Cumbernauld Car Hire

Guide to Cumbernauld

History

Cumbernauld’s Westerwood area was the site of a Roman fort connected to the Antonine Wall – the most northerly border of that empire. In Medieval times, the Comyn family were the main landowners but lost their position and power to the Flemings when the former failed to support King Robert the Bruce’s wars against England. Skip forward a few centuries and Cumbernauld was designated a new town in 1955, designed to ease overcrowding in nearby Glasgow. Its distinctive modernist architecture makes it the model example of the UK-wide new towns project and its fame spread when it was used as the filming location for the iconic 1981 movie Gregory’s Girl. More recently, scenes for the hit TV series Outlander have been filmed in Cumbernauld Glen. While the town’s architecture divides opinions, it’s hard to deny the appeal of its special blend of the ancient and modern, or its central role in Scottish 20th century social history.

Culture

The town’s local newspaper is the Cumbernauld News, and it covers events in Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and surrounding villages, plus you can also keep up with local events by tuning into Cumbernauld FM on 106.8. The town has also been a hub for theatre for several years – the community-run Cottage Theatre was established in the 1960s, followed by Cumbernauld Theatre in the 1970s, and its replacement The Lanternhouse Theatre (established 2019). Cumbernauld Museum is located in the town’s main library and evocatively recounts the story of Cumbernauld from pre-Roman times right through to the current day, skilfully using maps, photos and artefacts to weave tales of everyday life, wartime courage, sport and leisure into a rich socio-historic tapestry.

Famous people

Notable Cumbernauld natives and residents include the former Makar (official national poet) Liz Lochhead, Celtic football legend Jackie MacNamara, and TV stalwart Jackie Bird. Other Cumbernauld faces include writer, actor and director Craig Ferguson, who enjoyed a successful stint as David Letterman’s replacement on US TV’s Late Late Show, Scottish national women’s team footballer Ifeoma Dieke, musician Jon Fratelli, politician Pauline McNeill, and Special Olympics netball star and actress Paula Sage. The town also became the adopted home of Edinburgh-born former world lightweight boxing champion Ken Buchanan.

Things to do in Cumbernauld

Go wild at Palacerigg Country Park

Fancy a family day out in Cumbernauld? Palacerigg Country Park is located southeast of the town and comprises 40 acres of native trees and shrubs, millennium longhouses and a kids playpark. And it’s also teeming with wildlife – this is a sanctuary where you can see roe deer, badger, hare, fox and birds of prey like sparrowhawk, long-eared and short-eared owl, sparrowhawk and kestrel. The longhouses are used to demonstrate woodland crafts and other amazing activities here include a golf course, 10km of bridle paths for horse riding, a network of nature trails, golf course, gift shop, café, picnic areas and toilets.

Explore Cumbernauld House Park & Cumbernauld Glen

If you’re a history buff, you’ll love a visit to Cumbernauld House and its surrounding park. The stunning A-listed pile is always impressive, and the location has a storied history that involves the Romans, Normans, King James IV, Oliver Cromwell, the Jacobites and the Covenanters. Whether you want to immerse yourself in tumultuous tales of the past or simply relax in a great green space, it’s great. Meanwhile, Cumbernauld Glen is preserved by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and it’s an ancient woodland which has provided a serene environment for locals for generations. Natural seasonal flower displays include blooming snowdrops and bluebells, there are butterfly-filled meadows, mature oak woodlands, fab footpaths and a 16th century dovecote.

Sample Cumbernauld pub life

As you might expect, Cumbernauld has a fine selection of pubs if you want to spend an entertaining day socialising with locals. The Craigmarloch has a vast selection of beers, wines and spirits and a nice beer garden, The Carrick Stone in the Cumbernauld Centre serves cheap drinks and food (it’s a Weatherspoon’s franchise), Bar Yellow in the Antonine Shopping centre is a restful oasis when you’re enduring an extended spending session, and you can party into the wee small hours at the Submarine nightclub.

Eating out in Cumbernauld

Country pub cuisine

Ready for some superb Scottish pub grub in a lovely setting? If you’re nodding your head, The Red Deer in Cumbernauld specialises in country pub classics, hearty favourites and seasonal spring dishes. Set yourself up with starters like oven-bakes button and portobello mushrooms, chargrilled lamb koftas or a vegan sausage and mushroom roll, then dive into delish main courses like roasted salmon with vine tomatoes and pesto, seared fillets of seabass, or rich beef and red wine lasagne. In terms of puddings, the double chocolate brownie with Irish liqueur ice cream or banoffee pie with fresh caramelised banana are irresistible.

Italian favourites

When you want a reliable choice for family cuisine, it’s hard to see past Italian food, and Cumbernauld’s La Bella Ristorante Italiana does it very well. Expect time-served starters like minestrone soup, fried calamari and Scottish blue shell mussels steamed with garlic in tomato sauce, followed my mouth-watering mains like pollo picante pizza, penne amatriciana, spaghetti puttanesca, and simple yet stupendous macaroni cheese. There’s also a kids menu with favourites like chicken nuggets and chips, fish fingers, spaghetti, and pizza. Round off your meal with an Italian ice cream and you’re completely satisfied!

Bowled over

For a laid-back snack (or hearty feast), try Booler’s Café, so called as it’s located inside Cumbernauld Bowling Club. You don’t need to be a member to dine here, and the friendly staff serve up lovingly made full breakfasts, baked potatoes with various toppings, gourmet toasties and stacked burgers with a range of optional extras. Highly-rated online as a family-friendly option, the value for money is fabulous and you’ll always get a warm welcome.

Transport in Cumbernauld

Airports

Cumbernauld Airport is a small, general aviation airport, but the nearest commercial airport is Glasgow (GLA), which is 18 miles away, followed by Edinburgh (EDI), which is 24 miles away, and Prestwick (PIK), 39 miles away. You can arrange car hire at any of these airports right here at Enjoy Travel and drive to your Cumbernauld hotel with ease.

Public transport

Cumbernauld’s public transport system consists of buses and trains. You can hop on a bus to practically any location in town or into Glasgow and beyond, while Cumbernauld train station is just 14 miles away from the city. Cumbernauld train station is located at Glencryan Road and it’s easy to catch a bus from The Centre or at various stances in the middle of town.

Driving

It’s relatively easy to drive around Cumbernauld, provided you observe the highway code, and apart from easy Glasgow jaunts, the town is well-placed for road trips to destinations like Edinburgh, Dunfermline, Stirling and Perth. If you fancy trying off-road driving, there are courses in the vicinity operated by Mud Mayhem and Geronigo – take a look online to find a deal while you’re in town.