Understand
[edit]The town name derives from an ancient "Lady Well" or holy well. It was a tiny hamlet until the railway arrived in 1848, when it rapidly grew into an iron and steel-making centre supplying the heavy industries of Glasgow and elsewhere. This growth continued in the 20th century, and the huge Ravenscraig steel-making complex was built on a greenfield site east of town. But by the 1980s other nations were undercutting British Steel, there was a damaging strike, major customers such as car manufacturers were lost, and the industry collapsed. Ravenscraig became a wasteland which is only now being rehabilitated for housing. Steel production continues at Dalzell and Clydebridge, and the town's other employments are public services (such as the council and police bases), call centres and light industry.
Get in
[edit]
From Glasgow or the south approach along M74, exit at junction 6 and follow A723 into town. From Edinburgh follow M8 and cross by A725 onto M74.
By plane
[edit]From Glasgow airport (GLA IATA) take Bus 500 to Buchanan station then bus or train as below.
From Edinburgh airport (EDI IATA) there's likewise a direct bus to Buchanan station. Or take the tram to Haymarket for the train to Motherwell (50 min) and Glasgow, running every 2 hours.
By rail
[edit]Motherwell is on the West Coast mainline and has trains from Glasgow Central every 15 minutes or so, taking 20-40 min. These continue to Carlisle, Preston, Manchester Piccadilly and airport; to Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne, York, Leeds and down through the Midlands to Penzance; and to Warrington, Birmingham New Street and London Euston. The London services include the Caledonian Lowland Sleeper, which leaves Euston Su-F near midnight to reach Motherwell for 7AM; southbound times are similar. But for long-distance routes to town it's often quicker to travel into Glasgow for a non-stop train.
Slow trains from Glasgow Central to Motherwell also call at Rutherglen, Cambuslang, Blantyre, Hamilton and Airbles. Some continue via Wishaw and Carluke to Lanark, or via Coatbridge to Cumbernauld.
1 Motherwell railway station was rebuilt in 2023. It has a staffed ticket office and machines, a waiting room and toilets. No cafe, but it's central in town. There is step-free access to all platforms.
Airbles station only has the slow trains but may be more convenient for the south side of town. It's a simple platform halt (step-free access) with ticket machines but no other facilities.
By bus
[edit]Inter-city coaches don't call here, you usually have to go via Glasgow, but travel via nearby Hamilton for the hourly X74 bus between Glasgow, Moffat and Dumfries.
First Bus X11 runs from Glasgow Buchanan Station every 30 min, taking 25 min to Motherwell and continuing south to Wishaw and Newmains.
First Bus 240 runs from Buchanan Station via Birkenshaw and Bellshill to Motherwell, taking 75 min, and continuing to Craigneuk, Wishaw and Overtown. It runs every 30 min 6AM-11:30PM, every ten min daytime. As Night Bus N240 it also runs around 1AM and 3AM very early Saturday and Sunday from Sauchiehall Street.
JMB Bus 41 runs M-Sa every 15 min from Hamilton to Motherwell, Wishaw, Carluke and Lanark.
First Glasgow Bus 201 runs daily every 10-20 min from Petersburn and Airdrie to Coatbridge, Bellshill, Motherwell, Hamilton, Burnbank, East Kilbride and Hairmyres Hospital.
There isn't a bus station. Buses follow Muir St A721 to the railway station and shopping centre.
Get around
[edit]The centre is compact and walkable. You need a car to reach the Theme Park, especially with little ones, as there isn't a bus. Dalzell Estate is a long walk, but hourly bus 244 runs from town centre down Adele St, dropping you at the north edge of the park.
Taxi operators are Redline (☏ +44 1698 266633) and Unitedmaxis (☏ +44 1698 266333).
See
[edit]
- 1 Strathclyde Country Park. Large park surrounding an artificial lake, created in the 1970s and submerging the former mining village of Bothwellhaugh. It's bounded to the west by the diverted River Clyde, and by M74 which can be noisy - the east of the park is quieter. There are woodlands and wetlands, and the remains of Roman Baths. There's a water sports centre, M&Ds theme park and a camping and caravan site.
- 2 Motherwell Cathedral (Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Good Aid), 31 Coursington Rd ML1 1PP, ☏ +44 1698 263045. Red-brick Gothic building designed by Pugin and completed in 1900, now the seat of the RC diocese of Motherwell. The grand organ was renovated in 2008.
- North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre, High Road ML1 3HU (just west of railway station), ☏ +44 1698 274590. M-Sa noon-4PM. Museum of North Lanarkshire life and repository for county archives and records. Free.
- 3 Dalzell Estate & Baron's Haugh. 24 hours. A designed landscape around Dalzell House (which is nowadays private flats), with wetlands and woods providing a nature reserve. With Japanese Gardens, and Baron's Haugh is an RSPB reserve with bird hides. Free.
- See Hamilton four miles west for the Duke of Hamilton's mausoleum and Chatelherault Country Park.
- 4 Cambusnethan Priory is the sorry ruin of a neo-gothic mansion of 1820.
Do
[edit]
- Motherwell Concert Hall is closed indefinitely, as its roof is made of unsafe RAAC: reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. Performances have relocated to Ravenscraig Sports Facility, two miles east opposite Raven's Cliff Inn.
- Football: 1 Motherwell FC, Fir Park St ML1 2QN, ☏ +44 1698 333333. "The Well" play soccer in the Scottish Premiership, the top tier. The stadium (capacity 13,000) is a mile southeast of town centre off A721 Windmillhill St.
