Climbing the Wallace Monument
Walk 246 Steps up to The Crown and return to a family-run café
May 13, 2008
Visitors arrive at the Monument at Abbey Craig in Stirling on foot, by the City Sightseeing Stirling Tour bus and by car. By the parking bays, the Visitor Pavilion offers preparatory comforts of tea, tickets and toilets before visitors can make their own choice of walking up the road or taking the free regular mini-bus shuttle service to the doors of the Monument.
Climbing to The Crown
Solid closed footwear will support your ascent up the spiral staircase to The Crown and protect your toes from passing climbers on their way down. Although narrow, the regular slits in the stonework offer windows to the views and fresh air as rewards to those climbers who wish to go all the way to The Crown uninterrupted.
Alternatively, for the steady climber or someone uncomfortable in confined spaces, the climb can be broken into four parts:
- From the Reception area there are 71 steps before you can leave the staircase and enter the Sir William Wallace Guardian of Scotland Exhibition including the broadsword. Some visitors wish to return to base at this point or you can climb further;
- After 64 steps up, the Hall of Heroes is the next room off the stairs; and
- Climbing 62 more steps, visitors can view the Building The Monument Exhibition and/or
- Continue with the final 49 steps to The Crown.
Appreciating the Views
Protected by transparent screens, visitors standing on The Crown can safely photograph the views at each point of the compass:
- Stirling Castle and the city of Stirling are to the South.
- To the North, runners and hill walkers may be seen on Dumyat, one of the Ochil Hills.
- The River meandering in the Forth Valley is in the East.
- Towards West are the Trossachs and Loch Lomond.
Depending on your energy and appetite, the return down the 246 steps may be broken by the insightful exhibitions.
Eating Out at Local Family-run Cafés
While the Visitor Pavilion of the National Wallace Monument, Stirling has a respectable Coffee Shop, there are two distinct family-run cafés nearby.
Corrieri’s café in Causewayhead has well established family recipes on the menu and tables to suit intimate dining or the largest group of climbers six days of the week (closed Tuesdays). With so much choice of pastas, pizzas and classic Italian meat and fish dishes, local knowledge encourages you to ask for half portions of dishes to create your own buffet. To finish, tiramisu will pick you up for your next excursion or take away cones of freshly made icecream.
Sexy Food by Clive Ramsay Café Bar is tucked away inside Scion House at the Stirling University Innovation Park, a short walk or drive from the Monument. Open on weekdays (8.30am-4pm), Italian ‘Bei & Nannini’ coffees, a cauldron of gourmet soup and fresh sandwiches, smoothies and juices can raise your energy levels while viewing a complementary exhibition of works by local artists.
After the big climb up the spiral staircase to The Crown of the National Wallace Monument Stirling, a nearby pit stop for freshly prepared food will energise you for your next steps in exploring central Scotland.
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