'There are so many layers to this deeply historic Ayrshire town'
(Image: Robin McKelvie) If you ask nicely the museum volunteers will guide you out the back to the Skelmorlie Aisle, which lies in the graveyard just behind Largs Museum. It's all that remains of the old church and it's a remarkable remnant, one of the finest mausoleums in Scotland.
Dating back to 1636, Sir Robert Montgomerie of Skelmorlie built it to house himself and his beloved wife, whom he mourned here for many years through an unusual window into her lead coffin.
The ornate stonework is unusual too, local sandstone rather than marble, quite brilliantly worked in all its gothic and renaissance glory. Sir Robert and Margaret still lie interred beneath the vault floor you stand on. The intricately painted wooden ceiling is a wonder too.
Buried in the same graveyard, in the Brisbane Aisle Vault, is Sir Thomas Brisbane, another [[Largs]] luminary. He was born at Brisbane House near [[Largs]], graduating from Edinburgh University to thrive during the heyday of the British Empire. Not content with rising from a military officer to become the Governor of New South Wales, Brisbane's influence ventured north to give his name to Queensland's capital.
Largs Museum is the perfect starting point for exploring Largs' rich history, but it sets off a whack-a-mole in your head with myriad more centuries to delve down. We meet Brisbane again at the Old Bath House on the waterfront, which has become the Brisbane Centre.
The construction of this grand civic project began in 1816 with funding by public subscription. It was designed as an ahead of its time community hub to benefit all, with public bathing facilities, a library, billiard room and a meeting space.
(Image: Robin McKelvie) The famous Green Shutters Tearoom is closed at the moment, but watch this space as I heard locally the team behind Nardini's are looking at re-opening it. William Thomson, the 1st Baron Kelvin, may have been born in Belfast, but his heart belonged to Largs and his mind was inspired here during a half century love affair with the resort town.
He discovered Largs on holiday with his first wife Margaret Crum in 1852 and repeated holiday visits became a permanent residency that led to him building the Netherhall House mansion in 1874 at time when many monied individuals were erecting grand stone mansions on the Firth of Clyde coast.
During his 53 year stint at Glasgow University Kelvin brought the world his eponymous international system for measuring absolute temperature.
Largs is a time machine that constantly catapults you back and forth. One minute you are hiking up Castle Hill in search of the Haylie Chambered Tomb, which dates back over five millennia; the next learning about how Normandy was chosen as the site of the landings in 1944, with Churchill and Eisenhower both in attendance at a Largs meeting that literally decided the future of the Europe we live in today. How many resort towns boast this depth of history?
And we've not even mentioned Jose Mourinho. Nor the other famous managers who once flocked here for SFA coaching courses at the National Sports Training Centre Inverclyde, or just came here to refine their skills.
The list of luminaries verges on the ridiculous, from Alex Ferguson, Alec McLeish and Brendan Rodgers, through to global icons like Fabio Capello, Giovanni Trapattoni, Marcelo Lippi and Carlos Queiroz.
Largs has never been content to dance around the fringes of history. Take 1263. The future of Scotland itself was in the balance in Largs as the country finally rid itself of the Norse dominance of our isles in the pivotal Battle of Largs.
The Vikingar! museum tells the tale with recreation of Viking living and a film on the battle. You can even dress up as a Viking here – look out for the 'Berserker' helmet used in a 'murder' in Taggart. After the exhausting three day battle Norway had lost a king and Scotland sent the Norsemen hame to think again, their longships never again to have Scotland's coastal communities living in terror.
(Image: Robin McKelvie) The Battle of Largs is widely celebrated today in Largs with the grand 'Pencil' monument and the opinion-dividing 16ft-high Magnus the Viking steel figure on the promenade. If you want to really immerse yourself in those days come for the Viking Festival, which has bathed Largs in all things Norse since 1980. Largs loves a festival.
Look out too for the [[Largs]] Live music extravaganza, the delicious [[Largs]] Food and Drink Festival and a massive sailing event, the [[Largs]] Regatta Festival. There is regular theatre, comedy and music too at the historic Barrfields Theatre, which first opened its doors in 1930. And local talk of building a replica Viking longship.
