| | | Renfrewshire stretches from just outside Glasgow down to the port towns of Greenock and Weymss Bay. |
| The heart of the area is Paisley - the largest town in Scotland - and one of the oldest, dating back to the 6th century. However, it's probably best known for being home to the famous teardrop Paisley Pattern, which originates from Kashmir but accounted for much of Paisley's growth during the 19th century. |
| It's a town with many beautiful buildings, such as Paisley Abbey, Coats Observatory and the Town Hall. And contrary to popular belief the town is also the home of Glasgow AIrport - something which irks Paisley natives - known as 'Buddies'. |
| Paisley Abbey dates back to the 12th century and nearby Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, with their beautiful collections of Paisley shawls are worth the trip. |
| Just minutes from there are little rural villages like Kilbarchan and Houston which are worth a quick look. The hearts of these villages have remained unchanged but the number of new estates mean that their boundaries are stretching ever farther. |
| The drive along the M8 from Paisley to where it ends at Greenock must be one of the most picturesque from any motorway, as it closely follows the River Clyde as it snakes its way down to the Firth of Clyde. |
Greenock is the town where many Scots waved goodbye to Scotland last
century and headed off for a better life in America or Canada. Essentially a
ship building area, it has suffered massive decline, although it successfully hosted the Tall Ships Race in 1999 and the sea front has been much improved. |
| But round the Clyde coast, Gourock, Inverkip and Wemyss Bay are more picturesque and also gateway to the Isles - here you'll find the ferries to take you to the Western Isles and beyond. |
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