Lanarkshire isn’t exactly on the tourist trail. People will go to Glasgow and Edinburgh, but there are a surprising amount of attractions in Lanarkshire that most would drive by.
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If you are travelling around the United Kingdom, the best way is by car. Not only do you get to see more but you will find more hidden gems that the average traveller doesn’t see.
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Attractions in Lanarkshire
The following are the attractions in Lanarkshire that I stopped by to see. Hopefully, you’ll take the time to visit them as well.
Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life
Most museums in Scotland are free, and the Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, is no exception.
Great for the whole family, Summerlee Museum will give you a glimpse into the Scottish Industrial Age. There is a decent-sized car park although it is always best to get there early, especially during school holidays.
Inside the exhibition hall, there are two floors of memorabilia from the past. Information boards and screens with “people from the past” speak to you about what life was like for them.
Outside there are 20 acres of grounds to explore. You can take a walk down to the 1819 replica of the Vulcan and go onboard to watch another film. Walking up the back of the museum will take you past green space before heading up the back of the lot.
Along with the museum exhibits, there is Miner’s Row to explore. Going into each cottage is like stepping back in time as you have recreations from the late 1800s through to the 1980s of Lanarkshire homelife.
There are gardens at the back of the 1940s cottages showing the wartime effort of growing for victory. One of them is an Anderson Shelter. Filming is occasionally done here, so check before you visit that everything is open.
While here, you can also take a tram ride or experience a mine tour. There is also a cafe here where you can refresh yourself for the next stop.
Hours
Monday to Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm
10 am -5 pm during Easter Holidays, Summer Holidays and October School Holidays
Prices
Admission is free and there’s no need to book online.
There is a small charge for the mine, tram and other voluntary activities.
Drumpellier Country Park
Not far from the Summerlee Museum is the Drumpellier Country Park. It is here that you can take a walk around the 500 acres of parkland, which has two natural lochs, woodlands, grasslands and moorlands. You can take the path around the loch or go off one of the side tracks to venture into the woods.
As well as wildlife in the area, there is a well-established playground for the kids to play on.
The paths around the loch and woodlands are easy to use for anyone, including wheelchairs and prams.
The park has a large car park and cafe due to its popularity with families and dog walkers alike.
David Livingston Birthplace
The David Livingston Birthplace should definitely be on your list to visit.
Starting from the building of his birth in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, this museum will take you through his adventures with 3000 pieces of his collection for you to view. Kids will love the interactive adventures through his travels.
Everything you ever wanted to know or didn’t know you wanted to know about David Livingstone is here, so I would spend a good few hours exploring his life through the exhibit.
Hours
Daily 10 am to 4.30 pm (the last admission is 3.30 pm).
Tours will be running at 11:00 on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Prices
When you are visiting the David Livingstone Birthplace Museum, please book your admission ticket in advance if possible.
Click here to see prices and book for general admission and tours.
Bothwell Castle
Bothwell Castle is also not far from the David Livingston Centre and is part of Historic Scotland properties.
Built in the late 1200s, it changed hands many times during the Scottish Wars of Independence.
Today you can visit its ruins, but you can still see what an imposing building it would have been. It has a circular keep tower or donjon, which is undergoing renovations at the moment. You can usually go up and see the vistas surrounding the castle.
Hours and Prices
Check here for hours and prices
New Lanark
New Lanark is a fantastic place to visit. It is here that the history of the old cotton mills comes to life, looking back over 200 years.
After you go through to the main building, you enter the world of Annie McLeod. This ride has the ghostly Annie showing you her life and what it was like to live in New Lanark, Lanarkshire.
After you’ve finished the ride, you are free to explore this vast area and the buildings it holds. You can see the roof garden, Millworkers’ House in the 1820s and 1930s, Robert Owen’s House and the School for Children as well as the Textile Machinery still in use today.
Award-winning ice cream is available in the cafe as well as other treats, and you have an extensive gift shop.
As well as exploring on your own, you could do one of the tours that operate during the day. From this, you’ll get more of an insight into how the mill worked and still works today. The tour is included in your ticket.
After you have explored the mill and village buildings, there is still nature to explore with a walk along the River Clyde.