There is always a joyous festival vibe at Nardini's. Dating back to 1935, this art deco wonder of an ice cream parlour and café evokes the doon the watter heyday when fish suppers cost sixpence.
The stoic Nardini family survived World War Two as when Italy entered the war all able-bodied Italians living in Scotland were sent into interment on the Isle of Wight, with the matriarch of the family left to run Nardini's. Live music still fills this most atmospheric of venues as the decades peel back on a wave of diner-led nostalgia.
Indulging in fish 'n' chips and ice cream at Nardini's, of course, is the quintessential Largs nostalgia experience. But there are so many layers to this deeply historic Ayrshire town, so next time you take the train down make sure when you arrive to continue your journey, a journey through the ages.
Foodie Largs
Room
Bright, welcoming restaurant on the waterfront. Watch the Waverley thrash by as you tuck into spicy Mexican dishes with a Scottish twist, like haddock tacos. Save room for the epic three scoops of tablet ice cream, accompanied by two shortbread biscuits, smothered in tablet sauce. Enough to make a sweet-toothed horse grimace. Delicious.
www.roomatlargs.com
(Image: Robin McKelvie) Fishworks
They do classic fish suppers at this smart waterfront chippie and can even name the trawler your haddock came from. But they also offer more unusual takeaways, like battered langoustine pieces and whole langoustines too. Whatever you catch it's best enjoyed on the waterfront just outside watching the ferries come and go.
www.thefishworks.co.uk
Nardini's
The famous ice cream parlour and café still exudes a grand air of art deco drama. They mix things up with cod, lemon sole and even sea bass alongside haddock 'n' chips. The shared platter is the way to go for a bit of everything. Then it's the proper ice cream, made with full fat milk and double cream.
www.nardinis.co.uk
Bed down in Largs
Brisbane House Hotel
Make sure to book a room with a Firth of Clyde view at this swish waterfront retreat. Its smooth modern vibe attracts weddings, but there are also traditional touches like Tunnocks (tea cakes and caramel wafers) to go with your tea tray. Best enjoyed in a chair by the window peering out over Cumbrae and Bute looking out for seabirds and passing cetaceans.
www.manorviewhotels.co.uk
The Willowbank
There are few airs and graces about this hotel a wee stroll along the waterfront from the main Largs action. Think homely and old world three star hotel, rather than stylish boutique. The promenade lies just a few minutes away from this 30-bedroom hotel.
www.thewillowbankhotel.co.uk
Peacock Guest House
This welcoming wee guest house only has a quartet of rooms and feels very cosy. Just a short walk from the train station, the bedrooms come with orthopaedic beds and free wifi. Kick off the following day with a hearty breakfast served in their dining room.
www.peacockguesthouse.co.uk
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
Why now is the time to visit Norwich, England's greatest unsung city
What do you do with an empty castle keep? It is 900 years old and little more than a gloomy cavern. But it also dominates the middle of a city and is a major landmark of British history. That was the problem addressed by Norwich Castle Museum when, just before the pandemic, it made a radical decision. The exterior of the keep had been remarkably well restored in the 19th-century and it had been designated as a museum a generation later. But for 500 years after its royal patrons lost interest in the 14th century, the interior had been used as a prison. Except to the most expert archaeological eye, all sense of its past as a luxurious palace had been lost. The answer, the museum decided, was to reconstruct – at a final cost of some £27m – the inside of the building. Now, after several delays, it has finally reopened. The contrast is remarkable. Instead of a hollow stone shell viewed from a walkway, you are now welcomed through a new '12th-century' door and under the splendid Norman arch of the original entrance. You step directly onto a wooden floor which has been inserted at its original level – straight into a reconstruction of Henry I's royal apartments – the Great Hall, the bedchamber and the chapel. Thrones, beds, chests and wall hangings which might have furnished it in the 1120s have been recreated (the bright colours can be disconcerting, but they are informed by historical research). Meanwhile, at regular intervals, animated projections based on the Bayeux Tapestry bring the Norman invasion and conquest to life. They are really aimed at younger visitors, but will no doubt be secretly enjoyed by their parents too. And, on the lower storeys, the museum's remarkable collection of medieval treasures and everyday objects – from ivory caskets to leather boots, augmented by more than 50 loans from the British Museum – give real, rather than reconstructed, context to the period. The rest of the museum's collection – which range from artefacts connected with Boudicca and the Romans, to a strong collection of old master and Norwich School