East Kilbride is a town in the Central Belt of Scotland, some 8 miles southeast of Glasgow.
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 a basic and 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 up to the south, and the town's main attraction is the Museum of Rural Life.
- National Museum of Rural Life, Wester Kittochside Farm, Philipshill Rd G76 9HR. Daily 10:00-17:00. 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 £8.
- Hunter House Museum in Calderwood, birthplace of medical pioneers William and John Hunter, closed in 2011. William's collection is in the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, while John's is in the Royal College of Surgeons in London. The house is now a Baptist church community centre.
- Calderglen Country Park, Strathaven Rd G75 0QZ, +44 1355 236644. Zoo & conservatory daily 10:00-16:00. Extensive park with zoo, tropical plant conservatory, ornamental gardens, nature trails and walks along the glen of the Rotten Calder. Adult £1.70.
- James Hamilton Heritage Park. on Stewartfield Way north of town, surrounds a 16-acre loch, and has a watersports centre, adventure playgrounds and cafe.
National Museum of Rural Life, Wester Kittochside Farm, Philipshill Rd G76 9HR. Daily 10:00-17:00. 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 £8.
Calderglen Country Park, Strathaven Rd G75 0QZ, +44 1355 236644. Zoo & conservatory daily 10:00-16:00. Extensive park with zoo, tropical plant conservatory, ornamental gardens, nature trails and walks along the glen of the Rotten Calder. Adult £1.70.
James Hamilton Heritage Park. on Stewartfield Way north of town, surrounds a 16-acre loch, and has a watersports centre, adventure playgrounds and cafe.
- Dollan Aqua Centre, Brouster Hill G74 1AF. M-Th 07:00-22:00, F 07:00-20:00, Sa Su 08:00-17:30. 50m swimming pool. The building was designed by Alexander Buchanan Campbell and opened in 1968. It is a category A listed building.
- Village Theatre. is on Maxwell Drive.
- Carmunnock Highland Games are held in late May on King George V football ground in Carmunnock, two miles north of East Kilbride. The next event is expected to be Sun 24 May 2020 but tbc.
Dollan Aqua Centre, Brouster Hill G74 1AF. M-Th 07:00-22:00, F 07:00-20:00, Sa Su 08:00-17:30. 50m swimming pool. The building was designed by Alexander Buchanan Campbell and opened in 1968. It is a category A listed building.
Village Theatre. is on Maxwell Drive.
Carmunnock Highland Games are held in late May on King George V football ground in Carmunnock, two miles north of East Kilbride. The next event is expected to be Sun 24 May 2020 but tbc.
- East Kilbride Shopping Centre. Scotland's biggest undercover shopping centre
East Kilbride Shopping Centre. Scotland's biggest undercover shopping centre
- In town centre, best meals are in the pubs, see "Drink". There's a little collection north towards the railway station, with Village Steakhouse, Zucca Pizzeria, and a Malaysian, Vietnamese and Indian.
- Another little strip is on High Common Rd to the southeast, with a Chinese, Punjabi and Italian place.
- Hudsons, 14 Cornwall St G74 1JR. M-Sa 11:00-00:00, Su 12:30-00:00. Friendly town centre pub, Free House. Pub quiz Wed, open-mic Thur, DJ F & Sat, and big-screen sport.
- Others nearby are The Hay Stook (JD Wetherspoon), Zucca Piada, Exchange Bar and The Tower.
Hudsons, 14 Cornwall St G74 1JR. M-Sa 11:00-00:00, Su 12:30-00:00. Friendly town centre pub, Free House. Pub quiz Wed, open-mic Thur, DJ F & Sat, and big-screen sport.
- You're likely to travel via Glasgow but don't just rush through, it's a great destination in its own right.
- See Scotland's other "New Towns" to see if later examples were any better. Those are Glenrothes in Fife, 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.