Walking to the Waterfalls
With four waterfalls, after a bit of rain, the water flows with great force down towards the township. The track is 3 miles long from the village to Bonnington Linn. There is also a loop walk for those with more time.
The track is easy and well-formed, although it is steep and with stairs in parts. In April-June you can watch Peregrines in the area. Walking past the Hydroelectric Power Station, you have a mural of a badger on the wall.
If you want to stay overnight, you can. There are two types of accommodation, the New Lanark Mill Hotel and the Wee Row Hostel.
You could easily spend a day here exploring all there is to offer. If you stay overnight, you could catch a glimpse of the Lanarkshire wildlife on the Falls of Clyde walk in the evening.
Hours and Prices
For hours and prices including the car park please click on the link.
Arria
At 10 meters tall, Arria or Angel of the Nauld is a surprising sight along the M80. The first time you drive past, you can’t believe what you see as she is seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
You can get up close to her, and the easiest way is finding Eastfield Cemetery, and she is behind that. If you go all the way through the cemetery, you’ll find a small car park. From there, you have a couple of short paths which lead up to her.
She was sculpted by Andy Scott, who did the Kelpies and then she was named in a local competition.
There are also four other sculptures from various artists along the M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh. I only saw one of them and didn’t get any photos as they aren’t advertised or accessible from the motorway. I was lucky with Arria, although you won’t find any signs of where you can see her.
Conclusion
It is surprising that more people don’t visit these attractions in Lanarkshire. With so much to offer, hopefully, you’ll add it to your list of places when you’re in Scotland and find the attractions in Lanarkshire as surprising as I did.
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I love all the historical buildings and places you can visit! I’d never heard of this place before, but it looks like so much fun! And how cool the museum is free to enter!
Most museums in Scotland are free, Andrea, and they all have something special to share with us.
Ooooh I have never visited Lanarkshire, but this all looks gorgeous! I especially love the look of the natural areas and the walk along the River Clyde.
We need to explore more of Scotland, so I’ll try to add this onto my radar next time we’re back in the UK. 🙂
p.s. I had no idea that David Livingstone was from Lanarkshire before I read this!!
I hope that when you visit Scotland, Josy, the David Livingston Centre will be open. It is promising to be worth the trip.
What a lovely post! I’ve been to Scotland once and loved everything about it! Lanarkshire seems like such a quaint and pretty town to explore. I love visiting the big cities but stopping at smaller ones like this off up a whole new experience!
You’ll have to come back to Scotland, Vanessa. There are many towns and villages in Lanarkshire for you to explore and fall in love with.
Been thinking of a highland holiday for a while now so I’m really enjoying your posts Kim!
Thanks, Gabby. I still have the Highlands to go, and it’s one of my favourite parts of not only Scotland but the world. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to do the NC500 but that should be on your list too.
A lovely place! The lake looks so tranquil and the Bothwell Castle is interesting.
Thanks, Mijia. Even on a Sunday morning when I went, Drumpellier Country Park is big enough to still be peaceful.
Bothwell Castle and New Lanark looks like a great place to visit for us. Especially the waterfalls on Clyde River 😍. Definitely make more time if going there se we could do the whole hike.
You would love walking alongside the Clyde, Sabina, and I would have done the whole walk if I had time.
To my shame I don’t know enough about Scotland. This looks lovely. One of these fine days I need to rectify this.
I hope you do find yourself in Scotland one day, Karen, but make sure that you spend enough time here to see it all.
Really enjoyed reading your post and am looking forward to visiting in person soon. Recently discovered I have ancestors from Lanarkshire!
Wow, that’s great, Patrice, I hope you get to spend a bit of time there and see all the sights.
Looks like a lovely place to explore. I have heard of Lanarkshire before but have never travelled to Scotland. I’m more of a outdoorsy type but I do love the old buildings and appreciate the history more now that I am older! The award winning ice cream also sounds good 😛
The ice-cream is delicious, Lauren and great to have after the Falls of Clyde walk which you would enjoy.
This place looks so pretty! I love these old buildings and the water running past them 🙂
It is a beautiful spot, Josefine. You’ll have to visit there sometime.
I am originally from Glasgow and I have only been to a few of these place, but will definitely have a better look when I go back home.
I’m glad that you found it interesting, Larch. I want more time to explore your beautiful country, as there is so much to see.