Everyone that lives in Central Scotland is always visiting Airdrie… that’s where the on-ramp for the M8 motorway is. They also have a potato processing plant there. You probably don’t realise it now but potatoes have a distinctive smell. If you have ever passed through Airdrie on the way to Edinburgh then you have smelt that smell. It’s one you don’t soon forget.
Image Credit; sevenMaps7/Shutterstock.com
Asides from being home to the beloved tattie and the motorway slip road – what else does Airdrie have to offer? Well, it is a little more important than we are joking about. Believe it or not, this is one of those little towns that we have here in Scotland that pre-dates recorded history. There are references to it as early as 1373 but it is thought that the name of the town comes from the old Kingdom of Strathclyde – which pre-dates either Gaelic or English speaking in the area… it’s old.
It is believed a Cistercian abbey was built in 1160 by King Malcolm IV. The whole area was designated for use by the monks. To this day there are areas still referred to as the Monklands. Including a hospital. Airdrie arose around the abbey and as a clear elevated passageway that connected Glasgow in the west with Edinburgh in the east. Its very name means high place, flat place, or high flat place, depending on which translation you go with.
Scotland, you see, is either mountain or bog. There isn’t really much in between. Back in the day most of Lanarkshire was the Lee Woods, which covered around 2/3rds of the country at one point. Nowadays those same woods are relegated to a small section of the Clyde Valley… but they remain some of the oldest woodlands in the UK and are well worth the visit. The point is that Airdrie was the crossing place. The ground is high and firm with neither crag, forest, nor swamp to traverse. Airdrie was destined to be a place of providence even before towns were a thing. It was just the lay of the land… so to speak.
Without rambling on too much more, let’s take a closer look at what you might find to do in Airdrie nowadays if you were to spend some time there.
Airdrie At-a-Glance
First of all: let’s avoid that potato factory entirely. If you were in Airdrie for a few days and you needed to entertain some kids or kill some time; what are the main sights you should see?
Well, first of all, Airdrie is essentially right next door to Coatbridge. This means that you have access to the Drumpellier Country Park, the Summerlee Museum, and even Strathclyde Country Park, all within a few miles. Besides these it is only a few short miles from Glasgow City Centre, and also has a few hits of its own.
Fishing!
Seriously – the Scots love to fish. Your annual license costs around £25 for trout and other freshwater types. If you want to fish for salmon then you need an additional license that costs more. We have water bailiffs – actually. There are people in uniform who patrol the waterways to make sure there is nobody dumping into it, nobody stealing fish from it, and nobody panning in it hoping for gold.
If Fishing is to your fancy you will love Airdrie.
Image Credit GROGL/Shutterstock.com
In Airdrie, you have Hillend Loch, Black Loch, and the Monkland Canal running through it. Really, if you like fishing then Airdrie is a good place to be.
Football.
The Town has a professional team Airdrionians FC, and they have an interesting history! Although stemming from 1878 – the current reincarnation is technically the old Clydebank FC who they bought out after going bankrupt in 2002. Anyway, that tale is worthy of an article on its own but for those wanting to see a game then pop down to the Excelsior Stadium which is where “The Diamonds” currently play. The latest incarnation has won a couple of honours, these being the Scottish Second Division Title in 2003-4 season and the Scottish Challenge Cup in 2008-09 beating Ross County on penalties.
Airdrie reformed in 2002-3 as Airdrie United but have since returned to their original name.
Other Sights
For those that long for the historical attractions, you can visit the old centenary railway building that was erected in 1860. One of the many, many train stations that don’t actually exist in Scotland anymore, this line was supposed to support the coal and iron industry. The viaduct is still in use to this day, although it has been strengthened throughout the years.
It is now a Grade III listed building and, although it doesn’t have its own visitor centre or gift shop, we suspect it is only a matter of time. Money sent from London only reaches so far north.
So if you want to get out of town for a while and get some trees in then this is where you do it. Forest Bathing might not be huge here, but we tend to spend a lot of time outside considering how cold it is out there. The forest has a bunch of interesting hikes you can take but you should be careful not to go after sunset… that’s when the teenagers come out with their cans of Dragon Soop…
The whole of Airdrie lies on one of the cycle routes from Glasgow to Edinburgh. You should go through the woods if you are on your bike, if only just for the experience.
Airdrie Town Hall is another for those that like old buildings, nice architecture, and a little bit of culture-packed-history. It underwent an extensive refurbishment in 2012 and is now open for tours as well as business. It now serves as an arts venue wit conference space, exhibition regarding the local culture and themed events. There is a cinema in there but it is mostly used for small scale shows.
If you are in Airdrie at night and want something different to do then this is where you might catch a show. That being said, the bu9ilding itself is quite nice for those of you interested in architecture.
Other Notable Attractions in Airdrie
Some of the other things you can turn your skills to in Airdrie? You can:
- Visit the Rawyards Woodlands where you can see the Skytower Sculpture.
- Walk the North Calder Heritage Trail.
- Spend the day at the John Smith Swimming Pool.
- Take the kids to Weanz World!
Still on a Break?
If you have finished our Airdrie article but you still have some time to kill, why not find out more about London, learn to use a metal detector or even browse law articles? We have it all if you have five minutes spare.
