Largs

The Battle of Largs was a small and indecisive affair, but it spelt the failure of a Norwegian sea expedition to re-assert their control in this region. They were beaten by storms more than Scots, in an era when climate change was sapping sea-borne power across the far north, and the Vikings disappeared from history to be replaced by Nordic nation states. Subsequently the Norwegians ceded Strathclyde, the Hebrides and the Isle of Man to Scotland, while retaining Orkney and Shetland. The Scots named the place An Leargaidh, “the slopes”.

Not much else happened in Largs for another 600 years, and then its fortunes rose as the city of Glasgow expanded, becoming a fashionable place for city merchants to have a country retreat. Lord Brisbane, governor of New South Wales, was born here in 1773, and the physicist Lord Kelvin lived here. In the 19th century Largs became part of the “Costa Clyde” or “Glasgow Riviera” — the string of small resorts such as Troon, Ayr, Girvan and Arran. It remains popular in summer with day-trippers from the city.

In 1944 King Haakon VII of Norway was in wartime exile in Britain and was made the first honorary citizen of Largs, just to let bygones be bygones.

By plane: from Glasgow Airport (GLA IATA) take the local bus to Paisley then the train; or the airport bus into central Glasgow for buses and trains.

Prestwick Airport (PIK IATA) is closer but only has holiday flights to the Med. Take Bus 585 or the train as below.

By train: Trains run hourly from Glasgow Central, taking one hour via Paisley Gilmour Street, Kilbirnie, Kilwinning and Ardrossan. The last train leaves around 11PM. Change at Kilwinning for trains from Ayr, Prestwick, Troon or Irvine.

1 Largs railway station is central. There's a staffed ticket office and machines, toilets and a waiting room. There is step-free access to both platforms.

By bus: McGill's Bus 903 runs from Glasgow Buchanan station, taking 40 min via Braehead, Port Glasgow, Greenock, Inverkip and Wemyss Bay (for ferry to Bute). It runs every 30 min M-Sa and hourly on Sunday. Bus 901 is a slower route from Buchanan station via Greenock and Gourock (for ferries to Kilcreggan and Dunoon).

Stagecoach Bus 585 runs every 30 min from Ayr via Prestwick Airport and town, Irvine and Ardrossan (for ferry to Arran).

There's no bus station in Largs, the buses make several stops in town including the railway station and ferry pier.

By boat: see Great Cumbrae for the short ferry crossing to the island. You have to return the same way.

2 Largs ferry pier is 200 yards northwest of the railway station.