Overview of West Kilbride

A large village in the Cunninghame district of Ayrshire, West Kilbride lies a mile (1.5 km) north of Seamill and 4 miles (6.5 km) northwest of Ardrossan on the Firth of Clyde. It developed as a weaving village in the 18th century and became a dormitory settlement after the arrival of the railway in 1878. Its mild climate and fine views have made the village a popular place for retirement. From 1998, West Kilbride began to market itself as Scotland's Craft and Design Town, with a number of galleries and studios in the village. The village has a museum and the 15th-century Law Castle lies on its northeast margin. To the west is another 15th-century castle, Portencross, and an Iron Age fort, while to the northwest is the Hunterston nuclear power station. There is an 18-hole golf course nearby.