This year we decided to visit some new places while we're on tour, thus a trip to Doune Castle near Stirling. What a great decision! This is a lovely castle.
Just inside the gatehouse is a small ticket office on the right. Here you can buy, errm, tickets, pick up the free audio tour, and also buy coconuts to clip-clop against each other.
Coconuts? Huh? I should explain that many scenes from Monty Python's Holy Grail film were shot at Doune Castle. We had to find as many of them as possible, and you can see our efforts here: Sam & Dad vs Monty Python
On one of the tiny window ledges we found this cute lil chap, any idea what kind of bird it is?
The fireplace in the kitchen is enormous, over 5 metres wide. It's easy to picture dozens of servants bustling around preparing banquets for the Great Hall.
The chimney from the kitchen fireplace is half scary, half awesome....that's daylight many metres above.
The scores on the kitchen walls show where the knives were sharpened.
The Great Hall is towering and very hierarchical. Raised stone "kerbs" mark different areas for different activities and different classes of guests.
A huge metal basket in the middle of the hall held glowing coals which were enough to heat the whole space.
Sam in the courtyard, banging his coconuts!
Rear aspect of Doune Castle.
Fo some reason the lord of the castle never developed the castle to its full, intended extent.
Grain store, and in the distance, wine cellar, under the main living quarters.
"Fetchez le coq!" attempt one.
"Fetchez le coq!" attempt two.
"Fetchez le coq!" attempt three.
"Fetchez le coq!" attempt four.
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