Guide To Rural Scotland - Glasgow West Central

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F stories and anecdotes G famous people H art and craft I entertainment and sport J walks
A historic building B museum and heritage C historic site D scenic attraction E flora and fauna
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W. LOTHIAN
FALKIRK
NORTH
LANARKSHIRE
RENFREWSHIRE
E. RENFREWSHIRE
INVERCLYDE
CITY OF
GLASGOW
EAST
AYRSHIRE
S. LANARKSHIRE
EAST
DUNBARTON-
SHIRE
WEST
DUNBARTONSHIRE
Auchinleck
Renfrew
Neilston
Bridge of Weir
Stewarton
Th hill
Turnberry
Crawford
Muirkirk
Garelochhead
Balmaha
Lugton
Strathblane
Killearn
Fintry
Kippen
Lochwinnoch
Kilmacolm
Fairlie
Luss
Galston
Sorn
Hollybush
Tweedsmuir
Douglas
Crawfordjohn
Leadhills
Wanlockhead
Sanquhar
Slamannan
Wilsontown
Carstairs
Symington
Beattock
Fisherton
Drongen
Craigbank
Kirkoswald
Balfron
Waterfoot
Buchlyvei
Straiton
Linlithgow
Biggar
Moffat
Maybole
Lesmahagow
Strathaven
Mauchline
New
Cumnock
Lanark
Shotts
Armadale
Largs
Kilbirnie
Kilsyth
Dunipace
Kincardine
Clackmannan
Bo'ness
Helensburgh
Carluke
Motherwell
Ayr
Prestwick
Irvine
Troon
Kilwinning
Kirkintilloch
Airdrie
Falkirk
Livingston
Dumbarton
Dunfermline
Kilmarnock
East Kilbride
Clydebank
GLASGOW
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Towns and Villages
Airdrie pg 22
Balloch pg 16
Bearsden pg 14
Biggar pg 29
Blantyre pg 26
Bothwell pg 25
Cardross pg 17
Carmichael pg 33
Clydebank pg 12
Coatbridge pg 22
Crossford pg 35
Cumbernauld pg 11
Dalserf pg 23
Douglas pg 34
Dumbarton pg 15
Eaglesham pg 25
East Kilbride pg 24
Garelochhead pg 18
Glasgow pg 5
Gourock pg 20
Greenock pg 18
Hamilton pg 21
Helensburgh pg 17
Kilbarchan pg 14
Kilsyth pg 11
Kirkintilloch pg 11
Lanark pg 26
Leadhills pg 33
Lochwinnoch pg 13
Luss pg 18
Milngavie pg 14
Motherwell pg 23
Newton Mearns pg 11
Paisley pg 12
Port Glasgow pg 19
Renfrew pg 14
Rhu pg 18
Rutherglen pg 11
Stonehouse pg 24
Strathaven pg 24
Wishaw pg 23
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Glasgow and West Central Scotland was at
one time the countrys industrial hub. Heavy
engineering, shipbuilding, coal mining and
steelworks predominated, providing work for
thousands and fortunes for the favoured few.
As well as the city of Glasgow, the area takes
in the former counties of Dunbartonshire,
Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire, which all played
their part in Scotlands rich industrial history.
But while it is still Scotlands most populous
area, and where the bulk of its industry and
commerce is located, it is now clean and
attractive, with much to do and see.
The scenery can be outstanding, from the
upper reaches of the Clyde, with its quiet
pastoral scenery and cosy villages surrounded
by high, lonely moorland, to the hills above
Greenock and of course, the bonnie banks of
Loch Lomond. Then theres Glasgow itself.
Once a gritty working class city with an image
problem, it has burgeoned into a sophisticated,
cosmopolitan city with
a lively caf society (at
least once during a
visit, do what the
locals do - sit at a
pavement caf sipping
coffee while people
watch you watching
them). There are art
galleries and museums
galore, bars, shops and
shopping malls (it is
the second largest
shopping centre in
Britain), award-
Glasgow & West Central
Scotland
winning restaurants, glitzy hotels, concert halls
and nightclubs.
It is home to Scottish Opera, The Royal
Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet,
and a string of theatres where you can see
anything from serious drama to variety shows.
It is also one of Britains best dressed cities,
and it is reckoned that there are more Armani
and Versace outfits worn here than anywhere
else in Britain outside London.
That area of the West End known as
Kelvinside is the citys wealthiest area. It isnt
just a place of trendy flats and apartments,
though these abound. It also has some
seriously large mansions in the streets north
and south of Great Western Road. These are
occupied by professional people such as TV
personalities, doctors, writers and lawyers, who
appreciate the leafy elegance of the area.
