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 Linlithgow Palace |
 The Falkirk Wheel |
 Houston House Hotel, Uphall |
The centre of the central belt, this area has been at the heart of Scotland through much of recorded history. It extends from the south bank of the River Forth in the north to the slopes of the Pentland Hills in the south. In the east it concludes as you approach the edge of the City of Edinburgh, while in the west it stops just short of the built up areas of Cumbernauld, Airdrie and Motherwell.
In local authority terms, the area is made up of West Lothian and Falkirk, plus parts of North Lanarkshire. You can browse books about The Lothians and Central Scotland in our Bookshop (this may take a moment to load).
Linlithgow is no longer a large town by modern standards, but it remains very much the attractive focal point of the area. It grew to prominence because of its position, about mid way between Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle. Coupled with its proximity to harbour facilities on the River Forth at Blackness, Linlithgow grew in importance through the middle ages. From 1425 Linlithgow Palace had been built here by James I and his successors in a magnificent lochside location with views to the north. The palace was left in the ruins you see today by Government troops pursuing Bonnie Prince Charlie in January 1746. Close by is St Michael's Parish Church, Linlithgow.
The south shore of the River Forth is full of dramatic contrasts. To the east lies magnificent Hopetoun House, while Blackness Castle provides an excellent half day out. Bo'ness shows its industrial heritage, but has turned parts of it to good advantage: the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway is Scotland's largest heritage railway centre.
West of Bo'ness the south side of the Forth is dominated by the major oil refinery at Grangemouth, which is also Scotland's largest port. Vast and modern, the Grangemouth refinery actually continues a long established tradition: the area was home to the world's first oil industry, developing from the 1850s using indigenous oil extracted from West Lothian's extensive shale deposits.
Inland from Grangemouth is Falkirk. The line of the Romans' most northerly fixed line of defence in Britain, the Antonine Wall, can still be traced through the town, particularly in the park that now forms the grounds of Callendar House. More recently Falkirk, long known for its engineering and metalworking, has become home to the Falkirk Wheel. This wonderful rotating boat lift was opened by the Queen in May 2002 and links together the Union Canal and the Forth and Clyde Canal. Not far from the Falkirk Wheel is Rough Castle Roman Fort, complete with one of the best preserved stretches of the Antonine Wall.
South of Falkirk the landscape is surprisingly rural and comes complete with surprises like the neolithic henge and age burial mound on Cairnpapple Hill. Close by is the historic village of Torphichen, complete with Torphichen Preceptory, set up by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem in the 1100s as their headquarters in Scotland. Also found in the Bathgate Hills is Beecraigs Country Park.
South-east again, is the long established industrial centre of Bathgate, with its Bennie Museum. On the last Saturday in May each year, Bathgate's Meadow Park plays host to the Bathgate & West Lothian Highland Games. Beyond Bathgate, lies West Lothian's newest and largest settlement, Livingston. Larger than either Perth or Inverness, Livingston's growth is closely tied to its proximity to Edinburgh and it is home to excellent shopping and leisure facilities as well as a Scottish Premier League football club. It is also home to the excellent Almond Valley Heritage Centre.
South west of Livingston is West Calder, while to its east is the pretty village of Mid Calder, complete with the Kirk of Calder, and the nearby village of Kirknewton. Further north is the elongated settlement of Broxburn and Uphall.
