Скачать или смотреть ROTHESAY - Voyage to the Tomb of a King

A voyage over the Firth of Clyde from the architecturally stunning railway station at Wemyss Bay to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute.

Arriving at Rothesay, we initially explore the magnificent public toilets by the harbour. Again - and forgive me for repeating myself - we have an architecturally stunning public facility dating to the Victorian period when hoards of visitors to Rothesay poured off ferries and had a pee in luxurious surroundings. They were either on holiday or here for a day oot, and toilets were nowhere like this back home. In short, the public toilets by the harbour in Rothesay are probably the most opulent toilets in the whole world.

Pausing awhile to view the streets of Rothesay and views across Rothesay Bay towards snow-capped hills and mountains far away, we head up towards the castle.

Rothesay Castle is now open to the public. It had been shut for a long time for renovation, but is now thankfully open again.

And boy oh boy... what a castle! Rothesay Castle is quite unique in that it is circular in shape and has a moat, two features fairly unusual in Scottish castles. A trip to the Isle of Bute would be worth a day out for Rothesay Castle alone.

We then head up the High Street, by St Mary's Well, and on to St Mary's Chapel. And it is here that we find ourselves in the chancel of an early medieval church, all that remains of that church, and the burial place of knights in armour.

But there is one very special tomb in this little chapel. It bears the carving of a knight in plate armour, and above the tomb is a royal coat of arms.

It is thought that this may be the tomb of King Robert II, King of Scots, except that he is not buried here. He lies buried at Scone.

Robert may have had the tomb made for himself, but perhaps another family member lies within.

If you've never visited Rothesay, I suppose the big question is why? For the town has all the utter beauty of the Clyde Coast, from snow-capped mountains to castles and kings.

And if you HAVE visited Rothesay before, well ... ... NOW is the time to return.