And in the centre of Glasgow is the
Merchant City, once run down and seedy, but
Trossachs, nr Dumbarton
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now home to the citys caf society. New
apartment blocks have recently been built and
older properties have been converted into flats.
But there is still the quirky Glasgow - the
city of fish and chips shops, betting shops,
working mens pubs, raucous laughter and
street markets, including the famous Barras,
held every Saturday and Sunday in the East
End. The city is ringed by enormous council
estates that took the families who used to live
in the teeming tenements. It may not be the
image of Glasgow that some people would
like to project, but they are still there, and in
their own way they have as much to do with
the citys character as the smart bars,
restaurants, concert halls and theatres.
Glasgow has always been an easy place to
get out of. Within half an hour of the city
centre you can be admiring the grandeur of
bens, glens and lochs, taking it easy in some
wonderfully bucolic pastoral scenery, or
strolling along a lonely beach that has a
backdrop of magnificent hills.
Loch Lomond is renowned the world over. A
train will take you straight to its bonnie banks in
just under an hour, and its a journey thousands
of Glaswegians make. Were on the edge of the
Highlands here, and indeed the Highland
Boundary Fault, which separates the Highland
from the Lowlands, passes through the loch.
The River Clyde has traditionally been a
working river, its banks once ringing to the
sound of shipbuilding. But there is another
Clyde, one that isnt so well known. The upper
reaches of the river, in rural Lanarkshire,
present an altogether different picture. Within
the verdant Clyde Valley, youll find quiet
orchards, green fields, woodland, small
attractive villages and cosy pubs. The area
around Lanark is green and pleasant, with
small farms, woodland, low rounded hills and
quiet country roads. And the lonely moorland
where the river rises has a gaunt but
compelling beauty.
The towns also have their attractions.
Helensburgh, Gourock and Dumbarton
(once the capital of the Kingdom of
Strathclyde) sit on the shores of the Firth of
Clyde. Hamilton, Paisley, Lanark, Motherwell
and the new town of East Kilbride are inland
towns, and each has its attractions, such as
the magnificent Paisley Abbey or the
impressive shopping malls (the largest in
Scotland) in East Kilbride. In some towns
close to Glasgow, such as Motherwell, Airdrie
or Coatbridge, the excesses of industry once
blighted the landscape, but these have been
cleaned up, and some places, such as
Summerlee at Coatbridge, have taken this
industrial heritage and turned it into a
tourist attraction.
This whole area was once the powerhouse
of Scotland. It is not ashamed of the fact, nor
should it be. Coal was mined here, steel was
produced, heavy industry sent smoke pluming
into the sky, ships were built, deals were struck
and money made. Money is still being made in
the area, but now it comes from electronics,
banking, tourism, broadcasting and publishing.
But the people havent changed. They have
remained hardworking and friendly, with a
pride in the past and a great faith in the future.
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Glasgow
A Cathedral of St Mungo B St Mungos Museum
A Provands Lordship B Glasgow Science Centre
B The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour B Clydebuilt
H Kelvingrove Art Gallery A City Chambers
C Fossil Grove B Glasgow Museum of Transport
B Hunterian Museum H Hunterian Art Gallery
E Glasgow Botanic Gardens A Hutchesons Hall
H Gallery of Modern Art B Glasgow Police Museum
H Centre for Contemporary Arts A Tenement House
A Tolbooth Steeple A Templetons Carpet Factory
B Scottish Football Museum B Celtic Visitor Centre
B National Piping Centre A Martyrs Public School
B Heatherbank Museum of Social Work
G Charles Rennie Mackintosh A Holmwood House
A Glasgow School of Art B Scotland Street School
B Museum of the Royal Highland Fusiliers
G Greek Thomson H Burrell Collection
A Pollok House
Glasgow has worked hard on its image over
the past few years. Gone are the constant
references to gang fights, organised crime,
drunkenness, ugly industrial townscapes and
bad housing. Now people talk of trendy
nightspots, theatres, restaurants, pavement
cafs and art galleries.
The city has changed its image more than
once over the years. It was founded in the 7th
century by St Kentigern, also known as St
Mungo, and started life in early medieval times
as a small religious community grouped round
a cathedral. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it
became a city of trade, dealing with the
American colonies in such commodities as
tobacco and cotton, which made many people
very rich indeed. In the 19th century it became
a city of industry, with shipyards and heavy
engineering works. Now it relies mostly on
tourism, the media, service industries and the
arts for employment.