paintings and a teapot collection – remain on display on the complex of galleries on the castle mound outside the main keep. Some may dismiss the reconstruction as 'faux'. I enjoyed it. But for me, as a champion of arguably one of Britain's most historic cities and certainly one of the most neglected by tourists, the really important thing about the project is the much deserved limelight it throws on Norwich itself. Anything which distracts attention away from Alan Partridge and Delia Smith and reminds the world of the richest architectural history of all British medieval cities is an excellent thing. That it should be the castle itself which is in the spotlight is even better. After all it was William the Conqueror's decision to transform Norwich from an Anglo-Saxon town into his regional capital, which was to be the foundation of its astonishing prosperity over the next few centuries. The castle and cathedral were architectural statements made on a scale never seen before, and they became the twin poles which secured the city's economic and political dominance for centuries to come. By the end of the medieval period, Norwich – grown wealthy on its trade in cloth, linens, wool, and dyes as well as timber, iron and luxury goods – was the richest city in the country after London. It had aggrandised its churches, its merchants lived in sumptuous town houses and its civic buildings were designed to express affluence and independence. It's true that Hitler's Baedeker raids – and the planners in the 60s and 70s – rent some glaring scars across this ancient townscape. But Norwich still has one of the richest architectural legacies of any medieval British city, rivalled only by York. Ignore Steve Coogan's lampoons. It is worth a weekend of any history-lover's time. Exploring medieval Norwich The Castle Museum The newly presented museum opened on August 7, 2025. As well as the interior of the keep itself and additions to its collections loaned by the British Museum, one of the big highlights is the new roof terrace. This is open to the public for the first time and offers panoramic views over the city and especially towards the cathedral. Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery is open 10am-5pm daily; admission £17 (adult); lower prices for families and children depending on age and numbers. The Cathedral and its close One of the great Norman buildings of England, Norwich cathedral was founded in 1096 to serve the city – and also as a Benedictine priory – further aggrandised in the 15th century. It is a moot point which of the two buildings was intended to be the higher – the castle on its mount, representing the Crown and the cathedral with its spire, representing the Church. Either way, the castle probably edged it until the original cathedral spire was completed in 1297. We don't know how high it was then, because it blew down in a storm in 1361-2; but the current spire, probably dating from 1485 is, at 96m, the second highest in England after Salisbury. Other highlights include the cloister and dozens of carved and painted bosses which decorate the vault of the nave. For me though, it is not just Norwich's cathedral building which is such a powerful draw. The close which surrounds it – 44 acres, bound by high walls and buildings on three sides and the River Wensum on the other – is one of the most picturesque and alluring green spaces in the heart of any city, anywhere. It is an idyllic retreat, a survival of the original monastic precinct, and the buildings which line its greens and lanes date from the 11th-20th century. The halls Three more impressive secular buildings survive as testament to Norwich's great mercantile past. Strangers Hall, named after immigrant Flemish weavers, dates to 1320 when it was a high-status merchant's house. In subsequent centuries it was developed by a succession of Norwich mayors – a complex but fascinating architectural embodiment of the city's history. By contrast, the great warehouse on the upper floor of the half-timbered Dragon Hall is a remarkably preserved example of a 15th-century commercial premises. It was built by one of the richest men in the city – the textile-trader Robert Toppes – to store his imports and exports. The Guildhall on one side of the market place, is a jewel box of dazzling flushwork – knapped flints shaped into squares and set in frames of stone. Finished in 1414, it was designed to showcase the city's wealth and prestige, and to celebrate the royal charter which had given Norwich the right to self-government ten years earlier. The churches Some 31 out of more than 60 medieval churches still survive in Norwich. Even the smallest – like tiny St Peter Hungate with its wonderful 15th-century stained glass – have their treasures. But two of the biggest stand out. St Peter Mancroft dominates the market square and is unique (apart from the cathedral) in that it was entirely faced with stone – shipped in from the Midlands at huge expense in the 1420s. The huge east window has one of the most complete schemes of medieval stained glass in the country (Norwich was one of the leading centres