Hamilton (Scotland)

Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the central Lowlands of Scotland. It is the fourth-biggest town in Scotland and sits 12 miles (19 km) south-east of Glasgow and 35 miles (56 km) south-west of Edinburgh. It is situated on the south bank of the River Clyde at its confluence with the Avon Water. Hamilton is the historical county town of Lanarkshire.

Get in

By bus

The main bus station is Hamilton Bus Station in the centre of town. There are regular buses from and to Edinburgh, Glasgow and London that arrive and leave from the station. There are also regular services for areas within Hamilton and local towns such as Birkenshaw, Carluke, Coalburn, East Kilbride, Glespin, Lanark, Shotts, Stonehouse and Wishaw. There are also services to Ayr and Dumfries.

By car

The main approaches to Hamilton are the following:

  • from Glasgow on the M8 or M74 motorways
  • from Edinburgh on the M8 or M9 motorways
  • from Stirling and all points north and east on the M80 motorway
  • from London on the Al and M6 motorways

By train

Hamilton is served by two train stations - 🌍 Hamilton Central and 🌍 Hamilton West on the Argyle Line. Regular train services run through both stations from Glasgow Central and can include stops at Dalmuir, Lanark, Larkhall, Milngavie and Motherwell.

Get around

By bus

Hamilton Bus Station is the hub for bus travel in Hamilton and the best place to start and plan your journey.

Regular local routes are serviced by First, JJ Travel, McGill’s and Whitelaws buses.

Regional and national routes are serviced by Citylink, First, GEO Group, JMB Travel, McGill’s, National Express, Stagecoach and Stuart’s Coaches.

On foot

The centre of Hamilton is pedestrian-friendly with shopping streets given over to foot traffic. As you move out of the town centre, all areas have proper pavements, and most major junctions have pedestrian crossings.

See
  • 🌍 Low Parks Museum, 129 Muir Street, Hamilton, ML3 6BJ, ☎ +44 1698 328232, fax: +44 1698 328412, e-mail: . M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Low Parks Museum in Hamilton is a 5-star museum under the Visit Scotland grading scheme, situated in the former Low Parks of the Duke of Hamilton's estates. The museum traces the local history of South Lanarkshire, with displays relating to Hamilton Palace; early settlement; working life, including agriculture, weaving, and coalmining; and also the history of the local regiment, the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Free.  
  • 🌍 Hamilton Mausoleum, 129 Muir Street, Hamilton, ML3 6BJ, ☎ +44 1698 452382, e-mail: . M-Sa 10AM-5PM; Su noon-5PM. Hamilton Mausoleum was one of the finest private tombs in the country, and is now one of the town's most famous buildings. It was built as a tomb and monument to Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton, nicknamed 'El Magnifico', but was incomplete at the time of his death in 1852. The chapel has a massive dome, over 36 metres high, magnificent bronze doors, and a stunning floor made up of different marbles from around the world. However, one of the first things you will probably notice is its amazing 15-second echo, one of the longest in the world! Two huge lion sculptures overlook the entrance to the crypt below, where you can still see the niches for the bodies of the members of the Hamilton family. Tours can be booked at Low Parks Museum. £1.15 adult, £0.70 child.  
  • 🌍 Chatelherault Country Park, Ferniegair. Hamilton, ML3 7UE (The entrance to the country park is within the village of Ferniegair, 2.5 km south east of Hamilton on the A72 Hamilton, Larkhall / Lanark, Clyde Valley tourist route.), ☎ +44 01698 426213, e-mail: . Daily 10AM-5PM. The park has 500 acres (200 hectares) of countryside and woodland and over 10 mi (16 km) of routed pathways. It features an adventure play ground, picnic facilities and is home to a listed 18th century hunting lodge. The visitor centre, cafe and gift shop are open to visitors daily and the park offers some of the most breathtaking views across the central belt, Campsie Hills and Ben Lomond. Free. (updated Jan 2017)
  • 🌍 Hamilton Old Parish Church (Leechlee Road, Hamilton, ML3 6AQ), ☎ +44 1698 281905, e-mail: . Sunday services at 10:45AM. Hamilton Old Parish Church is a Church of Scotland parish church serving part of the Burgh of Hamilton. It is notable for its Georgian architecture. It was built in 1734, replacing the parish's 15th-century Collegiate Church, which was located at another site, close to the mausoleum in Strathclyde Park. The church is an unusual, largely circular design. It is the only church building to have been designed by the architect William Adam. (updated Feb 2017)
  • 🌍 David Livingstone Centre, 165 Station Rd, Blantyre G72 9BY (4 miles north of Hamilton; trains to Blantyre). Closed for rebuilding, gardens remain open.. Blantyre was the birthplace of the explorer and missionary David Livingstone (1813-1873). In youth he grubbed a living in the cotton mills to support his family, but was able to study & qualify in medicine. He intended to go to China as a missionary, but the Opium Wars made travel there unfeasible, and he turned to Africa hoping to combat the slave trade. Legitimate trade would help overturn it, to which end he sought the source of the Nile. This museum tells his story but is closed for rebuilding, re-opening date not yet announced. (updated Jan 2019)

Do
  • 🌍 Chatelherault Country Park, Ferniegair (rail access to Chatelherault railway station), ☎ +44 1698 426213, fax: +44 1698 427741, e-mail: . Visitor centre: M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Main house: M-Th 10AM-4:30PM. Restored hunting lodge built in the 1730s for the Dukes of Hamilton houses exhibitions gallery, displays, gift shop and cafe. 10 mi (16 km) of woodland walks. The ruins of Cadzow Castle, built by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart around 1530, can be viewed but not entered.  
  • Go to the races when there's an event at 🌍 Hamilton Park Racecourse, Bothwell Road, Hamilton ML3 0DW, ☎ +44 1698 283806, e-mail: . Hamilton Park Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue. It is a flat racing venue, with a season which runs from May to October. (updated Jan 2017)
  • 🌍 New Douglas Park, Cadzow Ave ML3 0FT (near Hamilton West railway station). Watch football (ie soccer) at Hamilton Academical FC. The "Accies" play in the Scottish Premiership, the top tier of Scottish Football. New Douglas Park is an all-seater stadium of 6000 capacity currently called "Hope CPD Stadium" and previously "Superseal Stadium". (updated Jan 2019)

Buy
  • 🌍 The Regent Shopping Centre, Hamilton, ML3 7DZ, ☎ +44 1698 285947. M-F 9AM-5:30PM; Sa 9AM-6PM; Su 11AM-5PM. The Regent Shopping Centre lies at the heart of Hamilton town centre. Free. (updated Jan 2017)
  • 🌍 New Cross Shopping Centre, Lamb Street, Hamilton ML3 6AH, ☎ +44 1698 284391. The New Cross Centre is an indoor shopping mall in the town centre. It was built to complement its neighbour Regent Shopping Centre which is a hundred yards away. It has distinctive spiral access ramps leading into and out of its integral multi-storey car park. (updated Feb 2017)

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Connect

Phone

Hamilton's area code (for landline numbers) is 01698. When calling from outside the UK, drop the leading 0 and use the UK international dial code +44.

Go next
Routes through Hamilton

Glasgow ←  NW  SE  → Lesmahagow → Manchester


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