Helensburgh: Why you Should visit this Seaside Town
In this post, I share my top things to do in Helensburgh, as well as public transport routes, where to stay and the best time of year to visit. This was written as part of a paid campaign with Destination Helensburgh.
Helensburgh is a Victorian resort town at the gateway to scenic Argyll with lots of interesting quirks and qualities: mountains on the horizon, a shipwreck in the Firth, charming architecture, fascinating connections to the past, and the type of foodie scene you’d expect to find in the city.
I have passed through Helensburgh many times on the train journey north, but I honestly knew very little about it. What I have since discovered is that this seaside town might just be one of the west coast’s best kept secrets, particularly in the winter months. Let me tell you why.
Interesting Facts about Helensburgh
- Helensburgh was founded by Sir James Colquhoun, who purchased the land in 1752, which was then known as Malig. In 1785, James named the town “my Lady Helen’s burgh” after his wife, Lady Helen Colquhoun.
- Scottish engineer and businessman Henry Bell, made Helensburgh his home in 1808, and had a huge influence on the development of tourism in the town. He built saltwater baths and a hotel, then designed the first passenger-carrying paddle steamer in Europe, PS Comet, which launched in 1812. A few years later, he built a small pier at Helensburgh to bring passengers ashore – and straight to his hotel!
- The controversial H.M. Naval Base at Faslane is located just a few miles up the coast from Helensburgh on Gare Loch and Faslane Peace Camp is set up by the roadside nearby: both were used as inspiration for the BBC TV series Vigil.
- The River Clyde has a famous shipwreck, known as the ‘Sugar Boat’. Originally known as the MV Captayannis, the vessel was hit by a wind storm in 1974 when waiting to unload its cargo of raw sugar. It drifted and sustained damage from the anchor chains of another boat and is now a sideways shipwreck and (stinky) bird sanctuary! There is now an award-winning bistro in Colquhoun Square in Helensburgh called Sugar Boat.
Where is Helensburgh?
Helensburgh sits on the River Clyde, less than 30 miles from the bustling city of Glasgow. From its position on the waterfront, you can see Greenock and the Inverclyde area – which is a magical string of lights at night – the picturesque Rosneath peninsula to the west, and right up Gare Loch to the majestic Arrochar Alps.
Helensburgh by Public Transport
For me, one of Helensburgh’s key selling points is that you don’t need a car to visit. The town is relatively compact, easily walkable and has good transport links to the wider Argyll area. There are two train stations, Helensburgh Upper and Helensburgh Central.
Helensburgh Central is right in the town centre, a short walk from Colquhoun Square and the seafront, while Helensburgh Upper, as the name suggests, sits further up the hill, on the famous West Highland Line between Glasgow and Oban/Fort William.
There are direct trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Helensburgh Central and direct trains from Glasgow to Helensburgh Upper. I travelled on the direct route from Edinburgh Waverley which takes around 2 hours. I loved the fact I didn’t have to change trains in Glasgow, and could just relax for a couple of hours. The journey from Glasgow is even shorter at just over 40 minutes.
The Best Time of Year to Visit Helensburgh
Helensburgh is popular with visitors during the spring and summer months. There are many cherry-blossom lined streets and the town is a member of the National Tree Collections of Scotland, and notably the only urban tree collection. There are benches along the pier and promenade, lots of shops and places to eat, and a couple of ice cream parlours. It is also far less busy than some of the tourist hotspots around Loch Lomond at this time.
What many people probably don’t realise, however, is that Helensburgh is a year-round destination. Unlike many seaside towns and scenic locations in Scotland, businesses and attractions don’t suddenly go into hibernation at the end of the season. I love going on adventures to places when there aren’t many other visitors around, so the off-season suits me perfectly.
My first (and only) visit to Helensburgh was at the beginning of winter and here are the top reasons why this is a brilliant time to visit:
- There are very few tourists around at this time of the year so you will be experiencing the town like a local.
- The walking distances within the town are short so you don’t have to venture too far if the weather isn’t cooperating.
- All of the shops, bars and restaurants are open, giving you plenty options for places to get cosy, treat yourself to some nice comfort food, and do some shopping.
- Walks by the coast when it’s chilly outside are good for the soul. I love breathing in the cold air and listening to the sound of the sea, then going for a hot drink afterwards.
- There are lots of lovely events in and around Helensburgh in November/December: the Christmas lights switch-on with Helensburgh Festive Lighting Charitable Trust, Helensburgh Winter Festival, and Cove & Kilcreggan Book Festival. For a full list of the fun and festive events, check out HELLO Winter.