of glass painting). The biggest and grandest church of all, however is the now deconsecrated St Andrews – part of a complex of buildings which made up the former Black Friars priory which remain one of the most complete surviving complexes of monastic architecture in Britain (currently closed for restoration, but scheduled to re-open this year). On a smaller scale, St Helen's just across the road from the cathedral, was built as part of the city's great Great Hospital complex. The hospital was founded in 1249 and still offers sheltered accommodation to pensioners. The church tower and chancel are late 14th century, while the nave was aggrandised about a hundred years later. If you can get to see it, the little cloister behind the church is exquisite. The streets The most complete – and picturesque – of Norwich's surviving medieval streets, is the winding, cobbled lane which leads up Elm Hill. It is lined with half-timbered shops and houses, nearly all of which were built around 1510, soon after a catastrophic fire. The only survivor of the conflagration was The Britons Arms, built as an inn in 1347 and now a restaurant. It leads up to Princes Street which offers another winding, picturesque route down to Tombland, the open area opposite the two main gates of the Cathedral Close. This was originally the Anglo-Saxon city's market place. At the far end is the 800-year-old Maids Head Hotel, which claims to be the oldest in England. The network of narrow alleys, known as the Norwich Lanes, is also medieval in origin and is now home to some excellent independent shops and cafés. Essentials
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
12 best things to do in Barbados, from snorkelling to exploring rum distilleries
Barbados, the easternmost island in the Caribbean, is blessed by geographical luck. Its position means it is home to magnificent beaches, low-lying hills and enviable tropical climate, perfect for a getaway. The laid-back attitude of its locals, who seem to have perfected the art of balancing partying and relaxing, make it a particularly welcoming country. Add to this a range of natural and historic sites, plus atmospheric towns, and you have a multi-faceted holiday destination that offers more than just paradisiacal beaches (although these are a good place to start). Here's our pick of the best things to do on this intriguing island, from lazing on dreamy white sands to exploring buzzy food festivals. Best things to do in Barbados Explore the capital The island's capital, Bridgetown, is full of character, from its colourful facades to the buzz of activity on its main boulevards. Broad Street and Swan Street are the two main thoroughfares – good shopping destinations filled with gift shops, outlet stores and street food shacks. Alternatively, Baxter Road, locally known as 'the street that never sleeps', is an unassuming avenue of single-room rum shops and small restaurants by day, and giant street party by night. The historic part of Bridgetown and its garrison are a Unesco World Heritage site, a still-standing reminder of Barbados 's past links to both colonial and modern Britain. You can learn more about the history of the island through the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, or head to Carlisle Bay and Pebbles Beach for the opportunity to scuba dive across a series of shipwrecks. When choosing a place to stay near the capital's centre, the family-owned Coconut Court Beach Hotel enjoys a plum position on a pristine white-sand beach while being only a stone's throw from the action. With 111 air-conditioned rooms, some with sea views, and an outdoor pool, this is an excellent mid-range option for visitors to Bridgetown. Hit the beach Barbados is perhaps best known for its plethora of megawatt beaches. Its western shores, known as the Platinum Coast, are home to a range of glitzy hotels and some of the finest beaches on the island, including Batts Rock Beach, Paynes Bay and Pebbles Beach. On the eastern coast, Bath Beach and the bay around the town of Bathsheba offer some of the island's wilder coastline, with wide expanses of sand and several more secluded spots (Bath Beach is good for swimming, while Bathsheba is famed for its surf-friendly waves). Other options include the family-friendly Miami Beach near Oistins in the south, and the wilderness of Bottom Bay in the southeast of the island. If staying near a beach is also a priority, Tamarind offers an informal yet high-quality all-inclusive stay on the Platinum Coast, backing onto the famed Paynes Bay. This contemporary, well-furnished hotel has a distinctive Caribbean style throughout, from the interiors to the beach huts that surround its three outdoor swimming pools. Go snorkelling or surfing There's more to this picturesque island than white sands, with a whole host of offshore attractions to be discovered. Surfing, snorkelling and scuba diving are all popular activities, with some of the region's biggest waves mere miles away from colourful coral reefs and marine reserves. The aforementioned Bathsheba is home to the island's prime surf spot, Soup Bowl, where waves