Stirling's oldest pub

A smoker enjoys a quiet puff outside Stirlng's oldest pub, the Settle Inn.

Armed only with my iPhone I trawled Top of the Town in search of blip pic late this afternoon having done a major Christmas shop in Oxfam.

Attempts at photographing the castle by night proved too challenging for my phone so I settled instead for the Settle Inn (sorry about that!).

This is Stirling’s oldest alehouse, dating back to 1733, which is popular with tourists in search of local colour- log fires, atmospheric nooks, and a chance to meet residents though I am not sure how the inhabitants of this part of the town like to see themselves described as “local characters” which suggests something couthy and quaint.

It is a genuine working pub without any frills dating back several hundred years.