Stirling Plymouth 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 city of Plymouth is located on the south coast of Devon, in the south west of England. There are many attractions in and around the city for visitors to enjoy. Plymouth Central Museum and Art Gallery is a family friendly museum on the edge of the city centre. The museum includes natural history and human history exhibits. The museum has 10 permanent galleries, two galleries that hosts changing exhibitions throughout the year, a shop and a cafe. There are plenty of outdoor action packed family experiences to enjoy also. Plymouth Sound, and the rivers that flow into it, bustle with crafts large and small and a fantastic network of water taxis, foot ferries, sightseeing tours and fishing trips offer great family friendly ways to explore. From Stonehouse hop on a ferry and make the ancient crossing to Mount Edgcumbe via the Cremyll Ferry. The ferry route dates back to the 11th century and carries passengers over the River Tamar to the beautiful country park, ideal for a day exploring or relaxing, with plenty of room to kick a ball, ride bikes or fly a kite. Alternatively, join a Tamar Cruise from the Barbican to experience Plymouth from the water and discover the weird and wonderful wildlife that calls our waterfront home.