slickers and wellies and join a minibus tour that takes visitors deep into the mountain to see the cavernous turbine hall and exhibitions. Adventurous walkers can also hike up the mountain to see the massive dam and reservoir that are the other end of the hydroelectric circuit.