Scotland’s most famous rebels
The legend of the Bonnie Prince is less well-known than that of William Wallace. Say the word Braveheart and your mind conjures up an image of Mel Gibson’s face painted in blue. However, it’s important to note that the Oscar-winning film was woefully inaccurate. For starters, Braveheart is associated with Robert the Bruce and not William Wallace. Historians are also quick to point out that some of the battles and weapons used were incorrect. And those with an interest in film settings will be deeply disappointed to learn that this quintessentially Scottish story was primarily filmed in Ireland—except for the sweeping landscapes. The rocky Highlands of Scotland near Loch Leven and Glen Coe simply cannot be impersonated. Better than visiting a film set, you can see the real battle sites. This is, after all, a land of mighty fortresses on rocky heights, isolated keeps and great halls in towering strongholds where great men discussed affairs of state against backdrops of regal splendor. Foremost among these landmarks is Bannockburn. The site pays homage to Robert the Bruce’s hard-fought campaign to drive the English from Scotland and be recognized as the rightful king inside his own country. Nearby, the Wallace Monument rises abruptly from the flat plains. It’s the site of his victory in the Battle of Stirling Bridge, where he was knighted and named Guardian of the Kingdom of Scotland.
From the sublime to the tragic, you can visit the site of his demise on the battlefield of Culloden from the port of Invergordon. On the battlefield, stone cairns commemorate where the various clans fought and fell. Nearby is Urquhart Castle, destroyed by its own garrison to prevent the Prince’s forces from capturing it. Many glens and other places in the vicinity have associations with Bonnie Prince Charlie and Culloden’s grim aftermath. Like Edinburgh, Portree and Skye are also very important to the story. Flora MacDonald helped the prince flee to Skye in a small boat—the prince was disguised as a maid named Betty Burke. On arrival on Skye, they hid overnight in a cottage and then made their way to Portree, where the Prince took a boat to the island of Raasay, eventually to be picked up by a French boat and taken to France. Mari de Armas is a travel writer specializing in luxury cruising. She is a regular contributor to the official blog of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Luxury Goes Exploring. Read more of her posts at RSSC.com/ discover-more-blog
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