West Kilbride - village in North Ayrshire, Scotland, UK

West Kilbride is a town in Ayrshire on the Clyde coast of southwest Scotland, with a population of 4860 in 2020. It was traditionally a weaving, potato-growing and sheep-farming town, expanding when the railway arrived in 1878, to grow into nearby Seamill and Portencross. In the 21st century it's sought to distinguish itself as an arts & crafts centre, with partial success, and to distance itself from the industrial complex of Hunterston just north. There a fabulous Celtic brooch was found, dating to 700 AD and now in the National Museum in Edinburgh; but Hunterston is better known for its nuclear reactors, which you can visit.

Get in

By plane: Glasgow Airport (IATA: GLA) has the best choice of flights. Take the airport bus to Glasgow city centre then train or bus as below. Prestwick (IATA: PIK) is closer but only has Ryanair flights to the Med.

By train: Trains run hourly from Glasgow Central, taking 50 min via Paisley, Kilwinning and Ardrossan, and continuing north to Fairlie and Largs. Change at Kilwinning for trains from Ayr, Prestwick, Troon and Irvine.

The railway station 📍 is just east of town centre. It's just a platform halt with ticket machines but no staffed office or toilets. There is step-free access to the only platform.

By bus: buses pass through West Kilbride every 30 min or so on their way north to Largs (10 min) and Greenock (60 min), and south to Ardrossan (20 min), Irvine (40 min) and Ayr (60 min). From central Glasgow (Buchanan station) travel either via Ardrossan or Greenock: it's usually quicker via Ardrossan but ask at the ticket office for your best connection.

By road follow A78 the coastal main highway.

Get around

Stagecoach Bus 585 runs along the main coast road every 30 min from Ayr via Prestwick, Irvine, Ardrossan and Seamill to West Kilbride, Fairlie and Largs.

Taxi operators are Eddie's (+44 1294 822812) and I & D Airport Transfers (+44 7821 568255).

See

• West Kilbride Museum, Village Hall, 1 Arthur Street. Tu, Th, Sa 10:30-12:30 & 14:00-16:00. Small volunteer-run museum upstairs in village hall. Donation 2019-09-24
• Law Castle, 55.6961°, -4.8481°, info@lawcastle.com. Closed to public. Built in 1467 as a wedding gift for Princess Mary, sister of King James III. But the groom was attainted of treason while he was away on the Continent, where he wisely chose to remain, so the marriage was annulled. The castle fell into disrepair in the 19th century but was smartly restored in the 21st and is now luxury accommodation with six bedrooms. Admire the facade, no interior tours. 2019-09-24
• Barony Centre 📍 at 50 Main Street has rotating exhibitions, art studios and events.
• Portencross Castle, Portencross Rd KA23 9QA (On coast 2 miles west of town), 55.699369°, -4.905094°. April, July & Aug daily, May June & Sept Sa Su, 11:00-16:00. First built in the 13th century, and replaced by the present bastion in the 14th. It hasn't suffered from assault and was only abandoned in 1739 when a storm ripped the roof off. By donation 2019-09-24
• The beach stretches from Seamill by the Hydro to an outcrop of rocks by the golf course. It resumes along Ardneill Bay to Portencross. Good views southwest towards Arran.
• Hunterston B nuclear power station, Hunterston KA23 9QX, 55.7221°, -4.8901°, hunterstonbtours@edf-energy.com. M-F 09:00-16:00. This AGR (Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor) power station, run by EDF, has been generating since 1976, and is scheduled to continue until 2023. The older Magnox Hunterston A next door ran from 1957 to 1990. 90-min tours available, min age 7, you need to book 3 weeks in advance (4+ weeks for non-UK visitors) and bring your passport. EDF has seven other nuclear plants in the UK which can be visited: at Torness East Lothian, Dungeness B in Kent, West Burton B near Retford Notts, Heysham Lancs, Hinckley Point Somerset, Hartlepool, and Sizewell B in Suffolk. 2019-09-24

Do

• Walk down Kirktonhall Glen. The woodland footpath starts in town centre and follows the Kilbride Burn for a couple of miles down to the shore at Seamill.
• West Kilbride Golf Club, Fullarton Drive, Seamill KA23 9HT, 55.6895°, -4.8679°. 18-hole links course between shore and farmland, fairly flat but with a stiff sea breeze. Par 71, the "Arran" course is 6523 yards. May-Oct £60 pp round, Nov-Mar £30 2019-09-24

Buy

• A Gift Tae Gie, 45 Main Street, +44 1294 829509. M-Sa 10:00-17:00. Has various gifts, toys, cards and interior accessories. 2019-09-24
• There's a Co-op food store (open daily 07:00-22:00) on Ritchie Street, but for a big shop head to the supermarkets in Ardrossan.
• Fencebay Farmers Market is at Fencefoot Farm off Irvine Rd in Fairlie, last Sunday of the month 09:00-14:00.

Eat

• Various Indian and Chinese takeaways in the centre of town.
• The Wee Deli, 2 Ritchie Street KA23 9AL, +44 1294 822015. Tu-Sa 10:30-15:00. A tardis of food delights. Best known for the wee deli pate & soups. 2019-09-24
• Cherry Orchard, 2C Orchard St KA23 9AD, +44 1294 824880. M-Sa 10:00-16:00. Friendly cafe at the foot of the glen. 2019-09-24
• Seamill Hydro Hotel has an excellent restaurant, see "Sleep".
• The Catch At Fins Restaurant, Fencefoot Farm, Fairlie KA29 0EG (5 miles north of town, on main road halfway to Largs), 55.7372°, -4.8606°, +44 1475 568 989. Th-Sa 12:00-15:00, 18:00-21:00; Su 12:00-15:00. Acclaimed seafood restaurant, small and booking essential. Not licensed, byob or buy from shop next door. mains from £12 2019-09-24

Drink

• The Twa Dugs and the King's Arms are typical Scottish pubs on Main Street.

Sleep

• Carlton Seamill B&B, 53 Ardrossan Road, Seamill KA23 9NE, 55.6829°, -4.8606°, +44 1294 822075, carlton@westkilbride.net. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 10:00. B&B in Victorian house with period furnishings, has become run-down and tatty. B&B double from £70 2019-09-24
• Seamill Hydro Hotel, 39 Ardrossan Rd, Seamill KA23 9ND, 55.685°, -4.863°, +44 1294 8242217. Upscale hotel with leisure & gym facilities and pool. With Orangery restaurant plus Aura bar meals. B&B double from £90 2019-09-24
• Seamill House Hotel is a separate mid-range establishment almost next door to the Hydro.
• The Waterside, Ardrossan Rd KA23 9NG (south edge of town), 55.6748°, -4.8523°, +44 1294 824414. Clean modern hotel, great setting but you need the sunshine. B&B double £80 2019-09-24

Connect

As of Sept 2022, West Kilbride and the coast highway have 4G from EE and Three, but a poor patchy signal from O2 and Vodafone. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

• Ardrossan has ferries to the charming Isle of Arran.
• Largs is a pleasant small resort with ferries to Great Cumbrae.
• Wemyss Bay has ferries to the Isle of Bute.
• Ayr has Robert Burns' birthplace at Alloway, and further south is Culzean Castle.
• Famous golf courses hereabouts are Royal Troon, Prestwick Old Course, and Trump Turnberry towards Girvan.