The area round the Cathedral of St
Mungo (Historic Scotland) is where it all
started. This was where St Kentigern, or
Mungo, established a small church in the 6th
century. The present cathedral was founded in
the 12th century by David I, and the building
shows work from this period onwards. It is the
only Scottish mainland cathedral that escaped
the Reformation of 1560 more or less intact.
In its crypt is the Tomb of St Mungo, once a
place of pilgrimage, but now visited by
pilgrims of a different sort - tourists. The
Blackadder Aisle is a wonderful piece of
architecture added by Archbishop Robert
Blackadder in about 1500.
St Mungos Cathedral, Glasgow
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On a hill behind the cathedral is the
Necropolis, Glasgows ancient burial ground,
and in front of the cathedral is the modern
(and looking anything but modern) St
Mungos Museum of Religious Life and
Art. Across from it is Glasgows oldest house,
Provands Lordship, built in 1471 as a manse
for the former St Nicholas Hospital.
The Clyde made Glasgow, and Glasgow
made the Clyde, runs an old, but true, saying.
In the 17th century, the city was seen as being
wholly inland, and the river was so shallow
that people could wade across it. But in 1768,
a man called John Golborne began canalising
and deepening it to allow large ships to sail
right up into the city. The Tall Ship at
Glasgow Harbour (see panel below) in
Stobcross Road, tells the story of the river and
the industries it spawned. The centrepiece is
the tall ship itself, the S V Glenlee, built in
1896. At Braehead, on the south side of the
river, and a few miles downstream, is another
museum that celebrates the Clyde - the award-
winning Clydebuilt. It is part of the Scottish
Maritime Museum and tells the rivers story
from the 1700s up to the present day.
The Clyde Waterbus Service takes you on a
boat trip along the Clyde from the city centre
to Braehead, with a commentary on the
history of the river as you go.
Close to the Tall Ship is the Scottish
Exhibition and Conference Centre, a
mammoth complex of halls and auditoriums,
including what Glaswegians now refer to as
the Armadillo, a metal and glass creation
whose design owes more than a little to
Sydney Opera House. And across the river
from it is the citys newest attraction, the
Glasgow Science Centre. Built on the site of
the Glasgow Garden Festival, it is a
combination of museum, laboratory and
hands-on exhibition area that explores science
and discovery, and has four floors featuring
more than 300 exhibits. The accompanying
Glasgow Tower is Scotlands tallest
freestanding structure at 412 feet, and theres
also an IMAX Theatre.
Glasgow has always been a city of museums
and art galleries, even when it relied on industry
for its employment. Like most large cities, its
West End is where the well-off built their
mansions, as the prevailing south-westerly
The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour
100 Stobcross Road, Glasgow G3 8QQ
Tel: 0141 222 2513
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.thetallship.com
Sail through 100 years of maritime history at the Tall Ship
at Glasgow Harbour. Follow the remarkable restoration of
the Glenlee from an abandoned hulk in Seville harbour to her
fullyrigged splendour today and learn about the living
conditions aboard a deep sea trading ship. Explore the cargo
hold where you will see what goods she carried, the deck
house where the crew lived, the poop deck and the galley.
Also in the harbour is the Pier 17 restaurant, a gift shop and
various exhibitions and events. Phone for details.
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winds carried the smells of the city away from
them. Here youll find the Kelvingrove Art
Gallery and Museum which benefited from a
27.9m refurbishment before re-opening in
2006. It is housed in a grand red sandstone
building that froths with detail. It has
internationally important collections on
archaeology, botany, zoology, geology and all
the other ologies you can think of. There are
Egyptian mummies, fossils, stuffed animals,
dinosaur skeletons, clothing and uniforms from
all over the world, as well as weapons, and a
host of other material. The art collection is
stunning, and is possibly the most
comprehensive civic collection in Europe. The
museums magnificent organ was built at the
turn of the last century by Lewis and Co Ltd,
London, and organ recitals have been a feature
of Kelvingrove ever since the building opened.
The Glasgow Museum of Transport,
with trains, carriages, motorcars and a
marvellous collection of model ships, sits
opposite the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and
Museum. Perhaps the most striking display is
the one on Glasgows underground system.
The system forms a simple loop round the city
centre and West End, and in the late 1970s
was upgraded, with orange trains taking the
place of the much-loved wood and metal ones.
The Glaswegians immediately dubbed it the
Clockwork Orange and the name has stuck.
More properly, it is known as the Glasgow
Subway, rather than underground or metro.
