East Dunbartonshire

Fifteen miles downstream of Glasgow, the town of Dumbarton sits at the confluence of the rivers Leven and Clyde and is dominated by an ancient castle atop a gaunt rock. In the 8th and 9th centuries it was capital of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. Henry V111 dubbed it the ‘key to the realm'. It witnessed the departure for France of Mary, Queen of Scots, when she was just six.

The mighty edifice is still officially a Scottish Royal Fortress, as are the castles of both Edinburgh and Stirling, and on Coronation Day the reigning monarch has to hand over the keys. The town itself grew with the development of shipbuilding and marine engineering. Many types of ship were built here – from the Cutty Sark to the hovercraft. The first helicopter capable of flight was also built here in 1909. A popular attraction is Denny's Tank, the world's oldest working ship-model experimental tank used to test scale models, although whisky-making is one of Dumbarton's staple industries today.

Among places to visit are the Scottish Maritime Museum and the Governor's House, which sits at the base of the castle rock.

Here we try to offer a wide selection from budget to luxury hotels, guest houses, bed and breakfast, B&B accommodation suitable for holidays, vacations or business travellers in Dumbarton or surrounding areas.