Hamilton (Scotland)

Hamilton is a town on Clydeside in central Scotland. With a population of 54,480 in 2020, it's the fourth-largest town in Scotland and lies 12 miles southeast of Glasgow, at the confluence of the River Clyde with the Avon Water.

Understand
This town was called Cadzow (pronounced "Cadju") until the 15th century when it became the seat of the Dukes of Hamilton, who over the following centuries often enlivened the place and sometimes improved it. Their embellishments, especially the palace facade and mausoleum, are today the reason to visit. Coal-mining was the main local industry: Hamilton was the county town of Lanarkshire and is now the base for South Lanarkshire Council, employing 16,000. It's separated by the Clyde and the M74 from nearby Motherwell, a former steel town.

This placename Hamilton is not directly related to the other Hamiltons in Ontario, Bermuda or New Zealand. Still less are the Dukes of Hamilton, now embodied by the 16th Duke Alexander Douglas Douglas-Hamilton (born 1978), to be confused with the unsuccessful Ontario hockey team of that name who became "Guelph Storm".

Get in
Most long-distance travel by public transport involves changing in Glasgow. From the airport take the bus to central Glasgow then train or bus as below.

By train
Trains run from Glasgow Central every 15 min, taking 25-30 min via Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Blantyre and Hamilton West to Hamilton Central. They run 6AM-11PM and originate in Dalmuir or Milngavie. Alternate trains continue to Motherwell (10 min), which is on the main line with direct fast trains from Edinburgh and north-east England, Carlisle and northwest England, the Midlands and London. Hourly local trains continue beyond Motherwell to Coatbridge and Cumbernauld.

is in town centre next to the bus station. It has a ticket office and machines, toilets and a waiting room. There is step-free access to both platforms.

is more convenient for the football ground and north end of town.

By bus
First Glasgow Bus X1 runs M-Sa every 30 min from Glasgow Buchanan station to Hamilton Low Patrick St, taking 25 min. It only runs between 7AM and 6PM. Night Bus N267 runs shortly after midnight Saturday and Sunday mornings, and again at 3AM. It runs from Glasgow Dalhousie St and Central Station to Hamilton John St.

The hourly Stagecoach X74 from Dumfries and Moffat calls at Hamilton on its way to Glasgow.

Stagecoach West Bus X1 runs hourly to Hamilton from Ayr, Kilmarnock and East Kilbride.

JMB Bus 41 runs M-Sa every 15 min to Hamilton from Lanark, Carluke, Wishaw and Motherwell.

First Glasgow Bus 201 runs daily every 10-20 min from Petersburn and Airdrie to Coatbridge, Belshill, Motherwell, Hamilton, Burnbank, East Kilbride and Hairmyres Hospital.

Hamilton Bus Station is next to Hamilton Central railway station.

By car
Most routes approach along M74, exit at jcn 6 and follow A723 into town. From Edinburgh follow M8 and cross by A725 onto M74.

Get around
Walk: Hamilton centre is compact and pedestrian-friendly, with traffic-free shopping malls. Further out, all areas have proper pavements, and the major junctions have pedestrian crossings.

By bus: see above for buses to nearby Motherwell, Wishaw, East Kilbride, and southern suburbs of Glasgow.

Buses up the main spine of town (A724 Union Street) include 201, 205 and 250 (all for East Kilbride), 226 (for Hillhouse) and 230 (for Blantyre).

By train: Chatelherault has its own station, often garbled as "Chattel Halt", with trains every 15 min from Glasgow and Hamilton on the branch line to Larkhall.

Taxi firms are Hastie Cars (+44 1698 825000), Well-Man (+44 1698 891313), Cadzow Cars (+44 1698 891990) and Bridge Cars (+44 1698 422288).

See

 * is along Bent Road half a mile west of Hamilton Central station. As well as the Dukes, here lies the entertainer Sir Harry Lauder (1870-1950), who for ten years worked down the local coal mine - he was once pinned under a roof-fall, while his work mates were horribly crushed.
 * is along Bent Road half a mile west of Hamilton Central station. As well as the Dukes, here lies the entertainer Sir Harry Lauder (1870-1950), who for ten years worked down the local coal mine - he was once pinned under a roof-fall, while his work mates were horribly crushed.
 * is along Bent Road half a mile west of Hamilton Central station. As well as the Dukes, here lies the entertainer Sir Harry Lauder (1870-1950), who for ten years worked down the local coal mine - he was once pinned under a roof-fall, while his work mates were horribly crushed.
 * is along Bent Road half a mile west of Hamilton Central station. As well as the Dukes, here lies the entertainer Sir Harry Lauder (1870-1950), who for ten years worked down the local coal mine - he was once pinned under a roof-fall, while his work mates were horribly crushed.



Do

 * Football:
 * Clyde FC share New Douglas Park, having relocated from Cumbernauld. They were relegated in 2023 so they play in League Two, the fourth tier.
 * Vue Cinema is east side of town by the Holiday Inn Express.
 * Golf: Hamilton GC is south of town at Chatelherault, blue tees 6452 yards, par 71, visitor round £60. Strathclyde GC is a council-run course north near the mausoleum and racecourse.
 * Funfair and theme park is the other side of M74 in nearby Motherwell.
 * Funfair and theme park is the other side of M74 in nearby Motherwell.

Buy

 * Shopping centres are a block north of Central station. The mall on the west side of Quarry St is New Cross Centre, that on the east side is Regent Centre.

Connect
As of Aug 2022, Hamilton and its approach roads have 4G from O2 and Vodafone, and 5G from EE and Three.

Go next

 * East Kilbride has the Museum of Rural Life.
 * New Lanark is a, a well-preserved 18th century mill complex and model town.
 * Glasgow and Edinburgh both rank as must-see and are easily reached by train or by road.