Also in the West End, just off Byres Road
(the areas trendiest street) are the Hunterian
Museum and the Hunterian Art Gallery,
which form part of Glasgow University. The
museum has fine collections covering
geology and numismatics, while the gallery
has paintings, furniture and interior design by
Mackintosh and Whistler. At the top of
Byres Road is the Glasgow Botanic
Gardens with, at its centre, the Kibble
Palace, a huge greenhouse with plants from
all over the world. It is named after its
builder John Kibble, who erected it beside his
house on the banks of Loch Long. It was
rebuilt here in 1873, after being dismantled
and sailed up the Clyde.
Within Victoria Park, further to the west, is
the Fossil Grove (open between April and
September only), undoubtedly the citys most
ancient attraction. It consists of fragments of
an ancient forest over 330 million years old
which was discovered in 1887. They are housed
within a small building to protect them.
The heart of Glasgow nowadays is George
Square, a huge open space in front of the
Victorian City Chambers (conducted tours
Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow
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available). There are statues galore, and it is a
favourite place for city workers to relax in the
sun. The City Chambers themselves reflect
Glasgows wealth and confidence in the
Victorian era, and so opulent are the interiors
that they stood in for the Vatican in the film
Heavenly Pursuits. Round the corner youll find
Hutchesons Hall (National Trust for
Scotland), founded in 1641 as a hospice,
though the building itself is 18th century. It
was designed by David Hamilton, and has a
small exhibition about the Merchant City, that
area that housed the homes and offices of the
rich 17th- and 18th-century merchants who
traded with America. Nowadays, it is an area
of expensive apartment blocks, smart bars,
restaurants and pubs. Not far away, in Queen
Street, is the Gallery of Modern Art, housed
in an elegant, neo-classical building. It has four
floors of work by modern artists such as
Christine Borland and Toby Paterson. In
Buccleuch Street near Charing Cross, is the
Tenement House (National Trust for
Scotland). Built in the late 19th century, it re-
creates the genteel tenement living conditions
that were common among Glasgows lower
middle classes in the early 20th century. It is
open between March and October. The
Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) is at
320 Sauchiehall Street, and has a changing
programme of events, performances and
exhibitions. There are six galleries, a small
cinema, bookshop and bar/restaurant
The Mitchell Library is an imposing domed
building in North Street, not far from Charing
Cross. It is Britains largest municipal library,
and has collections covering Scottish and local
history, genealogy, and Robert Burns.
The Glasgow Police Museum is in St
Andrews Square (to the east of Glasgow
Cross), with exhibits highlighting the Glasgow
Police Force between 1800 and 1975. And at
the Cross itself is the old Glasgow Tolbooth
Steeple, dating from the 1620s. At one time it
provided offices for the City Council, and had
a jail incorporated into it.
Glasgow Green, a huge area of parkland in
the citys east end, is Glasgows lung. It has
been common land for centuries, and it was
here that Charles Edward Stuart mustered his
troops during the Jacobite Uprising when he
occupied the city. Now it is the citys largest
park, with its centrepiece being the Peoples
Palace and Winter Gardens, a museum and
glasshouse complex that tells the citys own
story. Close to it is the Doulton Fountain, at
46 feet high and 70 feet wide, the worlds
largest terracotta fountain. It was recently
refurbished at a cost of 3.75m. On the
eastern edge of Glasgow Green is one of the
citys most colourful buildings - Templetons
Carpet Factory (now a business centre). It is
based on a Venetian design, with walls that
incorporate multi-coloured bricks.
Glasgow is synonymous with football, and
at the redeveloped Hampden Park, on the
south side of the Clyde, is the Scottish
Football Museum. It reveals the sights,
sounds and stories of the worlds most
popular game, and tells how it almost shaped
the history of Glasgow in the late 19th and
20th centuries. You can see such things as the
oldest football ticket in the world, the Scottish
Cup trophy and Kenny Dalgleishs 100th
Scottish cap.
At Celtic Park in the Parkhead area of the
city is the Celtic Visitor Centre, which traces
the history of Celtic Football Club, one of
Glasgows big two football clubs. There are
exhibits, a stadium tour and a shop selling
Celtic memorabilia. Rangers Football Club is
Glasgows other major team, with Ibrox, in
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Govan, to the south of the river. The Rangers
Tour Experience takes you on a guided tour
of the stadium, including the Trophy Room.