Best Things to do in Helensburgh
Walk along Helensburgh Pier & Promenade
In the early days of tourism in Helensburgh, the pier and promenade were at the very forefront, and this is still the case today. Walking out to the end of the pier reveals the best views of the town and its hilly backdrop, and there is major redevelopment underway next to the pier which will see a new state of the art pool and leisure centre open in 2022. I’m excited to go back and experience this!
Back on the promenade, you can walk the full length of the town by the waterside and there are few points of interest to look out for along the way. At the very beginning of the pier, there is a big marker, signifying the start of the great John Muir Way. It is a circular stone plinth on the ground, with engraved footprints and a John Muir quote:
“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe”
Most noticeable on the prom is The Henry Bell Monument, a striking obelisk overlooking the sea which was erected in 1872 as a tribute to his achievements in harnessing steam power for sea travel.
Further along the promenade, you’ll find the Bust of John Logie Baird, who was born in Helensburgh in 1888 and will always be famed and remembered as the inventor of the television.
I loved walking along the promenade on a cold and calm wintry morning; the sky was heavy with snow and bathed in warm light from the sunrise.
Visit The Hill House
Adding to the list of Helensburgh’s surprising claims to fame, is the Mackintosh masterpiece that is The Hill House. Commissioned by Glasgow publisher Walter Blackie, every aspect of the house – the building, furnishings and textiles – was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh in their bold and radical ‘Glasgow style’; modern beyond its years.
What is even more interesting about this incredible mansion house is that it is currently contained within a giant steel and chainmail mesh box to protect the building exterior from the Scottish elements. This forms part of a ground-breaking 10-year conservation project to preserve this architectural wonder and keep it looking exactly as it did in 1904. In fact, the box itself won the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) award in 2021.
The Hill House is open to visitors year-round and the box has a series of internal walkways to admire the house exterior and roof from various angles. The walk up to The Hill House takes about 20/25 minutes and leads you from the fairly modest town centre into an affluent suburbia of beautiful tree-lined streets and grand, historic homes, built by wealthy merchants from Glasgow during the Victorian era.
- The Hill House has a new visitor centre, shop and café.
- Entry to the attraction is £13 per adult, £6 per child and £30 for a family.
Browse the independent shops
While Helensburgh has a number of familiar High Street shops for your convenience (I popped into Superdrug for some essential bits and bobs), further exploration of the town reveals lots of lovely independent retailers, giving you the opportunity to find more unique items and support local businesses while you’re at it. Here are some local shops to check out.
- Tweedie– a hugely successful independent shop and design studio specialising in Islay tweed and leather products: many of which can be personalised. In 2020, Mairi created a Balmoral tweed for the Royal family.
- Rossdhu Refills – a zero waste shop with refill food items, toiletries and cleaning products.
- Shooftie– a colourful shop selling gorgeous Scottish designs and locally-crafted gifts, homeware and jewellery.
- Destination Helensburgh – a friendly tourist information centre on Sinclair Street with a wee shop selling Scottish gifts, artwork and books.
Take a stroll through Hermitage Park
Hermitage Park is a pretty, public park close to the town centre with short paths over little streams, a play area for children and a striking war memorial contained within a walled garden. The ‘Friends of Hermitage Park’ and the local council secured funding to renovate and develop the park, and this project has now been completed.
One of the new additions to come from this, is the attractive Park Pavilion Café and Kiosk which is managed by Jamie Nicolson. Jamie was born in Helensburgh but has also lived in Portugal and has since went on to work in the high-end Cameron House Hotel, before training in Michelin star restaurant, Le Gavroche, in London’s Mayfair with famous chef Albert Roux. The Pavilion is the first community Passivhaus building in Scotland.
After walking round the park under the first wee tiny flurry of snow, I stopped for coffee and breakfast at the Park Pavilion Café. The English muffin with smoked salmon was delicious!
Indulge in the local foodie scene
When it comes to my overall enjoyment of a place, food does play a massive part. Helensburgh is an unassuming foodie destination which I imagine will only continue to get better. The town is home to some award-winning restaurants and seriously good bakeries, which I was obviously delighted about! I was very well fed and satisfied during my time in Helensburgh. Here are some of my recommendations:
- Annaya’s Indian Restaurant– for fantastic, flavourful, freshly cooked Indian food, this place is an absolute must. A warm welcome and authentic home-style ‘Desi’ cooking are guaranteed from Rocky and his team of talented chefs. I had the sizzling lamb tikka with South Indian garlic chilli sauce, and it was so good, I didn’t want it to end. Annaya’s is super popular with locals and for good reason.
