Day 24 - Aberdeen to Falkirk

After a good night's sleep and a very smooth sailing we were up just before 6, and had breakfast on board before disembarking just after 7.  

We decided not to explore Aberdeen. They brought in a congestion charge 3 days ago and we don't want to get caught out by it.

We went to Stonehaven instead.  A nice little town with a very small town centre and mostly independent type shops. There was a nice coastal walk.

Market Square

Metal sculpture on coast walk

Old harbour master house

Speaks for itself 

Church with green roof

Seal sculpture

Stonehaven beach


We saw signs to Dunottar Castle so we drove there.  It was built on top of a huge rock looking out to sea and there was a long and steep climb to reach the entrance so we just took photos.

Dunnottar Castle

Dunnottar Castle 

Dunnottar Castle

We continued to Montrose which is quite a run down town with a lot of shops closed down. 

Market Square

Parish Church

Lighthouse

Near the port is a statue of a Norwegian St Bernard sea dog from WWII, called Bamse.  There is an identical statue in Honnigsvag in Northern Norway which is where I first heard about him.  His owner was a Norwegian Navy captain who took the dog on his minesweeper, the Thorodd, which was stationed in Montrose and Dundee when war broke out.  Bamse was heroic on several occasions and was awarded a Norwegian war medal and also the PDSAs highest award.  He died in Montrose in 1944 and had a full military funeral.  We then walked to his grave a bit further along the harbourside.   I thought this was a touching story when I read about it in Norway so was good to see it from this end. 

Bamse statue

Bamse grave


After a coffee at a local cafe we made our way to our hotel in Falkirk where we had an afternoon nap. We then walked into the town before dinner at the hotel.

Parish Church

The Steeple

One of several old alleys
 leading off the main street

Bandstand in town

Wooer Street Alley sign

Town Centre

Rosebank Whiskey Distillery


Clyde and Forth Canal

 


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