Scotland

The two enormous steel horse-heads known as the Kelpies are situated between the Scottish towns of Grangemouth and Falkirk. They form the eastern portal to the Forth and Clyde Canal, which meets the River Carron here, and are adjacent to the M9 motorway. The height of each head is 30 meters (98 feet). Sculptor Andy Scott created the sculptures, which depict kelpies, and they were finished in October 2013. In April 2014, there was an unveiling event. The Helix is a parks area that surrounds the sculptures.When Scottish Canals started The Helix project in 2005, they chose the name to honor the legendary transformational creatures that have the stamina and strength of ten horses. As the ancestors of the heavy horse of Scottish industry and economy, the Kelpies pulled the coalships, ploughs, barges, and wagons that molded the Falkirk region's topography.The 30 m (98 ft) high, 300 tonne Kelpies are made of structural steel with stainless steel cladding. June 2013 saw the start of construction, which was finished by October 2013. On November 27, 2013, there was a topping out ceremony.As part of the renovated Kelpies Hub, the Kelpies are situated on opposite side of a specially built lock and basin. The forms are inspired by Clydesdale (draught) horses.

One of Scotland's biggest and most significant castles in terms of history and architecture is Stirling Castle, which is situated in Stirling. The castle is situated on top of an intrusive crag that is a component of the geological structure known as Stirling Sill. It has a strong defensive posture because sheer cliffs around it on three sides. It has been a significant fortification in the area from ancient times due to its advantageous location, which protects what was, until the 1890s, the farthest downstream crossing of the River Forth.The majority of the castle's main structures are from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The town's outside defenses originate from the early eighteenth century, although a few buildings from the fourteenth century still stand. Stirling Castle, which was both a palace and a fortification, was one of the most frequently utilized of the numerous Scottish royal palaces prior to the country's union with England. Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned in Stirling in 1542, and other Scottish monarchs were born or passed away there as well.Stirling fortress has been under siege at least eight times, including during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The most recent siege was in 1746, when Bonnie Prince Charlie made a failed attempt to seize the fortress. Currently under the management of Historic Environment Scotland, Stirling Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The largest and most northern of the main islands in Scotland's Inner Hebrides is the Isle of Skye, or just Skye.The Cuillin, whose rocky slopes offer some of the most striking mountain scenery in the nation, is the mountainous center from which the island's peninsulas spread. There is no clear consensus regarding the origin of the name Sgitheanach, despite the fact that it has been proposed to describe a winged shape. The island has been inhabited since the Mesolithic era and has been occupied at different points in time by Celtic tribes such as the Picts and Gaels, Scandinavian Vikings, and most notably the strong integrated Norse-Gaels clans of MacLeod and MacDonald. With a 2011 population estimate of 2,264, Portree, the largest settlement and the island's primary service hub, is located in the north at the foot of Trotternish. With "a few hotels, hostels, and bed-and-breakfasts in town, while more B&Bs line the roads into and out of town," the village was named "Skye's best home base" for tourists in a December 2018 assessment. The town also features "banks, churches, cafes and restaurants, a cinema at the Aros Centre, a swimming pool and library ... fuel filling stations and supermarkets" .A warm oceanic climate is produced by the Gulf Stream and the Atlantic Ocean. Duntulm in Trotternish experiences relatively cool temperatures, with an average of 6.5 °C (43.7 °F) in January and 15.4 °C (59.7 °F) in July.Compared to the continent, frosts are less common and snow rarely falls at sea level. One of the things that limits vegetation is wind. The most frequent are south-westerlies, which have been known to reach 128 km/h (80 mph). 

Scotland's Edinburgh is home to the famous Edinburgh Castle. It is situated on Castle Rock, which has been inhabited by people since the Iron Age at the latest. Since Malcolm III's rule in the eleventh century, a royal castle has stood on the rock, and it remained a royal palace until 1633. The castle's residential use began to wane in the 15th century, and by the 17th century, its primary function was that of a military fortress. Since the early 19th century, its significance as a component of Scotland's national history has been acknowledged more and more, and during the past 150 years, numerous restoration projects have been undertaken.In addition to being a royal residence, Edinburgh Castle has also functioned as a military castle, a mint, a prison, an arsenal, a treasury, a national archive, and the home of the Honours of Scotland, or Scottish regalia. From the 14th-century Wars of Scottish Independence until the 1745 Jacobite uprising, the castle, one of the most significant fortresses in the Kingdom of Scotland, was embroiled in numerous historical conflicts. It claims to be "the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world" after a 2014 study found 26 sieges during its 1,100-year existence.Few of the current structures date back to the Lang Siege in 1573, when cannon bombardment largely devastated the medieval defenses. The most prominent exceptions are the Royal Palace, the Great Hall in the early 16th century, and St Margaret's Chapel in the early 12th century, which is thought to be Edinburgh's oldest structure [5]. The National War Museum and the Scottish National War Memorial are located within the castle. Even though the castle is now mostly used for administrative and ceremonial purposes, the British Army is still in charge of certain of its features. Together with the Royal Scots museum, the castle serves as the regimental headquarters for both the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.