break in seven feet of water not far from the rugged sands. Those who don't fancy taking on the biggest waves should opt for the gentler Freights Bay, Surfers Point, Long Beach and Sand Bank, not far from Bathsheba. For would-be snorkellers, the southwest coast is littered with shipwrecks, notably around the Carlisle Bay Marine Park, where five coral-covered wrecks act as a home to turtles and several species of fish. There is another marine park at Folkestone which features an undercover trail of buoys leading to points of interest, while the seas around Dover Beach and Holetown are known for their vibrant coral reefs. For great value close to the surf spots on the island's wild east coast, opt for a stay at the Eco Lifestyle and Lodge near Bathsheba. Less than a mile from the Soup Bowl – and under 10 minutes from the town's beach – this intimate hotel offers great value across its beach house-themed rooms. There's a strong focus on sustainability, from the eco toiletries to the plant-based restaurant dishes. Oistins Fish Fry Every Friday, thousands of locals and tourists descend on the small southern fishing village of Oistins for its famous 'fish fry', a hybrid between a market and a street party, brimming with various street food vendors. Crafts stalls line the street, while visitors can watch performances by local musicians; the party atmosphere is electric. Expect a warm welcome from locals, while the fish fry itself is a casual affair catering to all in terms of both food and music. Try local dishes like macaroni pie and fried fish 'cutters' (essentially fish sandwiches), made with a variety of fish including swordfish and mahi-mahi. Near Oistins is Little Arches, a charming, hacienda-style boutique hotel centred around its outdoor pool. Visit a rum distillery Barbados is the birthplace of rum, which was first distilled on the island's sugarcane plantations around the 1650s. It is also home to the world's oldest commercial rum distillery, Mount Gay Distillery, in the St Lucy area on the north of the island. Operating since 1703, the distillery offers guided tours in which visitors can watch parts of the rum-making process, learn about the history of the facility and, of course, sample the goods themselves. Other notable distilleries on the island include the West Indies Rum Distillery – which produces well-known rums like Malibu and Cockspur – and St Nicholas Abbey, part of which is a still-functioning sugar plantation. For a northern hotel close to both Mount Gay and St Nicholas Abbey, choose Cobblers Cove. Dating from the 1940s, this charming beachfront hotel combines top-class service with modern elegance, and includes watersports and afternoon tea in its rates. Visit the other main towns Away from Bridgetown, there are several other towns on the island that are worth visiting. First among them is Speightstown, sometimes called Little Bristol due to its historic ties with the UK city. This is Barbados's 'second city', mainly known for its wide-ranging food scene and expansive promenade. Wander its streets to discover a range of colourful facades and colonial architecture, with an array of casual pubs, gourmet restaurants and traditional cafes hidden among them. Visit Holetown to find great shopping, lively nightlife and the picturesque beaches of the Platinum Coast. This is Barbados's home of understated luxury, where the upmarket Limegrove shopping centre sits alongside independent shops and a range of restaurants serving everything from Asian street food to local grilled platters. Head to the beach for the vibrant nightlife area, and journey further down the coast to find a slew of high-end resort hotels sitting on bone-white sands. If looking for a luxury stay less than a 20-minute walk away from the the town centre, The Sandpiper is a great option. This opulent beachfront property is a family-run affair, though it has a room and grounds more in keeping with those of a luxury chain. The interiors are an ultra-modern version of Caribbean style, with a pool and sun terrace surrounded by tropical flora and fauna. Plan a hike Dramatic cliffs and lush forest provide amazing views and some slightly more strenuous exercise for those who want it. The northern and eastern coasts are the more wild, rugged parts of the island, with routes like Bath-Bathsheba, Barclays Park-Chalky Mount and the Northern Cliffs Hike featuring trails along sheer cliffs, up tall mountain peaks and through shaded rainforest. There's the added bonus of sweeping views across the Atlantic and the odd stop off in a quaint Barbadian village, too. After a day of traversing the cliffs, The Crane Resort is an extensive beachfront resort on the south coast offering five swimming pools and its own village-like shopping complex. Food options include informal cuisine, seafood specialities and Asian fusion across five on-site restaurants. Explore the caves Harrison's Cave opened in 1981 as a tourist attraction. Guests can explore it on a one-hour tram journey or, for a longer day out, via four-hour walking tour. The cave itself is a natural marvel, running for over a mile. It features