There's a terrific range of natural and built attractions in East Dunbartonshire. Now that you've visit-ED it's time you explore-ED!
On this page you will find information on:
- Mugdock Country Park
- The Antonine Wall
- Bar Hill and Twechar
- Lillie Art Gallery
- Auld Kirk Museum
- Kirkintilloch Town Hall
- Kilmardinny House
Mugdock Country Park
Mugdock Country Park [opens in a new window] is a beautiful place to experience, explore and enjoy with something for everyone - offering 270 hectares of woodland, moorland and heathland, connected by a network of paths.
For the latest information on events - including booking details - check the park out on Facebook (external link opens in new page).
Take a walk to Mugdock Castle which overlooks Mugdock Loch, passing by Craigend Castle on the way, or stroll over Pietches Moor then through Pheasants Wood to take in the Toadstool Trail. If you visit Khyber Field then you’ll see the WWII gunsites. At the Courtyard, you can pop into the Visitor Centre, browse the Gift Shop, enjoy refreshments at one of the cafes or take a look round the gallery and garden centre.
Mugdock's history predates the Bronze Age and it has a bright future ahead.
Please note, video below has no commentary, but music playing throughout. Closed Captions available.
The Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall - once the north-western edge of the Roman Empire - wound its way through what is now East Dunbartonshire. It was built by 7,000 men from three legions - from around 142 AD - and stretched 37 miles, between the Clyde and the Forth.
The best examples of stone structures along the entire Antonine Wall can be seen within a modern housing development in Bearsden. You can still visit the exposed remains of a Roman bath-house and latrine block within the area of the fort’s annexe. The site is signed from Bearsden Cross on A810 and lies approximately 600m down Roman Road.
Nearby, within the grounds of New Kilpatrick Cemetery, Bearsden, are two visible sections of the stone base of the rampart of the Antonine Wall.
You can also enjoy a Roman-themed Granary Garden at Bearsden Baptist Church, which gives visitors space to sit and learn more about the past. To reach it, visitors can walk through woodland where a 'sound cloud' has been installed in the tree canopy - recreating the authentic sounds of a working Roman fort.
Peel Park in Kirkintilloch was the former site of a Roman fort on the Antonine Wall. Nothing now remains of the fort, but the park offers stunning views over the surrounding landscape, especially north to the Campsie Fells.
For more information on local Roman sights of interest, visit the Antonine Wall website [opens in a new window].
Visit the Rediscovering the Antonine Wall website [opens in a new window] for more details of the project.
As part of that project, a comic was created celebrating the history of the Antonine Wall - involving schools including Twechar Primary. You can read it online (external link opens in new window).
Bar Hill and Twechar
The highest of all the Antonine Wall forts, Bar Hill has spectacular views in all directions. The fort platform, east gate, and the remains of the headquarters building (principia) and bath-house are visible today.
Each legion was responsible for building sections of the wall and distance stones were created to mark their completion - highly-decorative markers commemorating the legion, recording the distance built and offering a dedication to the Emperor Antoninus Pius.
As part of the Rediscovering the Antonine Wall project, a replica of the historic Eastermains stone - found at Inchbelly Bridge, to the west of Twechar, in 1740 - is installed in the grounds of Twechar Healthy Living & Enterprise Centre, near the line of the wall. There are also interpretation plaques to illuminate its history.
Please note, video below has no commentary, but music playing throughout. Closed Captions available.
Lillie Art Gallery
The Lillie Art Gallery in Milngavie attracts thousands of visitors every year, offering a range of exhibitions, events and opportunities to engage and appreciate culture. For more information, visit the EDLC website [opens in a new window].
Auld Kirk Museum
The Auld Kirk and its graveyard are Grade-A listed and together form one of the finest and oldest sites in the town of Kirkintilloch. The Auld Kirk offers a diverse range of events and exhibitions, all year round. The museum houses a rich collection of objects of local, national and international significance, interpreted in an innovative, exciting and educational way for visitors of all ages and abilities.
It's located next to Peel Park, where you can visit the restored bandstand and fountain, both fine examples of products manufactured in Kirkintilloch by the renowned Lion Foundry. In addition, the War Memorial Gateway has been refurbished, park benches installed, footpaths renewed, and Roman and Mediaeval history explored through a series of linked interpretive panels. For opening times, visit the EDLC website [opens in a new window]
Kirkintilloch Town Hall
Kirkintilloch Town Hall was built in 1906 and reopened in 2018 with the addition of modern function spaces as well as offices, a reception area and a new platform lift. Made in Kirkintilloch was an EDLC Trust project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which created an Industrial Heritage Centre within the upper floor of the Town Hall. The project set out to engage the local community with Kirkintilloch’s rich industrial heritage through the display and interpretation of museum and archive collections. Highlights include a display about Rita and Masataka Taketsuru - the 'Mother and Father of Japanese Whisky'. Rita (whose maiden name was Cowan) met her future husband in Kirkintilloch and travelled with him to Japan, where they laid the foundations for the Nikka Whisky empire. You can also learn more about Kirkintilloch's world-famous foundries and the Puffers which once sailed up and down the Forth and Clyde Canal. Check out the EDLC website for opening times [opens in a new window].
Kilmardinny House
A-listed Kilmardinny House was rejuvenated by the Council in conjunction with EDLC Trust - undergoing major refurbishment - and now includes a Garden Pavilion extension, providing a modern, flexible space which can accommodate a range of activities and events.
As well as supporting a diverse range of local arts, culture and leisure services, the improvements have transformed Kilmardinny into a beautiful venue for weddings, performances and conferences. For the latest info, visit the EDLC website [opens in a new window] and check out Kilmardinny House on Facebook [opens in a new window].
