Temperatures have been soaring across the UK this summer. With highs of up to 37°C in some parts of the country, people in hotter areas have been looking for ways to beat the heat.
According to booking data from TrainPal, Scotland has experienced a boom in people booking trains to escape the sweltering temperatures of southern England. One of the most popular destinations is Paisley, located just seven miles west of Glasgow. This charming town enjoys cooler temperatures on average, even in July.
Despite it being the hottest month of the year, temperatures in Paisley rarely rise above 25°C, making it the perfect place to cool down.
It’s also a delightfully walkable area, with plenty of history. Your first stop in Paisley should be the 850-year-old Paisley Abbey. Step inside its grand, stone interior and admire its gorgeous architecture.
Keep your eyes peeled for the famous gargoyle that was added during the 1990s renovations. The gargoyle is carved in the likeness of the Xenomorph from the 1979 film Alien.
Just a short walk from the abbey are the Sma’ Shot Cottages. These offer tourists a chance to step back in time and glimpse the town’s past as a global textile producer. If you didn’t realise, the town of Paisley is where the iconic teardrop fabric pattern got its name.
The cottages are a museum of this textile history, with plenty to explore. You can see original weavers' looms as well as a foreman’s home, which takes you through different eras of history in each of its rooms.
Each room is decorated to represent various time periods from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.
Alvaro Ungurean, Commercial Director Europe, Train Business Unit at TrainPal, said: "Scotland is seeing a big surge in travel, not just because it’s a beautiful, domestic, summer escape, but because of its cooler climate.
"As UK summers continue to become warmer, we expect demand for 'cooler escapes' during the summer to keep growing, with rail making it easy for people to make the swap from the typically warmer Southern beach spots to Scotland’s beaches and lochs."
