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Town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland
Photo: Willie Mair, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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.
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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.
Extensive park with zoo, tropical plant conservatory, ornamental gardens, nature trails and walks along the glen of the Rotten Calder.
On Stewartfield Way north of town, this park surrounds a 16-acre loch, and has a watersports centre, adventure playgrounds and cafe.
An atmospheric peat bog with a raised boardwalk trail and a rich array of biodiversity on show.
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.
Bizarre artificial salt rooms built by a Slovak family inside this educational building, each equipped with a halogenerator.
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'.
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.
Always-busy and heavily stylised lunch, dinner and cocktail joint near to Hairmyres station, part-owned by former Scotland international James McArthur.
Well-loved pan-Asian restaurant with a healthy amount of choice and dedicated vegetarian/vegan menu.
Casual cafe with a huge counter full of home baking.
Cheap and cheerful pub chain with frequent food deals.
Friendly central pub, Free House. Pub quiz Wednesday, open-mic Thursday, DJ Friday and Saturday, and big-screen sport.
This relaxed, rustic countryside pub exudes charm and has an excellent menu of traditional fayre.
Scotch whisky and gin distillery with daily tours, cocktail bar, onsite accommodation and gift shop.
Inexpensive small hotel near railway station.
Decent budget chain hotel west edge of town.
Upscale spa hotel in a restored 17th century castle, caters for many wedding parties.
Country House hotel, rooms are disappointing.
These units at the distillery, opposite the old horse stables, mean you don't need to taxi home after too many nips.
EK
Scotland's biggest undercover shopping centre
Iconic glass crystal manufacturer with a boutique glassware shop on the outskirts of town.
By road
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
From Glasgow Airport (GLA) take the bus to Buchanan station then bus or train to East Kilbride as below.
By train
By bus
JMB Bus 31B runs hourly M-Sa from the bus station to Stewartfield (for Museum of Rural Life) and Carmunnock.
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