Day 353 of 365

Step by step How do you break up the monotony of a staircase with 246 steps?

With a lodge, two halls, a royal chamber and a crown spire. On day 353 I climbed to the top of the Wallace Monument in Stirling, Scotland. The staircase inside this tower was a narrow spiral of dizzying torture. Used for ascending and descending the structure, passing human traffic felt like hanging from a ladder. My knees got weak and the only support was a carved stone handrail. A stair climb certainly for the brave of heart.

I’m not going to go in to detail about the history of this landmark because a google search will answer any questions.

What I can share is every step led me to an amazing view of the Scottish countryside. I was hesitant to do this monument climb as I'd heard about the narrow stairs and worried that the tight space would cause a panic.

On the third level of the monument there were metal grates in the floor. I laid my camera over one of the holes and took a shot of the distance between floors. I did get a little rubber-legged when I stood up from taking the picture. Some things just induce that fear of falling.

Getting to the top was almost as invigorating as jumping in Lake Michigan on day 104.

This was an absolute must see and I am so glad that I pushed myself to achieve this adventure. Day 353 Love & Light