East Kilbride is a town in the Central Belt of Scotland, some 8 miles southeast of Glasgow, with a population of 75,310 in 2020. It's notorious for its "New Town" architecture, yet its main attraction is the Museum of Rural Life. In Gaelic Cille Bhrìghde means the church of St Bride or Brigit, probably the 6th-century Irish saint rather than the 5th-century Scottish one.
Understand
[edit]Housing in post-war Glasgow was a bleak mixture of slums and craters, so five "new towns" were built rapidly to rejuvenate the Central Belt. Four of them were on greenfield sites, East Kilbride being the first from 1947. It was followed by Glenrothes, Cumbernauld and Livingston, while the fifth was built onto the existing town of Irvine. These fulfilled an urgent need for housing but demonstrated all that is wrong with crass central planning. A sixth town, intended for Stonehouse south of Hamilton, fortunately was never built. However East Kilbride has preserved some attractive countryside along the Rotten Calder valley, the moors of Lanarkshire rise to the south, and a couple of miles out is the Museum of Rural Life.
Get in
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Long-distance public transport to East Kilbride usually involves travelling via central Glasgow and using the interchange there.
By road
[edit]The usual approaches are M8 from Edinburgh, M74 from Carlisle and M77 from Kilmarnock, to join A725 / A726. From central Glasgow you'd probably follow A730 onto A749.
By plane
[edit]From Glasgow Airport (GLA IATA) take the bus to Buchanan station then bus or train to East Kilbride as below.
By train
[edit]- 1 East Kilbride railway station (EKL), Torrance Road, G74 1AR. The main station has trains every 30 min to and from Glasgow Central, taking 35 min. They run from 6AM to 11PM. The station is a terminus, with a ticket office and machines, waiting room, news stand and toilets. There is step-free access to the sole platform.
- 2 Hairmyres railway station (HMY), Redwood Drive, G74 5QG. Following electrification of the line in 2025, trains also stop at the refurbished Hairmyres station at the northwest edge of town, convenient for the University Hospital, the restaurants at the St. James Centre, K-Woodlands, and Jackton Distillery.
By bus
[edit]- 3 East Kilbride bus station, 7 Olympia Way, G74 1JT. 24 hours. The bus station is in the main shopping centre. First Glasgow Bus 18 runs every 10 min from Glasgow Sauchiehall St and Central Station via Rutherglen to East Kilbride, taking an hour, and continues to Greenhills Shopping Centre. Night Bus N18 runs this route in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday. Bus 201 runs every 15 min from Airdrie via Coatbridge, Motherwell and Hamilton to East Kilbride and Hairmyres Hospital.
Get around
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Map of East Kilbride
JMB Bus 31B runs hourly M-Sa from the bus station to Stewartfield (for Museum of Rural Life) and Carmunnock.
Taxi firms are Kelvin Kabs (+44 1355 241212), EK Taxis (+44 1355 233333) and Mo's (+44 7967 756772).
See
[edit]- 1 National Museum of Rural Life, Wester Kittochside Farm, Philipshill Rd G76 9HR, ☏ +44 300 123 6789. Daily 10AM-5PM. Part of National Museums of Scotland, with museum, farmhouse and working farm. Open all year but wear wellies and other outdoor gear, and don't bring a dog. Your ticket is valid for a year. Adult £10, conc £9, child £7.
- 2 Calderglen Country Park, Strathaven Rd G75 0QZ, ☏ +44 1355 236644. Daily 10AM-4PM. Extensive park with zoo, tropical plant conservatory, ornamental gardens, nature trails and walks along the glen of the Rotten Calder. Adult £4, child £2.
- 3 James Hamilton Heritage Park, Stewartfield Way, G74 5LB, ☏ +44 1355 276611, [email protected]. On Stewartfield Way north of town, this park surrounds a 16-acre loch, and has a watersports centre, adventure playgrounds and cafe.
- 4 Langlands Moss Local Nature Reserve, Langlands Square, G75 0YY, [email protected]. An atmospheric peat bog with a raised boardwalk trail and a rich array of biodiversity on show.
- 5 K-Woodlands, 1 Burley Place, College Milton South, G74 5LZ, [email protected]. This community-maintained stretch of urban forest winds its way between industrial sites, up and over a manmade hill, and is known for its annual Halloween party. Free.
- 6 East Kilbride Salt Caves, The Maxwell Building, 55 Nasmyth Ave, G75 0BE, ☏ +44 7541 782642. Bizarre artificial salt rooms built by a Slovak family inside this educational building, each equipped with a halogenerator.
- 7 The Wee Bridge, Newhousemill Road, G74 2LD. This historic 18th-century stone bridge crossing the river Calder is part of a delightful walking trail, and spans one of only two routes connecting East Kilbride and nearby Hamilton. Barely 6ft wide, it frequently goes viral for videos of traffic jams caused by unwary drivers, and, it is jocularly suggested, has had 'more hits than the Beatles'.
- 8 Lickprivick Mound, Greenhills Crescent, G75 8TT. The tallest point in East Kilbride and former site of Lickprivick Castle, marked by an OS trig point and offering views over the residential areas of the town.
Do
[edit]- 1 Dollan Aqua Centre, Brouster Hill G74 1AF, ☏ +44 1355 260000. M-F 7AM-10PM, Sa Su 8AM-5:30PM. 50-m swimming pool with flumes and sauna. The building, opened in 1968 (pictured at head of this page) resembles Darth Vader surfacing.