If you want to immerse yourself in
something typically Scottish, then the
National Piping Centre in Otago Street has
a small museum dedicated to Scotlands
national instrument. Within the Caledonian
University on Cowcaddens Road, not far away,
is the Heatherbank Museum of Social
Work. It has displays on housing, health and
childcare, and looks at how socially excluded
people were cared for in the past.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh is the most
famous of Glasgows architects, and was born
in 1868. He designed a number of buildings in
Glasgow, and there are organised tours taking
you to the best of them arranged by the
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society. His most
famous building is the Glasgow School of
Art in Renfrew Street. It is still a working
college, though tours are available by
appointment. On the south side of the river is
the Scotland Street School, now a museum
dedicated to education. Another school is the
Martyrs Public School in Parson Street. It is
no longer used as a school and is open to the
public. The Willow Tea Rooms in Sauchiehall
Street still sells traditional Scottish high teas
amid Mackintoshs designs, and the Queens
Cross Church on Garscube Road is now the
headquarters of the Charles Rennie
Mackintosh Society. At Bellahouston Park, on
the south side, is the House for an Art Lover,
which interprets some of the incomplete
designs Mackintosh submitted to a
competition in a German magazine. The
Lighthouse, Scotlands centre for architecture,
design and the city, is in Mitchell
Lane and has a Mackintosh
interpretation centre. It is housed in a
Mackintosh-designed building that
was once the home of Glasgows
daily newspaper, The Herald. In the
Hunterian Art Gallery there is also
the Mackintosh House, featuring the
principal rooms from Mackintoshs
own house, together with a collection
of designs and watercolours.
Another Glasgow architect,
formerly overshadowed by
Mackintosh but now more widely
known, was Alexander Thomson
(1817-1875), known as Greek
Thomson because of the Greek
influences in his work. He designed
St Vincent Street Church, as well as
Holmwood House (National Trust
for Scotland) in Netherlee Road, in
the southern suburbs.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Church, Glasgow
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Perhaps Glasgows most famous modern
attraction is the Burrell Collection, housed in
a purpose-built complex of galleries in Pollok
Country Park, south of the river. William
Burrell (see also Largs and Hutton Castle)
gifted a huge collection of art and historical
objects to the city of Glasgow, and now more
than 8000 of them are on display. A whole day
could be spent going round the collection.
Also in the park is Pollok House (National
Trust for Scotland - see panel below), a
Georgian mansion that houses the Stirling
Maxwell collection of decorative arts.
Glasgow is Britains second largest shopping
centre, the three main shopping streets being
Argyle Street, Sauchiehall Street and Buchanan
Street. There are also enormous shopping
malls. The St Enoch Centre is just off Argyle
Street, the Buchanan Galleries are at the
corner of Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall
Street, while the Braehead Shopping Centre is
south of the river on the citys western fringes,
near Renfrew. Theres also the Forge at
Parkhead, in the East End.
Within the city centre there are two
exclusive retail developments. Princes Square,
off Buchanan Street, is a mix of upmarket
shops and cafs, while the Italian Centre is
where youll find the designer labels.
In Sauchiehall Street is the Regimental
Museum of the Royal Highland Fusiliers.
It is Scotlands second oldest infantry
Pollok House
Pollok Country Park, 2060 Pollokshaws Road,
Glasgow G43 1AT
Tel: 0141 616 6410 Fax: 014) 616 6521
e-mail [email protected]
website: www.nts.org.uk
Visit Pollok House and capture the flavour of one
of Scotlands grandest Edwardian country houses,
It is the ancestral home of the Maxwells of Pollok,
who have lived on this site for 700 years. The
present house,
which replaced three earlier structures, was begun in
1747. It was extended from 1890 by Sir John Stirling
Maxwell Bt, KT, a founder member of The National Trust
for Scotland.
The house contains much original furniture as well as
some of the finest Spanish paintings in Britain. A rare
survival is the magnificent suite of servants quarters,
which shows the scale of country house life around 1900.
These contain the popular Edwardian Kitchen Restaurant,
renowned for its lunch menu and home baking, and the
shop in the Housekeepers Room. At weekends, visitors
can see a reconstruction, of the way the house might have
been run at the turn of the last century. Pollok House is set
amid formal and walled gardens at the heart of Pollok
Country Park.
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regiment, and was formed in the 1960s when
the Highland Light Infantry amalgamated with
the Royal Scottish Fusiliers.
Around Glasgow
KIRKINTILLOCH
7 miles NE of Glasgow city centre on the A803
B Auld Kirk Museum H Craft Daft
The old burgh of Kirkintilloch sits beside the
Forth and Clyde Canal, which has recently
been re-opened after a multi-million pound
refurbishment. It connects the Firth of Clyde
and the Firth of Forth, with a further canal,
the Union Canal, connecting it to Edinburgh.
