It was lovely to see some members trying the evening walks for the first time & after welcoming Debbie on her first walk with the group & making introductions, seventeen keen walkers set off from Linlithgow Cricket Club.

Although the wind was strong, we were fortunate that the rain stayed away. We soon made our way to the canal basin where we admired the colourful barges moored along the canal side. A brief pause was made at the Ross Doocot in Learmonth Gardens, which looked particularly beautiful lit up in the fading evening light. This is the only beehive-type doocot in West Lothian and dates back to the 16th century. Within its one-metre-thick walls are nesting boxes for an impressive 370 birds.

Our route then took us downhill into the town, passing the former Sheriff Court and the Cross Well, before heading uphill towards the Palace and St Michael’s Church. Unusually, the gates at the top of the hill were locked, so we diverted our route & made our way to the loch, approaching the palace by another path. We were rewarded with the peaceful sight of a bevy of swans swimming silently along the edge of the loch. What a beautiful sight.

Standing beneath the walls of Linlithgow Palace, it was easy to imagine it not as the silent, roofless shell we see today, but as a place once alive with colour & splendour – the luxury playground of Scotland’s royal family. Music would have echoed through the great halls, torches blazed in the courtyards, and kings & queens wandered the galleries.

Before continuing our walk, we learned how, during the reign of James IV, Linlithgow was transformed into a jewel of the Renaissance – a court that shone as brightly as any in Europe. We heard how Margaret Tudor, an English princess, was brought north for an arranged marriage to James & how the pair surprised many by falling genuinely in love. Sadly, the peace their union promised was short-lived. In 1513, after England invaded France, Scotland, bound by the Auld Alliance, prepared to strike back & James gathered one of the largest armies Scotland had ever seen.

In the days before his departure, James spent long hours praying in St Michael’s Church beside the palace. It was here that a mysterious stranger is said to have warned him not to go to war, foretelling disaster not only for the King but for all of Scotland. Margaret begged her husband to heed the warning but James pushed aside his doubts & marched his army south. It is said that Margaret stood in the highest tower of the palace, watching him disappear over the horizon, a sense of dread in her heart.

History tells us what followed. The Scots met the English at Flodden, & the battle that ensued became one of the darkest days in Scotland’s past. The great army was defeated, many leading nobles were killed & James IV, fighting in the thickest of the battle, died beside his men. Back in Linlithgow, Margaret watched the horizon day after day, hoping for news. When the truth finally reached her, her heart broke. Legend has it that on quiet winter nights, a lone figure can still be seen watching the horizon, waiting for a King who will never return.

We looked up, but didn’t spot Margaret in the tower, so we continued our walk around the loch, the cool wind on our faces. From the far side, we enjoyed a beautiful view of the palace & St Michael’s Church illuminated against the night sky and wondered what other secrets & stories this town has yet to reveal. No doubt we will return to Linlithgow another time to discover them.

It was an easy walk back through the town to our starting point, accompanied by the cheerful sound of everyone chatting away – a lovely evening of fresh air, exercise and storytelling. Photo credit: L Coulter & Ina G

Our next evening walk is on Thursday 5th February. Details of this & many more walking opportunities with the group can be found in the Walk Programme on our website.

Natalie C