West Kilbride

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In West Kilbride there is a sign that reads, 'Footpath to Happy Hills.' To be honest, I'd move to West Kilbride for that reason alone. I would hang around this sign all day every day in the hope that someone would stop me and say, 'Where are you off to, then?' to which I would reply, 'I'm off to the Happy Hills'. Sigh. And there is a place between West Kilbride and Portencross called Yonderfield. Again, I would take a curious amount of pleasure in standing at the roadside announcing to passers-by in my finest Shakespearian twang, 'Look at yonder field.' It doesn't take much to keep me content. But there's more. In the town's railway station there is an excellent eating and drinking establishment called Chu Chus. Clearly, West Kilbride is a fun place to be. It is a town that up until fairly recently was struggling. It was struggling in the way that many small Scottish towns have done through a lack of visitors, a decline in employment, and a complete absence of any sort of investment to allow the townsfolk to keep their head above water. Indeed, I think it may be fair to say that West Kilbride was a bit of a dive, much neglected and abandoned. But my oh my, what a transformation. Through the enterprising efforts of its citizens West Kilbride has turned itself around, and is now a desirable destination for visitors. Its main street is lined with craft shops and studios where artists make and sell the most exquisite of goods imaginable. Happy Hills indeed.