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Demographic area of highest population density in Scotland
Photo: NASA/NOAA, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The Central Belt of Scotland is the broad lowland strip between the Firth of Forth in the east and the Firth of Clyde in the west. It includes Edinburgh and Glasgow the two principal cities, and a string of other large towns: most of the Scottish population live here. It's bounded to the north by the Highlands and to the south by the Southern Uplands. Geographically it includes Fife north of the Firth of Forth, but on these pages that's described as part of North East Scotland.
The area around Glasgow, mostly industrial.
The area around Edinburgh, industrial to the west but with attractive countryside and coast to the east.
The more rural counties to the north, becoming mountainous.
By train
Trains from London Kings Cross, the West Country and Midlands run up the northeast coast via York and Newcastle to Edinburgh. Some continue to Aberdeen, Inverness or Glasgow.
By road
National Express coaches and Megabus run daily from London Victoria to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
See Scotland#Get around. Frequent trains link Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Motherwell, Hamilton and Stirling, and are much the quickest transport between these cities.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Ingliston, Edinburgh · International · EDI
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Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park straddles between Argyll and Bute to the west and Stirlingshire to the east. It's highland in nature and very scenic, though being on the doorstep of Glasgow it can feel busy and touristy.
North Berwick is a town on the coast of East Lothian in central Scotland, with a population of 7840 in 2020. It's an attractive fishing port and beach resort, nowadays a commuter town for Edinburgh 20 miles west.
Articles and travel topics about Central Belt and United Kingdom.
Travel tipsCut London travel costs with contactless transit capping, avoid airport rail traps, and explore renowned national museums completely free of charge.
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Nature & adventureMaster driving single-track roads in the Scottish Highlands and Skye. Navigate passing places, explore Glencoe and the Quiraing, and manage summer midges.
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ItinerariesLeave London behind on easy direct train day trips. Discover Roman baths in Bath, honey-stone colleges in Oxford, and the royal castle in Windsor.
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InspirationFive small towns where you can unpack for a few days, walk everywhere, and hear yourself think, all reachable without a car.
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