thousands of years worth of stalactites and stalagmites, the 50-foot high Great Hall cavern, and a dramatically-lit waterfall leading to a deep pool below. Animal Flower is an altogether different type of cave, carved into the rock by the waters of the Caribbean and Atlantic. Located on the northern tip of the island, some parts of it date back 600,000 years, and today it is home to a pool of emerald waters accessible via a set of stairs. You get striking views over the surrounding cliffs, both in the pool and from the on-site restaurant for those who don't fancy a swim. For a family-friendly, all-inclusive hotel close to Harrison's Cave, book Turtle Beach, located near St Lawrence Gap in the south of the island. A large hotel sitting on a wide expanse of golden shores, it offers spacious, minimalistic rooms, varied water sports and other activities, plus a range of cuisine – including buffet options – across its six restaurants. Visit during Crop Over Early August is the time to visit if you want to experience Barbados's most important cultural event: the Crop Over festival. This period commemorates the end of a successful sugarcane harvest, fusing celebrations of contemporary Barbadian culture and the historic influence of the sugarcane industry. The festival itself is three months long, but the final week often the most fun. The main event falls on the first Monday in August, a day called the Grand Kadooment day. Kadooment is a Bajan phrase meaning 'large party' – visitors will see a 15,000-strong parade alongside parties and performances on this country-wide public holiday, though there's plenty of partying on each day of the previous week too, fuelled by a generally celebratory atmosphere and a slew of affordable mobile bars and food stalls. Choose Sweetfield Manor for a comfortable boutique hotel stay near the capital. Located in an early 20th-century historic home, it sits just six minutes away from the city centre by car. It features an attractive lagoon-style pool, its own fusion restaurant, all at an affordable price. Stroll around the botanical gardens Barbados's tropical climate allows for a variety of plants, flowers and vegetation to thrive on the island. The Andromeda Botanic Gardens is home to more than 600 plant species, including more than 100 tree species in its arboretum, attracting bees, birds and butterflies that dance among the greenery. As the only Royal Horticultural Society partner garden in the West Indies, the eight-acre gardens was founded by Barbadian horticulturist Iris Bannochie in the 1950s, aimed at enhancing Barbados's biodiversity at a time when much of the country's land was being exploited. Wander around the flora displays and relax by the pond before heading to Eastside Kitchen for a delicious lunch. For another botanical experience, visit Hunte's Gardens. It's only a short drive away in Coffee Gully and visitors can saunter along the easy-to-walk path through 'mini-gardens', home to rare plants and other wildlife. Just a short drive away from both botanical gardens is The Atlantis Historic Inn, a beachfront hotel showcasing panoramic views of the sea. The hotel has historical significance, being one of the first hotels to exist on the east coast, and now offers coastal-view rooms with four poster beds or a two-bedroom cottage ideal for families, friends or couples travelling together. Buy and create pottery Don't leave the island's windswept east coast without exploring the Scotland District. The area is known for its distinctive red clay earth and is home to many artisans, whose work is available to purchase in pottery workshops and studios. In the parish of St Thomas, Earthworks Pottery is one of Barbados's most popular studios, with an abundance of vibrant hand-decorated pieces available to purchase. But if you're keen to have a spin on the wheel, book a pottery class to make your own unique souvenir. Among experiences available, classes at Hamilton's Pottery, also in St Thomas, are guided by a family of experts, including a former contestant on Channel 4's The Great Pottery Throw Down, Ronaldo Wiltshire. Opt to stay at The Palms Resort for beaches on your fingertips and a short drive from the pottery workshops. The hotel boasts bright and breezy rooms each with a terrace or balcony with views over the pool and fully equipped kitchens. Tour the island in a 4x4 jeep Get off the beaten track with an off-road, all terrain jeep tour of the island, showcasing its lesser-known corners. The exhilarating expeditions bounce between coasts, through forests and down secret tracks with an engaging local guide at the wheel. Tours can be customised for an extra cost, while pre-arranged routes include stops for at Edgecliff, Bathsheba and Little Bay. With rum punch or non-alcoholic alternatives on tap and normally Bajan lunch included, it is often the highlight of a holiday. If you stay on the south or west coast, the tour will pick you up from your hotel lobby. Stay at one of the apartments at Sapphire Beach Condos for direct access to Dove Beach's white sands and blue waters, a swimming pool and a fully equipped kitchen.