The Auld Kirk Museum is housed in the
former parish church, which dates from 1644.
In Peel Park are some Roman remains from
the Antonine Wall.
Craft Daft (On a Raft) is a craft studio on
a canal boat moored in the Forth and Clyde
Canal at Glasgow Bridge. Here you can paint a
ceramic ornament to take away immediately, or
a mug or plate to collect in a day or two. You
can also try glass painting, silk painting,
encaustic wax, pyrography or quilling.
CUMBERNAULD
12 miles NE of Glasgow off the A80
E Palacerigg Country Park
Set on a hill above the A80, Cumbernauld is
one of Scotlands new towns. It was created in
1956 as a population overspill for Glasgow
City and was built partly on what was an old
country estate. It is now the eighth most
populous settlement in Scotland, the largest in
North Lanarkshire, and also larger than two
of Scotlands cities, Inverness and Stirling. In
1981, it provided the setting for the hit film
Gregorys Girl. To the southeast of the town,
Palacerigg Country Park covers 750 acres
and has an animal collection that is unique in
Central Scotland. In addition to some friendly
farm animals, the menagerie includes rare
breeds such as Eriskay ponies, North
Ronaldsay and Boreray sheep, Shetland and
white park cattle, Bagot and Guernsey goats,
Tamworth pigs and Scots grey and Scots
dumpy poultry.
KILSYTH
11miles NE of Glasgow on the A809
C Battle of Kilsyth
The Battle of Kilsyth was fought on
August 15 1645, when the first Marquis
of Montrose routed a Covenanting army led
by William Bailiie of Letham. A reservoir is
now located where Montroses army camped,
and a cairn marks the spot where the battle
took place.
RUTHERGLEN
2 miles SE of Glasgow city centre on the A749
This royal burgh is one of the oldest in
Scotland, having been granted its royal charter
by David I in the 12th century. For a short
while the burgh was incorporated into the city
of Glasgow, something that was greatly
resented by some of its citizens. Since 1997, the
town has formed part of the local authority
area of South Lanarkshire. A gable of its
medieval Parish Church survives in the kirkyard
of its more modern successor. Robbie Coltrane
(Hagrid in the Harry Potter films) was born
here, and for a short while Stan Laurel lived in
the town and went to a local school.
NEWTON MEARNS
7 miles S of Glasgow on the A77
E Greenbank House
Newton Mearns is a commuter town of smart
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bungalows and substantial houses. The four-
square Parish Church dates from 1755, and
close by is Greenbank House (National
Trust for Scotland) surrounded by beautiful
gardens. The house is not open to the public
but the walled garden and 16 acres of
woodland are.
CLYDEBANK
7 miles W of Glasgow city centre on the A814
B Clydebank Museum
Clydebank is a former shipbuilding town, and it
was here that the Queen Mary, the Queen
Elizabeth and the Queen Elizabeth II were built.
The town suffered more damage in proportion
to its size than any other British town from air
raids in World War II. In early 1941, during the
Clydebank Blitz, the centre of the town was
flattened, other parts severely damaged and
many people were killed. The Clydebank
Museum at the Town Hall in Dumbarton
Road has exhibits devoted to the Blitz, as well
as to the famous Singer sewing machine factory
that once stood in the town.
PAISLEY
5 miles W of Glasgow city centre on the A761
A Paisley Abbey G John Witherspoon
A Thomas Coats Memorial Church
B Paisley Museum & Art Gallery
B Sma Shot Cottages H Paisley Arts Centre
G Robert Tannahill E Gleniffer Braes Country Park
E Jennys Well Local Nature Reserve
C Wallace Memorial
The large town of Paisley is centred on the
great Abbey Church of Saints Mary the
Virgin, James the Greater of Compostella,
Mirin and Milburga. It is better known as
Paisley Abbey. The abbey was founded in the
12th century by Walter FitzAlan, first High
Steward of Scotland and progenitor of the
Stewart dynasty. Within its walls are the tombs
of most of the non-royal High Stewards, as
well as that of Princess Marjory, daughter of
Robert the Bruce. Her grandson, Robert III, is
also buried here. It can legitimately claim to be
the birthplace of the Stewart dynasty, because
Robert II, the first Stewart king, was born at
the abbey in 1316. Marjory had been seriously
injured in a riding accident at Knock, a nearby
hill, and she was brought to the abbey where
she died soon after giving birth to her son.
