Snookums peers out a cannon opening in the Half Moon Battery, which was “built to protect the Castle’s vulnerable eastern side after the Lang Siege.” The cobbled floor had grooves for water to run down after being poured on the cannons to cool them off. A well, the only source of water for the castle, was also located nearby.

I caught some rays while Snookums ventured down to check out the dungeons. The weather was bright and dry, but the wind was pretty strong and cold.

The Great Hall was where the monarch hosted dinners and social events within the castle. The light made it difficult to get a good photo, but I did manage to get this shot of a special stained glass window. The shields on the top are the family crests of Sir Robert the Bruce and William Wallace, respectively.

Having spent almost four hours out-of-doors exploring the castle, we were ready to move on. Here’s one last shot of Snookums heading down towards the main gate.

On to a more warming attraction… the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre. We decided to take the tour, which kicks off with a free dram of Scotch for every visitor. Being a big wimp, I cut mine with Coke while Snookums had his straight up. On the tour you learn how Scotch is made and the importance of blending malt and grain whisky properly. For the grand finalé, you take a “Barrel Ride” through 300 years of Scotch history and wind up in a bar in the basement. Very cool.

After the whisky tour, we decided to head down Princes Street and view the castle from ground level. Here’s a nice silhouette.

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