Xpert Xplorer This leaflet is intended to help you explore Stirling Heritage Trails and enjoy Stirling as a “Walkable City”. Gowan Hill Welcome to the Gowan Hill ROUTE 1 - 0.6 miles / 1km (approx. 15 minutes at an average walking pace) Visit travelinescotland.com to help you plan your Heritage Trail Heritage Trail journey to, in and around Stirling. ROUTE 2 - 1 mile / 1.7km (approx. 25 minutes at an average walking pace) Visit walkit.com to help you plan your way around Stirling on foot. Start both routes from the interpretation board by the wall of Ballengeich Cemetery below the east side Remember to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access of Stirling Castle. Head away from the Castle over Code while exploring the Stirling Heritage Trails. the grass towards a set of steps on your right. At the top of the steps you’ll see another interpretation board. Follow the paved trail next to the board as it 1 curves down past a woodland trail on your left, then Ben Venue by David Young Cameron, © Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum curves right to an orchard. Just as the path curves left again you’ll see a grassy path on your left. Take this up to a grassy plateau where there are two more interpretation boards. From the interpretation board Interpretation Board with a view of Mote Hill, take another grassy path Litter/Dog Bin down the hill and back to the paved path. Paved Trail Mote To complete Route 1, turn right at the junction and Unpaved Trail 2 3 4 5 Hill follow the paved path back to your start point. Steps The Gowan Hill is one of Stirling’s largest public , turn left at the junction and To complete Route 2 Back O’ Hill Rd parks - covering around ten hectares of land Audio Tour 1 - listen and learn at: follow the paved path through a wooded area. At between Stirling Castle and the River Forth. There the junction with another paved path turn right. www.stirlingheritagetrails.co.uk/audio/gh Lower Bridge St are two distinct hills in the park: the larger Gowan You’ll pass steps on your left. Continue to another Hill and the smaller Mote Hill overlooking the river. paved junction. Take the paved path on your left up The park is accessible via a series of paths - some to Mote Hill with two more interpretation boards. Gowan Audio Guides surfaced and some unsurfaced, natural paths. Retrace your steps turning right at the junction, Hill Look out for interpretation boards along the Sturdy footwear is recommended! The Gowan Hill is past the steps again but this time going straight on trails with more information on the story of rich with local and national history and on your visit at the next junction. This path will take you to the Gowan Hill. Each board is numbered, with each Ballengeich Pass Back Walk Community you will learn about events spanning two thousand Ballengeich Pass where you can turn left and walk number corresponding to an audio guide you Cemetery Orchard years. The park also has an interesting geological back to your start point along the road (be careful of can access using a smartphone or tablet at traffic). For an even longer walk you can cross the and ecological story. This leaflet is one of many produced in partnership with www.stirlingheritagetrails.co.uk/audio/gh. road and take the Back Walk around the Castle and Stirling Stirling’s communities to help you explore the rich and The audio story of Gowan Hill features the voices into the centre of Stirling. Castle To city centre, varied heritage of our wonderful city. You’ll find them at of local residents, historians, archaeologists and Crofthead Rd bus & train www.stirlingheritagetrails.co.uk 1| 19th century sketch of Stirling, soldiers. You’ll also hear from the Stirling Council Find out even more at: stations © Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum Rangers who are responsible for maintaining the The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, For more information on led walks in the area see the 2| Battle of Stirling Bridge, 19th century postcard, Dumbarton Road, Stirling FK8 2RQ Stirling Walking Network at www.activestirling.org.uk © Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum Gowan Hill’s biodiversity. 