- Riverhill Courtyard– tucked away down a lane off the main street, this trendy eatery is something of a hidden gem. The restaurant has a lively, friendly atmosphere in a modern setting with a high ceiling, mezzanine level, and exposed brickwork. The varied menu has lots of international influences, and I ordered the oxtail and brisket tacos, which came with chipotle corn ribs, fries and a meaty broth for dunking. Amazing!
- The Ginger Breadman– this cleverly named local business (owner Martin is a red head!) has three outlets in the town; a café, a bakehouse and a catering business. Martin specialises in artisan sourdough breads and baked goods but also serves sandwiches and hot meals for brunch, lunch and dinner within the café. I can personally vouch for the croissants and pain au chocolat. I’ll be back to try more!
- Craigard Bakery–an amazing mobile bakery by Master Baker and founder of the Scottish Baking Awards, Melanie Andrews. Melanie kindly provided me with a box of goodies to sample and my favourites were the strawberry tart, meringue with fresh cream and Oreo brownie. Order handmade cakes and Afternoon Teas through the website or Facebook page for local delivery or collection.
Explore the Clyde Sea Lochs Trail
Helensburgh sits on the Clyde Sea Lochs Trail, a 65-mile coastal route from Dumbarton right up to Arrochar, also taking in the Rosneath Peninsula. The route takes its name from the bodies of water which characterise the locations along the way: River Clyde, Firth of Clyde, Gare Loch and Loch Long. While it is intended to be for driving, it is possible to reach a number of the points of interest from Helensburgh on foot, by boat and on public transport. Here are some ideas.
- Take the bus to Cove & Kilcreggan – Garelochhead Coaches operate the bus service which takes around 40 minutes from Helensburgh to Kilcreggan. When you’re there, be sure to visit Kilcreggan Antiques, which is owned by the now famous Roo Irvine: an antiques expert and much-loved TV personality. Pop into the Café at Kilcreggan for a warm welcome and a cosy lunch, then walk along the coast towards Cove to visit the wee gem The Porch Gallery, run by the lovely Fiona.
- Book a boat trip from Rhu Marina – walk along the coast to the village of Rhu to explore the sea lochs on a high-speed water adventure with You & Sea. I took a trip with Colin, who was formerly in charge of marine unit training for Ministry of Defence Police; we cruised Gare Loch, Loch Long and the Clyde, got up close to the ‘Sugar Boat’ shipwreck, and soaked up the Clyde Sea Lochs Trail scenery from the water.
- Take the train to Dumbarton – the train journey from Helensburgh to Dumbarton East train station takes just 17-minutes and from here you can walk to Dumbarton Castle in around 10-minutes. The site holds over 1,500 years of history, and the fortress guards the River Clyde from its position on a mound of volcanic rock.
Where to stay in Helensburgh
Comet Apartments, 10 East Princes Street
During my winter visit, I stayed in a modern 1 bedroom apartment called
Steisean a dha with Comet Apartments, which is conveniently located directly across the street from the entrance to the train station. The apartment was sparkly clean, smelled wonderful, and had lots of thoughtful wee extras in the kitchen. It was freezing outside but the apartment was toasty warm with a fantastic walk-in shower and super-comfy double bed.
I immediately noticed the beautifully restored cornices on the living room ceiling; a nod to the wealth of the bankers who built these flats as a weekend escape from the city. It was the perfect escape for me too. Maxine was a wonderful, welcoming host and I would definitely stay here again.
Helensburgh: My Top Things to Do
I hope you’re enjoying reading about my first experience of Helensburgh and have taken some inspiration from my top things to do and reasons to visit in winter. Follow Destination Helensburgh on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with what’s going on. Here are some other West Coast blog posts to check out.
My Top Ten Ways to Spend a City Break in Glasgow
10 Places to Discover Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Glasgow
24 Hours in Inveraray: Falling in Love with a Wee West Coast Town
Ardnamurchan & the West Highland Peninsulas
Road to the Isles: Destination Guide
Isle of Mull: The Ultimate Guide & Travel Inspiration
This post is sponsored by Destination Helensburgh. As always, all content, opinions & chaotic behaviour are my own.
Happy travels!
Kay 💙
