Stirling is unique amongst the cities of Scotland, it’s the smallest city by population and has held the title of city for less than 25 years.
Yet it is steeped in over 900 years of history, much of which was spent as the definitive seat of power in Scotland. To this, it is known as “the gateway to the highlands”.
But reputation and detached statistics can’t really tell you what makes a place special, what gives the place the spark that makes it truly its own.
So Brig has spoken to several students and local residents to find out what they think makes Stirling what it is.
The Perfect Size
In being the smallest city in the country, Stirling feels like it is partway between being a town and a city which is a selling point to many but can have its downsides.
For most students, moving away to go to university means moving away from home and for many, that’s the only home they have ever known. Students that have lived in small towns or villages their entire lives may want to seek out a large city as a change or an adventure but equally, the concept of moving from one extreme to the other can be massively intimidating and offputting.
Stirling however, doesn’t sit on either of those extremes, it has the a lot of the conveniences of a city but without the overwhelming scale; it has a city’s variety but is still close to nature; it has the connectivity of a city but not the price of one.
Of course that also means that the city loses some of the best things about both towns and cities. Despite being bigger than a town it still can’t offer the true variety of a city and while cheaper than most cities, it is still more expensive than most towns.
Essentially, its scale affords the city a jack of all trades but master of none quality which appeals to a lot of people but will not be to everyone’s tastes.
A recent masters graduate mentioned that the city’s smaller scale also results in significantly less pollution compared to other UK cities she’s lived in, saying “After spending time in a city that was super polluted, I felt much healthier in Stirling.”
The lack of pollution can be partially attributed to the city’s scale but more importantly, it stems from Stirling’s abundant nature.
Natural and historical beauty, intertwined
A lot of the people we spoke to mentioned nature, both in and around the city, as one of their favorite things about Stirling and for good reason.
The city is full of natural life. Stirling has plenty of green spaces such as Kings Park and the Stirling Castle Gardens on top of an abundance of greenery that accents the streets.
Compared to a city like Glasgow, Stirling has much more greenery naturally throughout the city. While both cities do have some lovely parks and green spaces, you need to actively seek out greenery in Glasgow while Stirling has a little on every corner.
This natural beauty wonderfully compliments the gorgeous historical architecture that has defined Stirling for generations and is largely responsible for the city’s popularity with tourists.
Most people would immediately think of Stirling Castle or The Wallace Monument but it extends far beyond that. The cobbled roads, windy backstreets, historic churches and pre-war homes still full of life create an aesthetic that few other cities can match.
Importantly, these historical features seem to seamlessly intertwine with both modern architecture and nature constantly, not just in one area but all throughout the city.
A current Stirling University student said “The nature, architecture and sights are genuinely some of the prettiest things I’ve seen”.
This feeling is a common one amongst the students we talked to while locals talked more about nature specifically with one saying “The air is fresh, the area nice and clean majority of the time, plus the walks are lovely.”
Walking was actually mentioned numerous times both in reference to various routes around the city as well as larger hills and Monroes less than an hour from the city.
Close to everything, far from nothing
While it’s known as the gateway to the highlands, Stirling’s location provides rather easy access to the entire country. Both Glasgow and Edinburgh are around 45 minutes away by road or rail while the highlands and the borders can both be reached in under two hours by car or bus.
This central location means that residents can get access to anything Stirling is lacking relatively easily and visiting the city is a breeze.
When speaking to Brig last year, Stirling Provost Elaine Watterson attributed a key part of the city’s economic success to its location as it is “an hour’s drive for nearly half the population” and mentioned that living in Stirling is a popular option for people working in Glasgow or Edinburgh that can’t afford to rent there.
Stirling is a special city but it is not a perfect city. It has a lot of options and comforts for many different types of people however, it does lack certain key aspects that other cities possess. But the people are happy, so happy in fact that Stirling was ranked the third happiest place to live in Scotland in Rightmove’s 2024 Happy at Home survey.
The comforts and pace of life seems to suit people, the blend of nature with history gives the city character and if you find anything is missing then it’s incredibly easy to travel somewhere that has it. It’s that mix of factors that makes the city special. It isn’t one thing, it is a city that is very much the sum of its parts.
Featured Image Credit: Brig Newspaper/University of Stirling via Canva
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