- Aquatec Motherwell, 1 Menteith Road ML1 1AZ (200 yards east of railway station), ☏ +44 1698 640700. M-F 6AM-8PM, Sa Su 9AM-4PM. The name is misleading, the pool has permanently closed. The leisure centre has a large gym, dance studios and health suite. Cleanliness and maintenance erratic.
- 2 M&D's Theme Park, Strathclyde Country Park ML1 3RT, ☏ +44 1698 333777. Daily 10AM-10PM. Theme park and funfair, Amazonia tropical house, ten-pin bowling, crazy golf, amusement arcade and several eating places. Check ahead for closures of various sections. Alona Hotel is adjacent.
- Vue Cinema is west of M74 junction 6 in Hamilton.
- Golf: courses near town are Bellshill north, Colville Park GC northeast and Dalziel Park and Wishaw GC east. There are more to the west near Hamilton.
- Clyde Walkway and cycle track runs along the Clyde for 40 miles from Partick in Glasgow via Cambuslang, Strathclyde Country Park, Cardies Bridge and Crossford to New Lanark.
Buy
[edit]
- Motherwell Shopping Centre is just south of the railway station in the fork of the tracks. It's the town's main retail centre, with a pedestrianised outdoor mall lined with shops and fast-food places. Free toilets and nearby parking.
- ASDA is south of the shopping centre, reached by walkways. It's open M-Th 24 hours, F-Su 5AM-1AM.
- Aldi just north of Asda is open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 9AM-7PM.
Eat
[edit]- Fast food is along Brandon Parade from the railway station south into the shopping centre.
- 1 Da Claudio Restaurant, 388 Brandon Street ML1 1XA, ☏ +44 1698 264384. W-Sa noon-9PM, Su noon-7:30PM. Friendly place for pizza and pasta.
- 2 Indian Villa, 68 Windmillhill Street ML1 1TA, ☏ +44 1698 254851. Daily 4-10PM. Small good-value Indian.
- 3 Hup Lee Buffet, 131 Merry Street ML1 1JP, ☏ +44 1698 253313. Su-Th noon-9PM, F Sa noon-10PM. All you can eat Chinese buffet, good food for the price. They also have a takeaway on Windmillhill St.
- Toby Carvery is at M74 jcn 5 next to the Holiday Inn Express. It's open daily 7AM-10:30PM.
Drink
[edit]- There's a strip of pubs along Merry Street east of the station. These include Horseshoe Bar at the junction with Muir St, Railway Tavern at no 31, The Brandon Works a JD Wetherspoon at no 61, and Woodcutter Bar at no 127.
- Another strip runs south towards Windmillhill St. Here are The Brandon Bar, New Century Bar at no 49, Windmill Tavern at no 75, and Steelworks Bar & Grill round the corner on Glencairn St.
- Electric Bar is west, next to Airbles railway station.
Sleep
[edit]
- The caravan site is at M74 jcn 5 next to the Holiday Inn Express, +44 1698 853300. It's open all year, with 45 camping pitches and 107 caravan hook-ups.
- 1 Holiday Inn Express, Strathclyde Country Park ML1 2RB (jcn 5 of M74 with A725), ☏ +44 1698 858585. Budget chain just off motorway, usually clean. B&B double £70.
- Toby Carvery next door also has rooms.
- Alona Hotel, Strathclyde Country Park ML1 3RT (next to Theme Park near jcn 5 of M74), ☏ +44 1698 333888. Well-run place by the park, close to motorway junction. B&B double £100.
- 2 Best Western Moorings Hotel, 114 Hamilton Road ML1 3DG, ☏ +44 1698 258131. Good central hotel. B&B double £100.
- Bentley Hotel, 19 High Road ML1 3HU (west side of railway station), ☏ +44 1698 265588. Victorian house in town centre, some facilities worn. B&B double £65.
- 3 Raven's Cliff, Prospect Hill Rd ML1 2UE (2 miles east of town), ☏ +44 1698 313090. Edge-of-town place run by Marston's Inns. B&B double £90.
- 4 Dalziel Park Hotel, 10 Hagen Drive ML1 5RZ (3 miles east of town), ☏ +44 1698 862862. Mid-range place by woodlands and golf course, often used for weddings and other functions. B&B double £150.
- 5 Commercial Hotel, 420 Main St, Wishaw ML2 7NG, ☏ +44 1698 355775. Clean and spacious, in Wishaw town centre. B&B double £70.
Stay safe
[edit]Motherwell is generally a safe area, but there are some rundown areas such as Forgewood and Carfin where you might not want to walk at night.
The town centre has its quota of raucous drunks of an evening, but the pub strips are visibly policed, with CCTV cameras and pub security staff.
The Police Station is at 217 Windmillhill Street just south of the centre.
Stay healthy
[edit]1 University Hospital Wishaw, 50 Netherton Street, Wishaw ML2 0DP, ☏ +44 1698 361100. This is the closest hospital, 2 miles south of Motherwell, and has A&E facilities.
Connect
[edit]As of Nov 2024, Motherwell and its approach roads have 4G from O2 and Vodafone, and 5G from EE and Three.
Wifi is widely available in public places. There's public internet at Motherwell Library at 35 Hamilton Road, by the railway bridge.
Go next
[edit]- Hamilton a few miles west is industrial but has Chatelherault Country Park.
- New Lanark is a well-preserved 18th-century mill complex and model town.
- Glasgow and Edinburgh both rank as must-see and are easily accessible by train or by road.
| Routes through Motherwell |
| Glasgow ← | NW  SE
|
→ Lesmahagow → Manchester |
| Kilmarnock ← Strathaven ← | SW  NE
|
→ Livingston → Edinburgh |