Renfrewshire lies on the south bank of the Clyde, stretching from the southern Glasgow suburbs to the coast opposite Cowal. The main towns of Renfrewshire are in the east of the shire, within Glasgow or close by. The largest town is Paisley, an industrial town west of Glasgow. Renfrew itself lies a few miles northward on the bank of the Clyde and almost contiguous with the Glasgow conurbation. The M8 and A8 run westward along the Firth of Clyde.
The Firth of Clyde is a major commercial and industrial centre, and this coast is lined with shipyards, once the busiest in the Empire. Here are Port Glasgow and Greenock, and at the westernmost the more modest resort and passenger ferry port at Gourock. The east of Renfrewshire is characterized by urban growth. To the west south of the coastal strip is higher ground which remains largely unspoilt.
County Facts
County Town: Renfrew
Main Towns: Abbotsinch, Barrhead, Eaglesham, Gourock, Greenock, Linwood, Newton Mearns, Paisley, Port Glasgow, Renfrew.
Main Rivers: Rotten Burn, Black Cart, White Cart.
Highlights: Paisley Abbey; Shiedhill Glen; Wemyss Bay.
Highest Point: Hill of Stake, 1,711 feet.
Area: 245 sq miles
County Flower: Bogbean