- 2 Cafe Ceramico, 24 Albion Way, Kelvin Industrial Estate, G75 0YN, ☏ +44 1355 263194, [email protected]. Daily 10:45AM-5PM. Pottery studio with a kids soft play, ceramics classes, lunches and hot drinks.
- Cinema: the Odeon is in the Shopping Centre.
- 3 Village Theatre is on Maxwell Drive.
- Football: East Kilbride FC were promoted in 2025 and now play soccer in League Two, the fourth tier. Their home ground is in Calderglen Park near the zoo.
- Rugby: East Kilbride RFC play down in the amateur leagues at Calderglen Park opposite the soccer pitch.
- Golf: nearby courses are East Kilbride GC, Cathkin Braes, Kirkhill, Torrance House, Langlands, Bonnyton, Mearns Castle and Cathcart Castle.
- Carmunnock Highland Games were held in May on King George V football ground in Carmunnock, two miles north of East Kilbride, but the 2025 event was cancelled.
Buy
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- 1 East Kilbride Shopping Centre (EK). M-W F Sa 9AM-6PM, Th 9AM-8PM, Su 10AM-6PM. Scotland's biggest undercover shopping centre
- 2 Glencairn Crystal, 1-11 Langlands Ave, East Kilbride G75 0YG, ☏ +44 1355 279717, [email protected]. Daily 10AM-3PM. Iconic glass crystal manufacturer with a boutique glassware shop on the outskirts of town.
Eat
[edit]- Main St has Tinto Tapas, Oishi, Mata Hari, Kathmandu, La Dolce Vita[dead link] and Zucca.
- 1 Ruby's, St James Way, G74 5QG, ☏ +44 1355 204466, [email protected]. Su-Th 9AM-11:30PM, F Sa 9:30AM-12:30AM. Always-busy and heavily stylised lunch, dinner and cocktail joint near to Hairmyres station, part-owned by former Scotland international James McArthur.
- 2 Mekong, 1 St James Ave, G74 5QD, ☏ +44 1355 233 343. Noon-11PM. Well-loved pan-Asian restaurant with a healthy amount of choice and dedicated vegetarian/vegan menu.
- 3 D'Lish Cafe Bistro, 15 St James Ave, G74 5QD, ☏ +44 1355 239687, [email protected]. 9AM-5PM. Casual cafe with a huge counter full of home baking.
- 4 The Gardenhall Inn, Gardenhall, G75 8SP, ☏ +44 1355226431. Noon-11PM. Cheap and cheerful pub chain with frequent food deals.
Drink
[edit]- Town centre has Hudsons (below), The Hay Stook (JD Wetherspoon), Montgomerie Arms, Barocco and Mo Chara.
- Hudsons, 14 Cornwall St G74 1JR (within shopping centre), ☏ +44 1355 581040. Daily 11AM-midnight. Friendly central pub, Free House. Pub quiz Wednesday, open-mic Thursday, DJ Friday and Saturday, and big-screen sport.
- 1 The Auldhouse Arms, 6-12 Langlands Road, East Kilbride G75 9DW, ☏ +44 141 737 4901, [email protected]. Daily 11:30AM-11PM, closed Tu. This relaxed, rustic countryside pub exudes charm and has an excellent menu of traditional fayre.
- 2 Jackton Distillery, Hayhill Road G74 5AN, ☏ +44 1355 202590, [email protected]. M-Sa 10AM-6PM; Su closed. Scotch whisky and gin distillery with daily tours, cocktail bar, onsite accommodation and gift shop. Adult £34.
Sleep
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- Premier Inn have three hotels strung along the bypass: Nerston Toll northeast edge of town, Central a mile southeast of the railway station, and Peel Park further west.
- Ramada is along Queensway the south bypass.
- 1 Torrance Hotel, 135 Main St G74 4LN, ☏ +44 1355 225241. Inexpensive small hotel near railway station. B&B double £100.
- 2 Holiday Inn, Stewartfield Way G74 5LA (near jcn A727 & A726), ☏ +44 333 3209328. Decent budget chain hotel west edge of town. B&B double £100.
- 3 Crossbasket Castle, Stoneymeadow Rd G72 9UE, ☏ +44 1698 829461. Upscale spa hotel in a restored 17th century castle, caters for many wedding parties. B&B double £400.
- 4 Macdonald Crutherland House, Strathavon Rd G75 0QJ, ☏ +44 344 879 9039. Country House hotel, rooms are disappointing. B&B double £100.
- 5 Jackton Distillery Steadings, Hayhill Road, G74 5AN, ☏ +44 1355 202590, [email protected]. These units at the distillery, opposite the old horse stables, mean you don't need to taxi home after too many nips. £168.
Connect
[edit]As of Nov 2024, East Kilbride and its approach roads have 4G from O2 and Vodafone, and 5G from EE and Three.
Go next
[edit]- You're likely to travel via Glasgow but don't just rush through, it's a great destination in its own right.
- The nearby heritage village of Eaglesham has retained its beautiful traditional architecture, with several quaint pubs and tearooms, and a large park called the Orry running through the centre of the settlement.
- To the south, the market town of Strathaven has a fantastic and sprawling cemetery with war memorial, a miniature railway, and a number of high-end eateries.
- See Scotland's other twentieth century "New Towns" to decide if these were any better: Glenrothes, Cumbernauld, Livingston and Irvine.
- Head west to the Ayrshire coast. Ayr has the birthplace of Robert Burns in Alloway, and Ardrossan has ferries to the charming Isle of Arran.