The building as you see it now was built
from the 12th century onwards, though the
bulk dates from the 15th century. The choir
was rebuilt in the early 1900s. Within the
abbey is a memorial to John Witherspoon, a
former minister of the Laigh Kirk, who signed
the American Declaration of Independence. A
statue of him can also be found in front of
Paisley University.
Another famous Paisley church is the
Baptist Thomas Coats Memorial Church,
sometimes known as the Baptist Cathedral
because of its size. It was built in 1894 in
memory of Thomas Coats of the Coats and
Clark thread-making firm. The same Thomas
Coats gifted the Coats Observatory to the
towns Philosophical Institution in 1883. It is
now open to the public. Adjacent is Paisley
Museum and Art Gallery, with displays of
Paisley shawls and other memorabilia.
Paisley was the birthplace of many famous
people. Tom Conti the actor was born here, as
were John Byrne the artist and writer (whose
most famous work is undoubtedly the TV
series Tutti Frutti), Andrew Neill, now editor
of The Scotsman, Gerry Rafferty the singer, and
Fulton Mackay of Porridge fame.
At the Corner of Shuttle Street and George
Place are the 18th- and 19th-century weaving
cottages known as Sma Shot Cottages,
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housing an interpretation centre that gives an
insight into the living conditions of Paisleys
weaving families in the past. Nearby, in New
Street, is Paisley Arts Centre, housed in the
former Laigh Kirk of 1738.
In the 18th century, the town was famed
for its poets, the most famous being Robert
Tannahill, who was born in Tannahill
Cottage in Queen Street in 1774. He was a
silk weaver who wrote the words to such
beautiful songs as Jessie the Flower o Dunblane
and The Braes o Gleniffer. The actual braes
(hillsides) themselves now form part of the
1300-acre Gleniffer Braes Country Park, to
the south of the town. There are spectacular
views from the Robertson Car Park, and
guide tours are available.
Jennys Well Local Nature Reserve, on
the south bank of the White Cart Water, is
less than a mile from the centre of the town,
and is locked between a council estate and a
chemicals factory. For all that, it is a haven for
wildlife with some pleasant walks. To the
north of Paisley, on the other side of the M8,
is Glasgow International Airport.
The village of Elderslie, a mile west of the
town, is the supposed birthplace of William
Wallace, and the Wallace Memorial, built in
1912, explains his exploits.
LOCHWINNOCH
16 miles SW of Glasgow on the B786
E Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park
A Castle Semple Church
E Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve
The Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park covers
106 square miles of magnificent countryside
Coats Observatory, Paisley
EAST LOCHHEAD
Kilbirnie Road, Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire PA12 4DX
Tel/Fax: 01505 842610
e-mail: [email protected] website: www.eastlochhead.co.uk
The Andersons offer you, (and well-behaved pets), a warm
welcome at East Lochhead. The 4-star quality self-catering
cottages in a courtyard layout, have fully equipped kitchens and
gas central heating throughout. Lochwinnoch is just 20 miles from Glasgow in a lovely setting
between the moors of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park and Castle Semple Loch. It provides easy
access to Ayrshires coast, golf courses, the islands of Arran, Bute and Cumbrae; Loch Lomond,
the Trossachs and the varied attractions of Glasgow.
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from Greenock to Inverkip and down into
Ayrshire. It is ideal for walking, cycling, fishing
and observing wildlife. There is also sailing on
Castle Semple Loch. Near its shores are the
ruins of Castle Semple Church, founded in
the early 16th century by John Semple. He was
later killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513,
and his tomb can be seen at the east end of
the church.
The Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve is
run by the RSPB, and has nature trails
through woodland, with viewing areas and a
visitor centre.
KILBARCHAN
11 miles SW of Glasgow, off the A761
A The Weavers Cottage G Habbie Simpson
This is undoubtedly the most picturesque
village in Renfrewshire, a huddle of charming
18th-century weaving cottages. The Weavers
Cottage (National Trust for Scotland) dates
from 1723, and shows what a typical weavers
home (complete with working loom) was like.
In a niche on the wall of the Steeple Hall of
1755, is a statute to Habbie Simpson, the
villages famous 17th-century piper. It is a
bronze reproduction of one made in wood by
Archibald Simpson in 1822.
