The funds raised since the trail started in 2014 have also helped with school art competitions and beehive planters.
However, the Thistles monument is probably the most significant contribution the Linlithgow trail has made to Linlithgow High Street.
Everyone who completes the “Linlithgow Trail”, directly contributes to the above local initiatives in Linlithgow. It began in December 2014 as a free idea to encourage more people to visit pubs on Linlithgow High Street. Its instant popularity made the organisers think about how they could use that popularity to benefit Linlithgow. A £5 fee was introduced, and all money made from the trail benefits the people of the town.
For this small fee, participants can literally say “been there, done that and got the T-shirt”. And very nice they are too.
Once you have an official t-shirt, you become known as a “trailer” and there’s an obvious sign they are popular, as the colour changes as each batch of T-shirts are sold.
The start of June this year saw the fresh delivery of vibrant violet T-shirts. Trail organisers were proud to share that “the Linlithgow Trail has been such a hit since the launch of our new colour, with 500 T-shirts flying off the shelves over the past four weekends!”
The Instagram account ( Instagram.com/linlithgowpubtrail ) shows lots of examples of previous T-shirt colours now in circulation, no doubt across the world. For the trailers, it represents precious memories with family, friends and colleagues in the historic town of Linlithgow.
Many people in the town have T-shirts in multiple colours. This number represents the popularity of the trail and the number of people who have helped make Linlithgow a better place.
High Street Beehives
The trail has also helped biodiversity in Linlithgow. Two beehive planters were installed at each end of the High Street (outside Platform 3 and across from the West Port Hotel), as well as a flowerbed behind the Black Bitch statue and the planting of the Peace Garden.
However, there is a serious side to the project that readers may not be fully aware of.
It is often said that the simplest of ideas offer the best solutions. Since the Linlithgow Trail began, 35,000 T-shirts have been sold with profits used to fund local initiatives.
Pub Defibrillators
Following the initial investment of around £6,000 to buy nine defibrillators in 2022, the single-use pads have had to be replaced due to their expiry date being reached.
More importantly, a small number of pads have been replaced due to being used in real-life saving situations. Funding for the defibrillators located in each of the pubs was also contributed by One Linlithgow BID. Also West Lothian Council Town Management Group.
Festive Lighting 2025
As the days become shorter and the leaves start to fall; thoughts wander to the number of weeks to Christmas. The reality for the Linlithgow Trail and their festive lighting partners above, the plans for the continuous improvement of the festive lights started in March this year.
Since 2014, the Linlithgow Trail has contributed to the cost of purchasing and maintaining circa 36 of the current 72 the festive motifs along the High Street. For 2025, the festive lights will be extended to Stockbridge and new Christmas Tree lights will be installed on the tree at the Cross, thanks to a contribution from the Community Council. One Linlithgow provides significant funding for the storage and maintenance of the lights and project manages their timely installation.
DrinkAware
A spokesperson from the Linlithgow Trail said “We are proud to be part of the ongoing upgrading of the festive lights in the town. On behalf of all the publicans who make up the Trail, we’d like to extend our sincere thanks to every single person who has completed the trail to make all our projects possible.
It must also be stressed that the Trail does not need to be completed all at once. The emphasis is strongly upon sensible drinking and enjoyment with family and friends in a beautiful town. There are currently seven pubs on the Trail, so trailers could take seven separate visits to Linlithgow to get a stamp on their card each time.”
Linlithgow Trail funds P7 Art Competition
The Linlithgow Trail also sponsors the annual P7 Art Competition. Each year a total prize fund of £1,300 is shared between local schools and participants. The winning artwork is awarded £300 judged by local representatives of Linlithgow groups.
For more information about the Linlithgow Trail and to post your own experiences, visit
https://www.instagram.com/linlithgowpubtrail
https://www.facebook.com/Linlithgowpubtrail
