Stirling Castle (12)
The time has come (seeing as I am at the 12th photo in this sequence) to identify the main features of the castle.

The area on the left, where the car parks (where you are not allowed to park campervans I discovered!) is the esplanade.  These days it serves to provide an impressive view of the castle as you approach it, but originally, its purpose was to provide a clear field of fire for the castle's gunners.

A bridge then crosses a dry ditch into the Outer Works, added in the early 18th century to help protect the castle from improved and more readily available artillery.

Almost exactly in the centre of the photo, two round towers can be seen, flanking the castle's original main entrance as known as the Forework.  This gateway has been rebuilt and redesigned a number of times over the centuries - more on which later.

The rather mundane looking buildings this side of the Forework, contain a shop, where the garrison would have been able to buy Mars Bars over the centuries!

The cream coloured building is the Great Hall, built by King James IV and completed in 1503, ten years before his death at the Battle of Flodden.

Beyond the left end of the Great Hall is the Palace, commissioned by King James V, but probably not completed until after his death - which occurred almost in the background of this photo, following his defeat at the Battle of Sauchieburn.

The fine old building at far right, is the King's Old Building, built for King James IV, but much altered since his time.

And lastly, partly hidden by the tree on the right, is the Chapel Royal.
esplanade outerworks foreworks greathall kingsoldbuilding jamesspalace chapelroyal stirling stirlingcastle scotland fortress