Livingston Travel Guide - Scotland

Livingston is a planned town located only 25 km west of Edinburgh. It is only 18 miles from the Edinburgh airport. This planned town is the largest town in the West Lothian and it was built around the two smaller villages of Livingston Village and Deans South. According to the 2001 census, it is the 13^th largest town in Scotland.

At one time, all of this area was open farmland. The village dates back to the 12^th century when the land was granted to a Flemish entrepreneur by the name of De Leving. Although the fortified tower that he built here is long gone, the name of Livingston still remains being derived as it was from the name Leving and the Old English word "tun": for town. The New Towns Act of 1946 allowed for the establishment of new towns and this town was the result. When the mandate for the Livingston Development Corporation ran out in the mid-1990's, the town became part of the West Lothian Council.

Livingston is full of tourist attractions to keep you full occupied during your visit here. Visit the Scottish Self Build Visitors Centre, which draws tourists each year from as far away as London. The permanent exhibition hall has a wide variety of 3-D exhibitions from manufacturers all over the United Kingdom. These exhibitions will take you through the complete process of the self–build process through computer graphics and animation.

The Almond Valley Heritage Centre incorporates the Livingston Mill Farm. This is the official museum of the Scottish Shale Oil industry. As soon as you enter, you will learn about the West Lothian region and the shale oil invention of James "Paraffin" Young. There are a short interactive computer games, many hands–on experiences and mine that you can walk down into. As you progress through the centre, you will learn about the Livingston Mill, which milled flour in the 19^th century. The original water wheel has been repaired and restored. There is a petting zoo for the children as well as a train ride that will take you to the end of the farmland.

Shopping is a delight in Livingston with modern shopping malls. The Almondvale Shopping Centre has many venues for children to play games while you enjoy shopping. The McArthur Glen Designer Outlet is home to more than 90 stores offering fantastic discounts on designer labels. This shopping centre has a 300–ft glass dome that is made with 100,000 square feet of glass.

Walk the streets of Livingston Village and get to know the friendly people. Spend some time in the pub where you can hear the stories about the beginnings of this town. Your time where will be well spent and you will enjoy every minute of it.