Linlithgow is a gorgeous little town west of Edinburgh and makes a great day trip from Scotland’s capital. There’s palace ruins and an historic church to explore, and cute shops on an old-timey feeling main street.
While I visited on a day trip, I think it would be a lovely place for a quiet getaway. Maybe one day…
Getting there
Linlithgow is on the train line between Edinburgh and Glasgow, about half an hour from Waverly Station. An off-peak return ticket from either Waverly or Haymarket costs £8.80. Trains run between Edinburgh and Linlithgow every 15-20 minutes (about).
Alternatively, the X38 bus stops in Linlithgow. The bus runs between Edinburgh and Stirling and leaves every 15 minutes until mid-afternoon, at which point it becomes a bit more irregular but still frequent. The trip takes a bit under an hour and apparently costs £6 each way. It seems more sensible to me to take the train.
What to do
Linlithgow Palace
The Palace (not a castle) has been a roofless ruin since a fire in the 18th century. In its’ day, it seems to have been a favourite among royal wives and if the souvenir guidebook is to be believed, was absolutely stunning. It’s still beautiful, but in a bleak kind of way.
Construction was started in 1424 by King James I of Scotland following a fire that destroyed the previous royal residence in Linlithgow. Later King Jameses continued building but later royals spent very little time at the palace following James VI’s ascension to the English throne.
Its primary claim to fame is as the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. She was born here in 1542; we don’t know for sure which room she was born in, but historians have made some good guesses.
Linlithgow Palace was also used as a filming location in season 1 of Outlander. The man in the gift shop sounded almost proud as he told me “Claire vomited just out there” after I bought a postcard.
St Michael’s Parish Church
Next door to Linlithgow Palace, St Michael’s looks like it’s part of the Palace complex. Having been massively damaged in the 15th century fire that destroyed the old royal, the current building dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. It’s much grander than you would expect a parish church to be.
Over the years, the church has had some troubled times. Though repairs have been made when needed, the building still shows small signs of these events. For example, there are marks on the back wall from Oliver Cromwell’s roundheads doing target practice.
The day I was there, there was an overly enthusiastic young man playing Highland Cathedral on the church organ. However, he was playing it way too fast and with the occasional long-drawn-out note. It made it difficult to talk with the volunteer guides.
Note: in winter, St Michael’s closes at 1pm, so I recommend visiting in the morning, before Linlithgow Palace. The walk down to the town is very short, so it’s easy enough to stop for lunch in between.
Linlithgow Museum
Usually, local museums of this type tend to be small and poorly put together. The Linlithgow Museum, however, is tidy, free of dust and clutter, and thoughtfully put together. There are three galleries with displays on local industries and life in Linlithgow.
Displays include a life-size statue of Mary Queen of Scots, a set of leather-working tools, and items that belonged to famous people associated with Linlithgow. Interesting fact: the town claims that Montgomery Scott, the engineer from Star Trek, will be born in Linlithgow in the year 2222.
Note: the museum is closed on Tuesdays, so if you really want to visit, go to Linlithgow any other day of the week. Also, the museum is housed in the same building as the library, community police, and other council services.
Places to eat
The Four Marys
This is the place that I chose to have lunch. I had the haggis fritters with whiskey sauce (it was so good). It’s technically an entrée, but there was a family at the table next to us and their mains looked massive; I didn’t need that much food.
Inside, it has that cosy, old pub feeling while being large and spacious. There was a fireplace with a roaring fire. Having thoroughly saturated my shoes in the snow outside, I was grateful for such a great place to warm up and dry off a bit.
The name “The Four Marys” comes from Mary Queen of Scot’s four ladies-in-waiting, all of whom were called Mary. The pub has appropriately historical décor with items related to Mary Queen of Scots displayed on the walls. It’s so cool.
Old Post Office
True to name, the Old Post Office Bar is housed in the old post office building. I haven’t eaten there myself, but online reviews are largely positive. Looking at their menu, they serve good pub food at reasonable prices.
Picnic in The Peel
Alternatively, there is a Tesco’s supermarket at the end of town, just past the train station. In summer, it would be nice to grab a bite to eat there and picnic in the Linlithgow Peel. I was there in winter, and while it was beautiful, it was also covered in snow (not picnic suitable).
The Peel is a royal park with a large loch just under the palace. Large numbers of birds live around the loch (especially in summer) and is protected as a “Site of Special Scientific Interest.” With wildlife and dog-walking locals, I would love to sit and look around on a sunny day.
Please remember to check local restrictions before travelling during a pandemic and follow the rules. Also, if you have any questions about planning your own day-trip to Linlithgow, feel free to ask them in the comments.
I had to read the sentence about Scottie from Star Trek being born there next year – ha! That pub sounds fabulous. Nothing like a roaring fire and good food when there’s snow on the ground.