Bo’ness works well as a base: 10 minutes from Linlithgow, 4km from Culross.
Bo’ness is in Scotland, United Kingdom, with about 15,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Linlithgow, about 5 km away.
Borrowstounness, commonly known as Bo'ness ( boh-NESS), is a town and former burgh and seaport on the south bank of the Firth of Forth in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Historically part of the county of West Lothian, it now lies within the Falkirk council area, 17 miles (27 kilometres) northwest of Edinburgh andRead more 6+3⁄4 miles (11 kilometres) east of Falkirk. At the 2011 census, the population of Bo'ness was 15,100.
Until the 20th century, Bo'ness was the site of various industrial activities, including coal mining, saltmaking and pottery production. With its location beside the Forth, the town and its harbour grew in importance in the Industrial Revolution and later continued to grow into the Victorian era. Since the late 20th century, deindustrialisation has changed the nature of the town, with the coal mine closing in 1982 and the waterfront area now being primarily used for leisure purposes. However, some industry remains in the town including an ironworks and a timberyard/sawmill beside the Forth. The centre of the town contains several listed buildings and is part of a conservation area. The town is the home of the Museum of Scottish Railways and also a regional motor museum.
Scotland's most complete 17th-century burgh: ochre-coloured Culross Palace, cobbled wynds and white-harled cottages on the Firth of Forth, preserved by the National Trust. Doubles as Cranesmuir in Outlander.
4 km · about 10 min drive
landmark
The Kelpies
Two 30-metre steel horse-head sculptures towering over the canal at Falkirk, a striking modern landmark off the M9.
9 km · about 15 min drive
landmark
The Dunmore Pineapple
An outrageous 14m stone pineapple crowns this 1761 walled-garden folly, built for the Earl of Dunmore and rated among Britain's most eccentric buildings. Free to visit, hidden down a lane near Airth.
12 km · about 25 min drive
bridge
Queensferry Crossing
The world's longest three-tower cable-stayed bridge, opened in 2017, carrying the M90 high over the Firth of Forth alongside its famous Victorian and 1960s neighbours: three centuries of bridges in one view.
13 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Forth Bridge
UNESCO-listed Victorian cantilever railway bridge spanning the Firth of Forth, a masterwork of 19th-century engineering in 54,000 tonnes of steel.
14 km · about 25 min drive
racetrack
Knockhill Racing Circuit
Scotland's national motorsport centre, a compact but thrilling circuit with sharp elevation changes near Dunfermline.
14 km · about 25 min drive
cafe
The Bikers Cove
A waterfront biker cafe in South Queensferry beneath the iconic Forth bridges, offering stunning views and a warm welcome to riders.
15 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Edinburgh Zoo
Scotland's capital zoo home to the UK's only giant pandas and over 1,000 rare and endangered animals.
23 km · about 25 min drive
Driving roads near Bo’ness
Right hereQueensferry CrossingThe world's longest three-tower cable-stayed bridge, opened in 2017, carrying the M90 high over the Firth of Forth alongside its famous Victorian and 1960s neighbours: three centuries of bridges in one view.
28 kmThe Royal MileEdinburgh's historic spine of cobbled streets and closes linking the castle to Holyrood Palace, lined with landmarks.
28 kmCalton HillAn accessible hilltop crowned with neoclassical monuments, giving the classic skyline view of Edinburgh at sunset.
29 kmArthur's Seat, EdinburghAncient volcanic peak rising 251 metres in the heart of Edinburgh, offering panoramic city views from its dramatic summit.
77 kmGlen LyonScotland's longest enclosed glen: 34 miles of single-track road along the River Lyon past Fortingall's 3,000-year-old yew, Bridge of Balgie tearoom and the Ben Lawers dam. Sir Walter Scott called it the longest, loneliest, loveliest glen.
78 kmSchiehallionA conical Perthshire Munro whose regular shape was used in 1774 to weigh the Earth — the experiment that produced contour lines.
Driving in United Kingdom
Drives on
the left
Petrol
~€1.73/litre
Motorway tolls
None
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.