West Kilbride

West Kilbride is a town in Ayrshire on the Clyde coast of southwest Scotland, with a population of 4860 in 2020. It has sought to distinguish itself as an arts & crafts centre, with partial success, and to distance itself from the industrial complex of Hunterston just north. Hunterston is well known for its nuclear reactors.

Understand
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.

There a fabulous Celtic brooch was found, dating to 700 AD and now in the National Museum in Edinburgh.

Hunterston B nuclear power station, run by EDF, stopped generating in 2022, and us being decommissioned. Tours no longer seem to get available. 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.

Get in
By plane: Glasgow Airport has the best choice of flights. Take the airport bus to Glasgow city centre then train or bus as below. Prestwick is closer but only has Ryanair flights from the Mediterranean.

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 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

 * at 50 Main Street has rotating exhibitions, art studios and events.
 * 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.
 * at 50 Main Street has rotating exhibitions, art studios and events.
 * 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.
 * 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.

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.

Buy

 * There's a Co-op food store (open daily 7AM-10PM) 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 9AM-2PM.
 * Fencebay Farmers Market is at Fencefoot Farm off Irvine Rd in Fairlie, last Sunday of the month 9AM-2PM.

Eat

 * Various Indian and Chinese takeaways in the centre of town.
 * Seamill Hydro Hotel has an excellent restaurant, see "Sleep".
 * Seamill Hydro Hotel has an excellent restaurant, see "Sleep".
 * Seamill Hydro Hotel has an excellent restaurant, see "Sleep".

Drink

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

Sleep

 * Seamill House Hotel is a separate mid-range establishment almost next door to the Hydro.
 * Seamill House Hotel is a separate mid-range establishment almost next door to the Hydro.
 * Seamill House Hotel is a separate mid-range establishment almost next door to the Hydro.

Connect
As of Sep 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.