Kilbirnie

Kikbirnie was the cell or abode of the 6th century St Brendan, Cill Bhraonaigh. It grew up around the flax and weaving industries, using the freshwater loch to rot the tough flax fibres so they could be milled into linen. Iron and steelmaking developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries then subsided, leaving Kilbirnie a commuter town for Glasgow and Irvine. In 2020 the population was 7170. It also gave its name to the suburb of Kilbirnie in Wellington, New Zealand.

Beith probably means birch trees - the area was wooded and the town made furniture as well as flax. Iron- and steel-making collapsed in the 20th century especially with the loss of the main local customer, the Linwood car factory which closed in 1981. However there's a large industrial estate west by the loch. Beith in 2020 had a population of 5940.

These towns are on the natural valley route from Glasgow towards the Ayrshire coast, and have almost merged into a single conurbation. But not quite, as the decision was taken in the 1960s to concentrate urban growth at Irvine further south.

Lochwinnoch (population 2810 in 2020) further down the valley is across the county boundary in Renfrewshire, now part of Clydeside, but might be easier to explore from Kilbirnie.

Trains from Glasgow Central run every 15-20 min and take 30 min via Paisley Gilmour Street (for Glasgow Airport), Johnstone and Lochwinnoch to Glengarnock. The last train leaves around midnight; a walk-up single in 2022 is £7.30. They continue southwest to Dalry and Kilwinning, where they diverge either to Irvine, Troon, Prestwick Airport and town and Ayr, or to Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan (for ferries to the Isle of Arran), with some continuing to West Kilbride and Largs.

1 Glengarnock railway station is one mile south of Kilbirrnie town centre and two miles southwest of Beith. It has a staffed ticket office and machines, and a waiting room but no toilets. There is step-free access to both platforms.

Stagecoach Bus X36 runs hourly from Glasgow Buchanan station to Beith, Kilbirnie (45 min) and Dalry. A morning and evening commuter run extends to Kilwinning and Ardrossan.

Stagecoach Bus 25 runs hourly from Irvine via Kilwinning and Dalry to Kilbirnie (one hour), Glengarnock railway station and Beith.

There isn't a bus station here, the buses make several stops in town.

By road from Glasgow leave M8 just past the airport and follow A737 southwest via Johnstone and Beith, then branch off on B777.