Stirling Scottish Marathon

Beginning your 26.2mile tour of history at The King's Park, the oldest Royal Park in the nation, you soon pass the 17th Century monumental gardens of The King's Knot, which were established for the coronation of Charles 1 in 1633. The castle, which has been a fixture in Scottish history since King Alexander 1 dedicated a chapel there in 1100, dominates the landscape.The next seven miles take you to Doune, past the safari park, over a humpback bridge, and through Doune itself, where a pistol was made that fired the first salvo in the American War of Independence. At the cathedral city of Dunblane, you are halfway through your journey, and can take a moment to appreciate the River Allan, where Robert Burns once worked as a gauger or tax collector in 1787. The armies of William the Conqueror, Bruce, Wallace, and Hadrian all crossed the nearby ford on their way to battle.Continuing on to Bridge of Allan, you loop around the flat of Carse of Lecropt before heading home. The nearby Darn Walk, where Robert Louis Stevenson was inspired to write the description of Ben Gunn's refuge in Treasure Island, is not to be missed. You then enter the grounds of the University of Stirling, with the Wallace Monument looming on the horizon. The monument, which pays tribute to the patriot, martyr, and Guardian of Scotland, overlooks the site of the Battle of Stirling Bridge, which was recreated in Mel Gibson's Braveheart.Finally, you make your way to the finish line at The Kings Park, where you can make your own bit of personal marathon running history.