{"id":1826,"date":"2020-01-10T16:27:23","date_gmt":"2020-01-10T16:27:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/?p=1826"},"modified":"2020-12-07T22:10:30","modified_gmt":"2020-12-07T22:10:30","slug":"broxburn-the-five-minute-spare-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fiveminutesspare.com\/travel\/broxburn-the-five-minute-spare-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Broxburn: The Five Minute Spare Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Broxburn is probably best known for its football club<\/a>, which does tend to do OK but there are plenty of other reasons to visit as you will see when you read on. The town itself can be found in West Lothian, not that far from Edinburgh Airport. For a relatively small town, it gets a lot of traffic as it’s a place you might stopover at. In terms of east-meets-west; Broxburn is the Prestwick<\/a> of the East.<\/p>\n

\"Broxburn\"

Broxburn Jewel of West Lothian?
mage: SevenMaps\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Broxburn has a heritage that is completely real but reads like a fairy tale. First, it was granted to clan Fleming by King David.\u00a0 In 1350, Margery Le Cheyne inherited the eastern side of town when her father died. This area became known as Easter Strathbrock. She had a nice house on the lands and was reportedly a lovely lady\u2026 because a town sprang up around her.<\/p>\n

After this, the estate was completely destroyed by fire. This was down to a clan war between the Douglas\u2019s<\/a> and the Crichton\u2019s<\/a>. A few years later it was destroyed by Clan Douglas yet again. When it was rebuilt it was renamed Broxburn. That seems to have broken the burning curse\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2026Maybe not completely though. During the industrial revolution, the town was heavily involved in the production of shale oil. Now, you can still see the remnants of this old industry everywhere you look. Three shale bings surround the town. For anyone who doesn\u2019t come from a miner\u2019s town, a “bing” is a heap of the spill waste from the mines. Usually, they are still burning in the centre and will continue to do so for years to come. They are neither pleasant nor healthy.<\/p>\n

Thirty years on from the closing of most of the pits in the central regions of Scotland and these bings are only just growing over with greenery and new forests are growing where the old smelt once lay. Thank goodness nature knows how to claim back the desolation.<\/p>\n

Anyway, Broxburn is a thoroughly pleasant place\u2026 but what are its best bits?<\/p>\n

Broxburn Attractions you really should see\u2026<\/h2>\n

So if you are in the area for any length of time, what sights should you see? Here are our favourite attractions in Broxburn: as told by a handful of locals\u2026<\/p>\n

Duntarvie Castle<\/a><\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t often that we come across old buildings that aren\u2019t truly abandoned in Scotland. This is a castle built in 1590, left to the ruins of time. It is now undergoing a slow restoration to return it to its former glory. You can peruse the grounds at the moment but watch out for the workmen and try not to get in the way.<\/p>\n

Duntarvie is somewhere between a magical ruin and a future wedding venue. It is going to be fantastic when it is finished. Most Grade A listed buildings are\u2026 although the renovations take a painfully long time.<\/p>\n

Niddry Castle<\/a><\/p>\n

While we are in the process of seeking out the best of old castles in the area, you really should check on Niddry. This 1500 castle was built to house Lord Seton, but once held Mary Queen of Scots after her escape from Loch Leven. The castle was attacked twice during this time, and twice the Lord Seton defended against her pursuers. Better yet; those in Edinburgh Castle attacked King James\u2019 army in other places to create diversions and help protect her.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all very romantic. In later years it massed to clan Hope before becoming abandoned when Council Tax became a thing. It is Grade A listed and will be restored\u2026 one day.<\/p>\n

Niddry Castle Golf Club<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2026What do you do in your average Scottish town when you have space between two bings and a castle in the backdrop? You throw up a golf club and hope nobody complains about melting golf balls\u2026 or gets lost down a hole.<\/p>\n

JumpStation Trampoline Park<\/a><\/p>\n

OK, OK, so this is in Livingston\u2026 but it is literally a mile and a half from Broxburn. Jump in a taxi if you have to, excusing the pun, and go play on some trampolines. They say this is best for teenagers and kids, but we think that adults are just as entitled to have some fun if they want to. Go bounce. You deserve it.<\/p>\n

The Church Tour<\/h3>\n

There isn\u2019t an official Church Tour but there seems to be some sort of local religious war going on in Trip Advisor. Choose from:<\/p>\n