Across the heavily defended bridge that spans the critical forth river crossing
into the town of Stirling and up to the castle...
the tourist come
cars ladened
filling the carparks
tearing the town apart for what they can use to attack the castle with
large rucksacks full with picnic lunches
flasks of tea and bottles of water
all dressed ready for a battle
hiking boots - check!
sensible coats - check!
walking-poles - check!
factor 50 - check!
then,
once at the castle
cash aplenty
they buy their way in through the castle walls
whilst out on the lawns it's icecreams served at tourist prices
a carpark where battles raged
soldiers died in a fight for a castle
which meant a fight for a kingdom
now it's twenty quid to get in - a price the rampaging hoards couldn't even imagine
the cannons which once blazed
attempting, but failing to breach the thick stone walls
are now for sitting on and taking selfies
and standing tall
on a plinth on the manicured lawns
a stout metal fence around him
keeping him safe from the maraurding hoards of tourists
"Robert the Bruce" - 1247 to 1329
Monies paid - their access is assured
endless feet trample through the breached gateway
armed with QR codes to scan for those who booked online
or cash and cards for those who didn't
all making for the gift shop via the toilets
whilst mighty siege engines - "the trebuchet"
hurl lead balls
made on site from lead stripped from nearby church roofs
anything they could find
sandwiches bought from a supermarket in the town
near the multi-story carpark where they left their steeds
swords
daggers, shields and guidebooks
audio descriptions to download at three quid a pop
tell the castles story in a language of your choosing
tread where the faithful fought to defend their very being
slaughtered and died
and all this that we have come to see
many many hundreds of years after the event
moaning about how steep it is up from the town
with an ice cream in one hand
and a mobile phone in the other
(with a QR code ready 'cos we had the foresight to book ahead)
to walk in their very footsteps - albeit in far more comfortable footwear
we come to look - but will never fully realise
what hell went on here!
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