The Herald Scotland
01-08-2025
- The Herald Scotland
'There are so many layers to this deeply historic Ayrshire town'
Next time you descend on the train to Ayrshire's most northerly town you don't have to dash straight to the waterfront. Instead look out for the wee sign that directs you to the free volunteer-run [[Largs]] Museum. This wonderful wee Tardis weaves together the myriad strains of [[Largs]], with stories that its welcoming volunteers really help you to take a deep dive into. (Image: Robin McKelvie) If you ask nicely the museum volunteers will guide you out the back to the Skelmorlie Aisle, which lies in the graveyard just behind Largs Museum. It's all that remains of the old church and it's a remarkable remnant, one of the finest mausoleums in Scotland. Dating back to 1636, Sir Robert Montgomerie of Skelmorlie built it to house himself and his beloved wife, whom he mourned here for many years through an unusual window into her lead coffin. The ornate stonework is unusual too, local sandstone rather than marble, quite brilliantly worked in all its gothic and renaissance glory. Sir Robert and Margaret still lie interred beneath the vault floor you stand on. The intricately painted wooden ceiling is a wonder too. Buried in the same graveyard, in the Brisbane Aisle Vault, is Sir Thomas Brisbane, another [[Largs]] luminary. He was born at Brisbane House near [[Largs]], graduating from Edinburgh University to thrive during the heyday of the British Empire. Not content with rising from a military officer to become the Governor of New South Wales, Brisbane's influence ventured north to give his name to Queensland's capital. Largs Museum is the perfect starting point for exploring Largs' rich history, but it sets off a whack-a-mole in your head with myriad more centuries to delve down. We meet Brisbane again at the Old Bath House on the waterfront, which has become the Brisbane Centre. The construction of this grand civic project began in 1816 with funding by public subscription. It was designed as an ahead of its time community hub to benefit all, with public bathing facilities, a library, billiard room and a meeting space. (Image: Robin McKelvie) The famous Green Shutters Tearoom is closed at the moment, but watch this space as I heard locally the team behind Nardini's are looking at re-opening it. William Thomson, the 1st Baron Kelvin, may have been born in Belfast, but his heart belonged to Largs and his mind was inspired here during a half century love affair with the resort town. He discovered Largs on holiday with his first wife Margaret Crum in 1852 and repeated holiday visits became a permanent residency that led to him building the Netherhall House mansion in 1874 at time when many monied individuals were erecting grand stone mansions on the Firth of Clyde coast. During his 53 year stint at Glasgow University Kelvin brought the world his eponymous international system for measuring absolute temperature. Largs is a time machine that constantly catapults you back and forth. One minute you are hiking up Castle Hill in search of the Haylie Chambered Tomb, which dates back over five millennia; the next learning about how Normandy was chosen as the site of the landings in 1944, with Churchill and Eisenhower both in attendance at a Largs meeting that literally decided the future of the Europe we live in today. How many resort towns boast this depth of history? And we've not even mentioned Jose Mourinho. Nor the other famous managers who once flocked here for SFA coaching courses at the National Sports Training Centre Inverclyde, or just came here to refine their skills. The list of luminaries verges on the ridiculous, from Alex Ferguson, Alec McLeish and Brendan Rodgers, through to global icons like Fabio Capello, Giovanni Trapattoni, Marcelo Lippi and Carlos Queiroz. Largs has never been content to dance around the fringes of history. Take 1263. The future of Scotland itself was in the balance in Largs as the country