We took a wonderful bus/ferry trip to Rothesay. Rothseay is the largest city on the Isle of Bute and has a reputation for being one of the prettiest coastal resorts in Scotland. There's plenty to see and do in Rothesay including a castle (one of the last to be in Viking control), putting greens, picturesque harbour, and a famous Victorian gents public lavatory.
A special place to sit and only 15 pence
Picturesque city with winding streets.
The centerpiece
of Rothesay is an ancient castle which dates back to Viking times. Its early
history is unclear, but was probably built in 1098. Two centuries of struggle
between Viking and Scot followed. The castle was in Scottish hands when it fell
to the Norsemen in a hard-fought siege in around 1228.
The castle once more became a point of contention during the wars of
independence against England, where it became a haven for supporters of the
Scottish patriot Sir William Wallace, (Braveheart movie). It was held at this
time by Walter the Steward, whose descendants, the Stuart family, were to be
major players in subsequent history, both national and local. The castle's end
as a fortress came in 1659, when General Monck, leading Cromwellian forces, laid
the castle and its English Royalist garrison to waste.
Huge fireplace in the main room. (Click on Thumbnail to see larger photo)
The castle has it's own dungeon too.
Other pictures around Rothesay
Another of Rothesay's claims to fame is an award winning fish and chip shop. We stopped in to partake and heard the waitress ask us "Te - ch - us - now". "What?" we asked. Again she said "Te - ch - us - now". The Scottish accent was so strong and she spoke so fast that we couldn't make it out. After talking a bit more, we found that she was saying "Tea just now". Everyone seemed to enjoy warm tea with cream and sugar. The fish and chips there were the best on the trip!