3| Stirling Rail Bridges, 19th century, © Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum 4| The Old Bridge, Stirling by Isabel Morley, 1910, © Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum A project by community volunteers and Mercat 5| The Railway in the 19th century, www.stirlingheritagetrails.co.uk Cross & City Centre Community Council www.stirlingheritagetrails.co.uk © Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum Ballengeich of Stirling Castle, General Blakeney, refused to Roman Stone Ecology Duke had been Governor of Scotland, in Cannon surrender. The Jacobites built gun positions on the absence of King James I who was being Cemetery There is a stone on the A very diverse range There are two Gowan Hill. A number of cannonballs were fired at held prisoner in England. The King was cannon on the Nestled next Gowan Hill which is said of plants, insects and the castle, but at least one overshot and destroyed finally ransomed in 1424 but soon after Mote Hill, pointing to the castle to have been carved by a animals are found on the the roof of the Earl of Mar’s home at the top of returning had the Duke arrested and out over the River is Ballengeich Roman Centurion who was Gowan Hill. You might Broad Street. The Jacobites cannon were no match tried for abuse of power while running Forth as if ready Cemetery. It in the area as part of the be lucky and see the for the castle walls or its fixed cannon and eventually the country. He was beheaded on the to defend the opened in 1888 invading army of General largest residents, a family Blakeney’s troops opened fire and destroyed the Mote Hill along with his two sons. castle against and is one of Gnaeus Julius Agricola in of Roe Deer who hide Jacobite guns. They fled north on the 2nd February, attackers from five cemeteries the 1st century AD. There in the dense woodland just before government forces led by the Duke of the water. They were purchased by Stirling Council surrounding Stirling Castle. The other four are is no evidence to link these carvings directly to the during the day. In the Beheading Stone Cumberland arrived in the town. from the army stationed in Stirling Castle. They located on the far side of the Castle: the “Valley”, Romans but, intriguingly, they were made many Spring you’ll see lots of The stone under the cage is said to were placed here purely for decorative purposes “Mar’s Walk Garden”, “Snowdon” and “Holy centuries ago. Another theory is that the markings flowers beneath the trees be where prisoners laid their heads and were never fired from the hill in anger. These Rude”. It is also recognised by the Commonwealth Community were carved in the 17th century to entertain royalty – look out for snowdrops before the executioner’s blade fell. are one of three sets of cannon in Stirling; there War Graves Commission as being the final resting Spirit who would have taken walks out on the hill from the and daffodils, followed by violets and strawberries The stone has channels cut into are also cannon next to Cowane’s Hospital and place of 58 soldiers from either the First or Second The Gowan Hill, palace at Stirling Castle. as the summer approaches. In the summer, you’ll it where it is said the blood from cannon at the Mercat Cross in Broad Street. World War. The graves include that of Private W or “the Gownie”, see Honey and Bumble Bees in and around the tall severed heads would run. Executions Ferguson of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders has a fond place Agriculture pink spikes of the eventually moved into the town’s Broad Street, who died aged twenty on 20th November 1918, in the hearts of The Gowan Hill was Willowherb flowers. where Allen Mair was the last person to be killed Iron Age Fort four days after the Armistice was signed and the communities used for farming In the Autumn, in Stirling on the 4th October 1843 when he was The Mote Hill was Lance Corporal James Norris of the Home Guard that surround it. until the middle of listen for the Broom hanged for murder. The beheading stone had long once the site of who died aged fifty-six on the 10th June 1942. Along with the the 20th century. bushes “popping” since disappeared by then, until it was rediscovered a hill fort. The network of trails, the community has planted dozens On the open space when their seeds and brought here by the Stirling Natural History golden age of hill and Archaeology Society in 1887. Whether this is Jacobites of fruit trees in a new orchard. Mercat Cross and at the Gowan Hill explode and fly into fort construction the air. There are the actual stone used in 15th century executions is was during the At 2pm on Monday 6th January 1746, Bonnie City Centre Community Council, along with the summit you might many Rowan Trees open to debate. Iron Age, which Prince Charlie and the Jacobites arrived at Rangers of Stirling Council, organise regular litter be able to make out on the Gowan Hill, with their white flowers in Spring began around Stirling as they retreated north. They were let into picks and vegetation clearing.