near Neilston is considered to be largely infertile, whilst to the south and southwest there is an expansive moorland which extends as far as Darvel and Strathaven. The local geology is represented by basalt. The surrounding landscape is dominated by Duncarnock, the resistant core of an ancient and long extinct volcano, known locally as 'the Craigie'. Neilston experiences a temperate maritime climate, like much of the British Isles, with relatively cool summers and mild winters. Regular but generally light precipitation occurs throughout the year. There is also a spring nearby. Neilston's town centre is characterised by its mixture of 19th and 20th century detached cottages, single and two-story buildings. Several mansion houses were built for the owners of former mills and factories. Many of Neilston's dwellings are painted in whites or ivories. In his book Ordnance Survey of Scotland (1884), Francis Hindes Groome remarked that Neilston "presents an old-fashioned yet neat and compact appearance", a view echoed by Hugh McDonald in Rambles Round Glasgow (1910), who stated that Neilston "is a compact, neat, and withal somewhat old-fashioned little township", although continued that it has "few features calling for special remark". It is frequently described as a quiet dormitory village, although some sources from around the turn of the 20th century describe Neilston as a town. Neilston is not contiguous with any other settlement, and according to the General Register Office for Scotland, does not form part of Greater Glasgow, despite being very close. The Killoch Burn and glen, on the other side of the Levern northwest of Neilston are associated with witches, because at low water the numerous pot-holes or rock-cut basins have worn into one another, giving the area an unusual shape. Locals named some of these the witch's floor, hearth, cradle, water-stoup and grave. Demography According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the census locality (village and sub-area) of Neilston had a total resident population of 5,168, or 6% of the total of East Renfrewshire. This figure, combined with an area of , provides Neilston with a population density figure of . This is higher than the average population density of Scotland (at ) and nearby Glasgow (at ). The median age of males and females living in Neilston was 37 and 38 years respectively, compared to 37 and 39 years for those in the whole of Scotland. Forty six percent were married, 3.2% were cohabiting couples, 11.3%