Stirling Castle is a great symbol of Scottish independence and a source of national pride. Knights, nobles and foreign ambassadors once flocked to the Royal Court at Stirling Castle to revel in the castle’s grandeur. A great place to discover the history behind the favoured residence of Scotland’s Kings and Queens!
Facilities for Car-Free Visitors
Restaurant with hot and cold food and drink.
Nearest Railway Station
Cycle Hire
NextBike cycle hire is available outside Stirling railway station as well as many other locations across the city. Use it with our cycle directions below.
Arriving by Foot
A walk through the quiet, attractive, and historic streets of Stirling City Centre. The route takes a slightly longer way than going the most direct route so as to go past the historic Old Town Jail and Church of the Holy Rude.
Download walking route GPX (7KB)
Download walking route PDF (6MB)
Nearby Walking Routes
Several walks in and around Stirling are listed on the InStirling website, Walks and Walking around Stirling in Scotland. Stirling Council’s Countryside Services also produce a set of Community Paths Leaflets which cover Stirling and the surrounding areas. These can be obtained by contacting the Ranger Service at countryside@stirling.gov.uk or on (01786) 40 40 40.
Arriving by Bike
A short first section requires walking to avoid busy Goosecroft Road, Station Road, and Murray Place but the cycle route then uses traffic free zones and quiet streets through the historic and attractive City Centre to reach the castle. The route to the castle is uphill.
Download cycle route GPX (6KB)
Download cycle route PDF (7MB)
Nearest cycle parking
Cycle parking is provided on the Castle Esplanade next to the car park hut at the top of the drive.
Cycle carriage on trains
Stirling is served by local, regional, and intercity ScotRail trains which have two to four cycle spaces. Bicycles do not require reservations on ScotRail services except for trains to/from Inverness and Aberdeen. Bicycle reservations for these services can be made by contacting ScotRail telesales on 0330 303 0111 or visiting a station ticket office. Full details are contained in the ScotRail Connections Guide.
Once a day in each direction, Stirling is also served by a long-distance train operated by Virgin Trains East Coast which can carry three bicycles and require a reservation. Reservations can be made when booking tickets on their website, by visiting a ticket office, or contacting the website you booked your tickets through.
Nearby Cycle Routes
Stirling Cycle Hub is based in the front of the station building and provides free advice on local and regional routes – stop by when you arrive at the station for the best information on where to cycle. National Cycle Routes 76 & 765 pass by the other side of Stirling Station.
Arriving by Bus
WAVE (Wheelchair Access Vehicle Enterprise): P2
Directions to the Bus Stop
From the front of the railway station, cross the access road and then Goosecroft Road using the pelican crossing.Walk up Station Road (to your left) and turn right at the T-junction onto Murray Place. The bus stop is a few metres along the road.
The closest bus stop to the Castle is on Broad Street. Get off the bus and walk up the hill.
This information was believed to be correct at the date of publication of this website, 23 June 2015. We would encourage users of the site to check the public transport information presented above before setting off.