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It's the anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn so I took a wander up to the visitor centre to grab some pictures. It's not actually on the battle site itself, that's a bit further to the east and nearer Stirling Castle, in the middle of a cooncil hoosing estate. Surprisingly, there was no big hoo-ha to commemorate the day. No Lions being rampant atop a flag pole (no flag at all in fact), no groups of tartan clad tourists, no skirling bagpipes. In fact the only sign of any officialdom was a wee man mowing the lawn.

Standing there looking over the fields I began developing my own conspiracy theory on why such a small army of Scots defeated the (on paper) much more superior armies of King Edward II. Still working on it but as 1314 was also a World Cup year I assume that the English were all hungover from celebrating their victory over the Slovenes the previous day. Us Scots were mightily pissed that the English kept going on about their victory in '66 (1066, Battle of Hastings) so were well fired up for a good scrap. So, King Boab the Bruce seized on this combination of a pig-sick English army and rabid Scots wearing AEB tartan and, on the command "Gerritupye Eddie!" he sent them homeward, to drink again.

As I say, it's a work in progress based on no fact whatsoever.

-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

"We fight not for glory, nor for wealth, nor honour but only and alone we fight for freedom which no good man surrenders but with his life"

Quote taken from the memorial cairn