Built to commemorate the victory of Robert the Bruce in one of the first battles in the Scottish Wars of Independence, Bruce’s Stone is a large granite monument that overlooks Loch Trool to the North. Erected in 1929 by the newly formed Scottish Nationalist Party, the stone is seen in contemporary time as a symbol to the Scottish identity.
Following his crowning as king, the early months of Robert the Bruce’s reign over Scotland were characterised by defeats and fugitivity. This changed, however, when he reappeared with an army on the shores of Carrick and began preparations to meet the English at the nearby Glen Trool. It was here that the Bruce delivered his first blow against the enemy, scoring a decisive, albeit minor, victory and forcing a retreat.
While this was not a catastrophic defeat for the English, it allowed Robert to push forward onto the weightier victory at Loudon Hill. As such, Bruce’s Stone commemorates what can be called a turning point in the Scottish Wars of Independence. The immense boulder was hauled atop the hill in 1929, 600 years after Robert’s death from illness, and has stood proudly ever since. For visitors, the stone also indicates the foot of the looming mountain Merrick, which makes for an incredibly difficult walk even for the most seasoned of climbers.
