There is a small industrial town between Glasgow and Rhu. Dumbarton, which means ‘fortress of the Britons,’ is a place where whiskey is produced and shipbuilders created ships like the Cutty Sark. It sits at the confluence of the River Leven and the River Clyde. The River Leven flows from Loch Lomand. This strategic spot, which guards access to the inland areas via these two rivers, has long played a role in protecting the country of Scotland. Jutting into the River Clyde is peninsula called The Rock. This mass of volcanic rock is the site of one of the most strongly defended castles in the history of England, and has been a defensive position since at least the fifth century.

In the travelogue from Cornwall we had “Climb a Hill, Look at a Rock Day.” The day we visited Dumbarton became “Climb a Rock, Look at the Hills Day.” Throughout our vacation, we climbed thousands of steps, and Dumbarton offered one of the greatest challenges. This rock is actually two steep hills, with a valley in between. Much of the later castle buildings are set in the lower reaches of the mound. There is a governor’s house and several batteries from the 18th century. These wrap around the base of the hills. Higher up the mountain is a guardhouse. Even higher is the Portcullis Gate, the oldest surviving building. It was built in the 14th century to defend the south entrance, as well as a bridge between the two peaks. The rest of the buildings on the Rock were in heavy use during the 18th century, when Dumbarton Castle was a military post, rather than a royal residence.

In the valley between the two peaks is a jail, used during the Napoleonic Wars to house French prisoners. We also found the well, more batteries and the remains of a four-story tower, which was built in 1500. We first climbed to the top of White Tower Crag, the higher of the two hills. It is 240 feet above sea level. From this point, we saw the most incredible views of Glasgow, the Rivers and the Bens of Argyll. In Scotland, the hills are described by their height. A ben is the highest of the mountains, rising at least 3000 feet. At the top of this hill, we found the remains of a circular tower, which may have once been a windmill. The climb to the top followed a steep, windy dirt path.

After resting a moment, we climbed back down to face the daunting task of climbing to the top of The Beak, the other summit. This area is not as high and is much flatter than the Crag, and is the site of more buildings. We found towers, batteries and the magazine.

In the early years of habitation of this rock, Dumbarton was the centre of the independent kingdom of Strathclyde (which means ‘wide valley of the Clyde’). When Edward I of England invaded Scotland, Dumbarton Castle played host to some of the men captured during battle at Stirling. The governor of Dumbarton in 1305 helped in the capture of William Wallace. Robert the Bruce’s son David spent time there. It was a vital castle through the 15th century civil wars, and it is likely that Mons Meg, the large cannon on display at Edinburgh, was used during the siege there. Mary Queen of Scots was taken to Dumbarton in 1548 for her protection. After five months, she became ill and was sent to France. She returned in 1563 for a brief stop. The castle continued to be loyal to Queen Mary in 1571, despite the fact that she was under house arrest in England. Captain Thomas Crawford took control of the castle in that year, by leading his men up the northeast section of the curtain wall. It was not watched, because the men inside did not suspect anyone would attempt to climb the steepest part of the crag. The soldiers within the castle did not put up a fight and the castle came under English lordship. The castle was finally deserted completely in 1865, but it became a tourist attraction. The rock was used during the World Wars, and was hit by four bombs in 1941.

Stirling Castle also played a key role in the stories we’ve read thus far. This picturesque castle sits on top of yet another volcanic rock. Since the most important waterways - both east/west and north/south - run near Stirling Castle, it was a place of great importance throughout history. Around the base of The Castle Rock was marshy, and difficult to transverse, which made it strategically very easy to defend. Control passed by siege and treaty rather than battle.

It is not known exactly when the first fort was built on Castle Rock, but it is likely that there was a prehistoric fort as well as a later Pictish fort. Some legends claim that King Arthur resided on the Rock, however that is merely myth. The archeological evidence shows that there was definitely a castle on the rock by the 11th century. Edward I stayed at Stirling for a time when he was deciding the fate of the thirteen competitors. William Wallace’s greatest victory was at Stirling Bridge n 1297, quite close to the castle. Stirling passed between English and Scottish hands several times. In 1314 the Scots gained control of the castle at the Battle of Bannockburn. The ownership of Stirling continued to yo-yo between England and Scotland. James IV ordered a number of changes to the layout of the inner bailey, which made it a comfortable royal residence. James V was the first king to be crowned in Stirling. Since James V married a French woman, he included French features in the royal palace. Mary, Queen of Scots lived in the castle for a time, having been crowned there as an infant. Later, she had her infant son James baptized in the chapel, with the full Catholic ritual, though the rest of the country by that time was Protestant. The party given after the baptism lasted three days and rivaled any of the royal galas around Europe. James VI spent most of his childhood in Stirling Castle, even held hostage by siege in the late 16th century. When he became James I of England, he no longer spent time in Scotland and Stirling suffered from lack of use.

For a time, England and Scotland were only unified by the monarchy, but in 1707 the countries were united by the Act of Union. This was the final act of the Scottish Parliament. Shortly following this act, Francis Edward Stuart laid claim to the throne and there were several Jacobite uprisings, which were defeated. However, by 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie, son of Francis, had gained enough support from Scottish clans to proclaim his father king. The wars continued, and though the Jacobite cause was lost each time, when Francis died, Charlie assumed the role of Charles III, a false king. At his death in 1788, his brother became Henry IX, but financial ruin brought an end to the false kingdom.

During these battles, Stirling was used only as a military outpost, with the only work being that of strengthening defenses. Bonnie Prince Charlie was easily defeated when he tried to attack Stirling. The castle continued to be a military post in later years, particularly during the French wars. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders used Stirling as their post until 1964.

The castle today is undergoing renovation. The Great Hall has been restored to its former glory. It is a massive white building, with timber ceilings. There is a dais at one end where the high table is located, the seat of the king. The palace is a series of rooms that wrap around a central courtyard. The queen had her rooms, and the king his. They were connected by a gallery and both had access to the courtyard. Each room was decorated according to importance. The most important room was the king’s Presence Chamber, which had a number of finely carved wood roundels. They were displayed on the ceiling of the chamber and had as their subject matter the figures of people. Some were busts of the people who were in the court of James V. Others were historical figures. Yet others were of Biblical characters. Historic Scotland, the non-profit organization that maintains the castle today, is planning extensive renovation of the Palace, including decorating the rooms as they may have been when used in the 16th century.

We roamed the outer defensive walls of the castle, viewing the surrounding farmland and the distant bens. We could see the Wallace Memorial, which stands high on a hill near the castle and is a testament to the love of the Scottish people for William Wallace. It was completed in 1869. We visited the castle kitchens, which are set with displays of food and mannequins that show how they may have appeared in the 16th century. The tables were filled with fruits, vegetables and game of all sorts. There was even a peacock being prepared for dinner. In a separate room, loaves of bread awaited backing. Bread was a staple for most of the residents of the castle, as each servant received a certain allotment of bread and ale each day. The kitchens were dark with no windows, and hot because of the ovens. I imagine it was not the most pleasant job to be assigned in the days of old.