We get an early start.  We go to a small cafe and decide what we are going to do today.  Edinburgh castle is our destination.

Edinburg castle continuously captured and recaptured by the English and the Scottish.

March 1296, Edward I, launched an invasion of Scotland, sparking the First War of Scottish Independence. Edinburgh Castle soon came under English control, but after Edward’s death the English lost some control. On  March 14, 1314, Thomas Randolph led a surprise night attack on Edinburg Castle. The plan involved a party of thirty hand-picked men, guided by  William Francis, a member of the garrison who knew a path to the castle, making a difficult ascent up the north face of the Castle Rock and taking the garrison by surprise. Robert the Bruce immediately ordered the destruction of the castle’s defenses to prevent the English from gaining control over the castle again.  After Bruce’s death in 1329 Scotland weakened considerably, since Bruce’s son and successor,  David II, was still a child.  Moreover,  the two most able lieutenants, the Black Douglas and Thomas Randolph both died shortly afterward.  Edward III, invaded in 1333, determined to carry on the project of Edward I.

This marked the start of the Second War of Scottish Independence, and from 1335 – 1341, the English forces reoccupied and fortified Edinburgh Castle.  This time, the Scottish assault was led by William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale. Douglas’s party disguised themselves as merchants from Leith bringing supplies to the garrison. Driving a cart into the castle, they halted it to prevent the gates closing.  A larger force hidden nearby rushed to join them, and the castle was retaken. The English garrison, numbering 100, were all killed. 

After touring the amazing castle we go on a super touristy Scotch Whiskey experience.  First you are invited inside a whiskey barrel while a ghost  explains how to make whiskey.  Then you  are taken inside of a room and someone explains where all the different types of whiskeys originate,  Everyone is given small sample of whiskey.  The tour is finished with the Diageo Claive Vidiz Collection.The worlds Largest Collection of Whiskey it consists of 3,348 bottles, the collection was built over the course of 35 years.

Some of the whiskeys are vary rare.

Of course at the end of the tour we are dropped of at the gift shop. 🙂

After seeing the worlds largest collection of whiskey we go get some  fish and chips and some haggis pizza (can’t get enough).  yum!

We go to watch some street shows and continue to explore the city.

After exploring this amazing city we head to Cairnryan to catch our  ferry to Ireland. We arrive at the ferry at 10:45 pm.  I decide to go inside the store outside the ship to get some chips for the ride. I soon find out that its just a huge liqueur store and they do not have any chips, there are lots of workers carrying the liqueur on to the boat (must be for the captain ). We drive on to the boat at 11:00pm and the boat takes of at 11:30pm .We get some frozen pizza for dinner and then watch a new version of topcoat we arrive in North Ireland at 2:00am.