Stirling Bradford Train

The Scottish city of Stirling is the largest city on central Scotland and is build around the fortress of Stirling Castle. The castle sits on top of Castle Hill and is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs. Several Scottish monarchs have been crowned at Stirling Castle including Mary Queen of Scots in 1542. The castle is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is now a popular visitor attraction which is managed by Historic Scotland.

The Top of the Town is made up of Broad Street, Castle Wynd, Ballengeich Pass, Lower Castle Hill Road, Baker Street and St Mary's Wynd which all lead up to the castle. This area is popular with visitors who also visit the Old Town Jail, Mar's Wark (a ruined building dating back to the 16th century), Argyll's Loding and the castle itself. Ballengeich Pass leads to the graveyard at Ballengeich and the Castle Wynd winds past the old graveyard. Craft shops and tourist-focused shops are evident on the way up and once at the top, panoramic views are available across Stirling and beyond.

Stirling is a major centre of sports training and education in Scotland. The headquarters of the Scottish Institute of Sport is a purpose-built facility on the campus of Stirling University, which opened in 2002. Also at the university is the Scottish National Swimming Academy, as well as the Gannochy National Tennis centre, which is seen as a tennis centre of excellence.

The northern city of Bradford is located in the county of West Yorkshire and is surrounded by rugged moorland and rolling hills, all of which are just a short journey from the heart of the city. It is a must for cyclists and walkers alike with a wide range of trails and paths to explore and enjoy. For a more sedate pace why not spend your time taking in the culture and heritage which is spread across the whole city. There is the magnificent architecture of Little Germany and the explained in the many museums such as the Bradford Industrial Museum and the Brontë Parsonage. Bradford is home to over 200 Asian restaurants and is proud to be Britain's Curry Capital of Britain for the last three years. There are a number of award winning restaurants which serve authentic Asian cuisine. Bradford has two shopping areas the Kirkgate Centre and the Forster Square Retail Park near Forster Square railway station. Bradford also has some of the best Asian shops in the country, including Bombay Stores the UK's largest department store. Here you will find beautiful fabrics, complete wedding outfits, gleaming jewellery and dainty shoes.