finally rid itself of the Norse dominance of our isles in the pivotal Battle of Largs. The Vikingar! museum tells the tale with recreation of Viking living and a film on the battle. You can even dress up as a Viking here – look out for the 'Berserker' helmet used in a 'murder' in Taggart. After the exhausting three day battle Norway had lost a king and Scotland sent the Norsemen hame to think again, their longships never again to have Scotland's coastal communities living in terror. (Image: Robin McKelvie) The Battle of Largs is widely celebrated today in Largs with the grand 'Pencil' monument and the opinion-dividing 16ft-high Magnus the Viking steel figure on the promenade. If you want to really immerse yourself in those days come for the Viking Festival, which has bathed Largs in all things Norse since 1980. Largs loves a festival. Look out too for the [[Largs]] Live music extravaganza, the delicious [[Largs]] Food and Drink Festival and a massive sailing event, the [[Largs]] Regatta Festival. There is regular theatre, comedy and music too at the historic Barrfields Theatre, which first opened its doors in 1930. And local talk of building a replica Viking longship. There is always a joyous festival vibe at Nardini's. Dating back to 1935, this art deco wonder of an ice cream parlour and café evokes the doon the watter heyday when fish suppers cost sixpence. The stoic Nardini family survived World War Two as when Italy entered the war all able-bodied Italians living in Scotland were sent into interment on the Isle of Wight, with the matriarch of the family left to run Nardini's. Live music still fills this most atmospheric of venues as the decades peel back on a wave of diner-led nostalgia. Indulging in fish 'n' chips and ice cream at Nardini's, of course, is the quintessential Largs nostalgia experience. But there are so many layers to this deeply historic Ayrshire town, so next time you take the train down make sure when you arrive to continue your journey, a journey through the ages. Foodie Largs Room Bright, welcoming restaurant on the waterfront. Watch the Waverley thrash by as you tuck into spicy Mexican dishes with a Scottish twist, like haddock tacos. Save room for the epic three scoops of tablet ice cream, accompanied by two shortbread biscuits, smothered in tablet sauce. Enough to make a sweet-toothed horse grimace. Delicious. (Image: Robin McKelvie) Fishworks They do classic fish suppers at this smart waterfront chippie and can even name the trawler your haddock came from. But they also offer more unusual takeaways, like battered langoustine pieces and whole langoustines too. Whatever you catch it's best enjoyed on the waterfront just outside watching the ferries come and go. Nardini's The famous ice cream parlour and café still exudes a grand air of art deco drama. They mix things up with cod, lemon sole and even sea bass alongside haddock 'n' chips. The shared platter is the way to go for a bit of everything. Then it's the proper ice cream, made with full fat milk and double cream. Bed down in Largs Brisbane House Hotel Make sure to book a room with a Firth of Clyde view at this swish waterfront retreat. Its smooth modern vibe attracts weddings, but there are also traditional touches like Tunnocks (tea cakes and caramel wafers) to go with your tea tray. Best enjoyed in a chair by the window peering out over Cumbrae and Bute looking out for seabirds and passing cetaceans. The Willowbank There are few airs and graces about this hotel a wee stroll along the waterfront from the main Largs action. Think homely and old world three star hotel, rather than stylish boutique. The promenade lies just a few minutes away from this 30-bedroom hotel. Peacock Guest House This welcoming wee guest house only has a quartet of rooms and feels very cosy. Just a short walk from the train station, the bedrooms come with orthopaedic beds and free wifi. Kick off the following day with a hearty breakfast served in their dining room.
