New Lanark and the Falls of Clyde

The glorious River Clyde through New Lanark

New Lanark is home to more than just the falls of Clyde. It has Peregrine Falcon's, a rich history in equality, and its very own hydro-electric power source (circa 1768). New Lanark is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and qualifies as such because of its rich history in relation to worker's rights. Nowadays it makes an awesome family day trip... and I've been visiting since I was a kid.

I sometimes think that it is only as an adult that you gain a proper understanding of some things. That being said there is a lot to do for children in New Lanark. They have a lovely play park in the middle of town, complete with picnic area. They have seversl walks you can take that are signposted with the animal and plant species nearby. The museum also runs regular interesting and fun activities. The Annie MacLeod experience - where you go on a tour through time to the good old days - being just one.

So when you arrive you will have to park at the top of the hill and walk down - though there are disabled spaces at the bottom. The photo on the right there is the layout of the town and you are greeted with this at the top of the hill. On a clear day you can match the buildings to the plan. When I visit nowadays I tend to go for the hikes and not the buildings, but if that's what you like it is there.





From there, you head downhill and sort of left. There are some interesting signs pointing the way to the main attraction: the Falls of Clyde. The kids love them. There's also a hydroelectric power plant up there on the way, a secret garden and a giant badger mural. Of course, the river is the main attraction. On a fine day you can get right down beside it and some of the boardwalks take you along through it. On a wet day? Take the high road (haha but literally) and avoid it at all costs. You don't want to be swept away!

Last time I was there the river was in spate!

We'll get to the geology in a moment - we all know I only visit places of geological importance! For the moment I want to talk about some of the buildings, and exactly why New Lanark is a UNESCO site.

I've been putting this blog off because I wanted to avoid the politics of it all. Arguably, New Lanark was the birthplace of worker's rights. This is all down to a Welshman named Robert Owen, who bought the entire town for £60k in 1800.  When Robert Owen bought New Lanark it was nothing more than a tiny village with two working mills. Both mills ran on the electricity provided by waterwheels in the basement. Owen bought the town with the express intention of creating what would become known as a socialist haven.

So what did he provide that was so revolutionary? The first thing was to slash the working day from 14 hours to 10 hours. Still a long shift but unheard of in 1800. He then built decent homes for his workers, introduced a fair wage system and provided them with free health care. In addition he built a 'school' for the worker's children and even created the very first worker's nursery in the entire world.

So yeah. He was alright like.

So nowadays when you visit, New Lanark has been preserved as a little community people still live in. The homes are quaint and fully restored, there is a back-in-time village store. and you can visit both Robert's house and his 'School for Children'. They have the New Lanark Mill Hotel, a lovely place where weddings are frequent. They have a cafe and shop with a roof garden you can see as soon as you start your descent - and they even have millworker's house examples. One is from the 1820's and one is from the 1930's. If you're still bored after all of that you can wander around the working textile machinery and have it all explained to you by a professional... and not a weirdo on the internet.

So once you have exhausted yourself in the village, you can follow the badgers out into the valley itself. Now this is where things get even more interesting.

At the end of the walkway, once you have seen all the animal and plant markers and read about the nesting habbits of the local falcons, you will reach the Falls of Clyde. Now, I sell words for a living and I can't even describe this in any accuracy. 'Breath-taking' comes close, 'stunning' doesn't quite cut it, and 'spectacular' isn't enough. The River Clyde has spent all of eternity carving its way through the valley. It has worn down through so many layers of bedrock that we must surely be running out soon. In the picture opposite you should be able to see the bedrock exposure in the background? It's all like that!

Now, with regards to the rocks, it is all a protected area and if I see anyone down there with a hammer and chisel I will report them myself... but you can still go look at the rough stuff. You might not be able to get to it for all the vegetation and to be honest I wouldn't recommend rock hunting here. It's the Clyde so there will be quartz, calcite, and all colours of jasper. You won't find a diamond. Believe me I have hunted just about every bit of this river.

That being said, the site is fascinating. The gorges were cut in the last ice age - the same one that failed to completely cover the tip of Ben Nevis. Deep down in those rocks you will find the coal and iron that made the central belt of Scotland so productive during the Industrial Revolution. The multiple layers of sandstone and exposed bedrock you can see cause tumbling waterfalls, craggy cliffs, and spectacular ridges. The hike itself is free, too. Also, they are running an exhibition at the moment regarding the local Geology. The recent threat of a proposed new quarry in the area has been met with intense local resistance. It's no wonder. Who could possibly dig into this indescribable landscape? The Industrial Revolution is most definitely over. This area needs to be preserved.

As the icing on top of the cake, Wallace's Cave lies beyond the head of the Falls. As most of you will know, Lanark was the home of William Wallace. New Lanark is the village next door to this. After Wallace killed the commander of the Garrison (Heselrig) he and 25 men went into hiding. Whereas the night before they had hid in a cave near the Cartland Crags (oh my God you have to go there!!) the night afterwards they snuck down to New Lanark and hid in a cave they knew. Nowadays it is too treacherous for your average human to get to. Lucky for us, a gentleman over on Flickr managed to get there and post a picture of it.You can see it by following this link.

So that about wraps it up! I am sure there are things I have forgotten. I have heard you can approach from the other side and take in the Corra castle and the Hall of Mirrors; but I haven't been yet. When I do I will get more pictures and update this blog. I also want to mention the guys over at Clyde Valley Adventures, who do tours and activities in this area and the rest of the Clyde Valley. To us, tourism is conservation. The more areas we promote the more awareness of the beauty of the area. The more awareness there is, the more we conserve the special bits... at least that's the plan, anyway.

Until next time: happy exploring, find some good rocks, and don't forget to stop by Facebook and watch the video I took of the heron we saw on this trip!