RENFREW
5 miles W of Glasgow on the A8
C Battle of Renfrew
B Renfrew Community Museum
The ancient burgh of Renfrew was granted its
charter in 1143, making it one of the oldest in
Scotland. It was here, in 1164, that one of the
lesser-known, but still important, Scottish
battles took place - the Battle of Renfrew. It
was fought between Somerled, Lord of the
Isles, and the royal army of Malcolm IV led by
Walter FitzAlan, founder of Paisley Abbey and
first High Steward of Scotland. This battle
brought the Western Isles fully under the
control of the Scottish monarchy. The story
of the battle is an intriguing one. Somerled
had sailed up the Clyde the previous year
with 15,000 troops carried in more than 160
great warships. One version of the story says
that the king had bribed Somerleds nephew
to murder him, which he did, and the troops
returned home. Another version - probably
the true one - says that Somerled was killed
during the battle along with his heir, and they
were carried off to be buried in Saddell
Abbey on the Mull of Kintyre.
The Renfrew Community Museum in the
Brown Institute in Canal Street was opened in
1997 to coincide with the 600th anniversary of
the town being granted royal burgh status. It
has displays of local history.
BEARSDEN AND MILNGAVIE
6 miles NW of Glasgow city centre on the A809
and A81
C Roman Bathhouse J West Highland Way
H The Lillie Art Gallery
These two prosperous towns are firmly within
Glasgows inner commuting belt, and are full
of large Victorian and Edwardian mansions as
well as the more modest bungalows of the
1930s. The Antonine Wall (named after
Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius) passes close
by. It was built of turf in the 2nd century to
keep out the warring tribesmen of the north,
and stretched for 37 miles between the Clyde
and the Forth. In Bearsden there are the
remains of a Roman Bathhouse.
Mugdock Country Park sits off the A81
north of Milngavie (pronounced Mull-guy)
which is the starting point for the 95-mile-long
West Highland Way, which connects the
Glasgow conurbation with Fort William.
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The Lillie Art Gallery, in Station Road,
Milngavie, was founded by banker and amateur
artist Robert Lillie, and opened in 1962. It has a
collection of 20th-century Scottish paintings,
including works by the Scottish Colourists, Joan
Eardley and Philip Reves.
Dumbarton
A Dumbarton Castle B Denny Tank Museum
A College Bow E Overtoun Estate
The town sits where the River Leven, fed by
Loch Lomond, enters the Clyde, and is
dominated by Dumbarton Castle (Historic
Scotland), which sits high on a volcanic plug
240 feet above the Firth of Clyde. It is one of
the oldest fortified sites in Britain, and from
the 8th to the early 11th centuries was the
capital of the ancient kingdom of Strathclyde.
It was incorporated into Scotland in 1034,
when its king, Duncan, also assumed the
throne of Scotland. The name itself means
the Fort of the Britons, and though the town
is called Dumbarton, the former county is
Dunbartonshire, with an n. The castle now
mainly consists of modern barracks, but there
is still plenty to see,
including a 12th-
century gateway, a
dungeon and a
museum. From the top
there is a splendid
view out over the Firth
of Clyde. It was from
Dumbarton in 1548
that Mary Queen of
Scots set sail for
France and her
eventual marriage to
Francis, the Dauphin.
This was considered
to be much safer than leaving from an east
coast port, as Henry VIIIs ships were
patrolling the North Sea. The English king
had wanted Mary to marry his son Henry,
and when the Scottish parliament refused to
ratify such an agreement, Henry tried
unsuccessfully to force the marriage, a period
known as the Rough Wooing.
The Denny Tank Museum in Castle Street
forms part of the Scottish Maritime Museum.
It is the oldest experimental water tank in the
world, and is the length of a football pitch. It
was built in 1882 as part of Dennys shipyard,
whose most famous ship was undoubtedly the
tea clipper the Cutty Sark. It was here that hull
shapes were tested in water using carefully
crafted models before the ships themselves
were built. On display are many of the models
built by Denny craftsmen.
Though Denny was famous for its ships, it
also has a place in aircraft history, as it built
the first helicopter capable of flight in 1909, as
well as the worlds first hovercraft, half a
century later.
In Church Street is an old archway called
the College Bow once part of the long-
Trossachs, nr Dumbarton
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gone Collegiate Church of St Mary. On the
hillside above the town is the beautiful
Overtoun Estate, which commands
wonderful views over the Firth. It was
bequeathed to the people of Dumbarton by
Douglas White, a London doctor, in 1939.
Old Kilpatrick, to the west of the town, is
supposed to be the birthplace of St Patrick,
who was captured by raiders and taken to
Ireland in the 4th century.
Around Dumbarton
BALLOCH
4 miles N of Dumbarton on the A811
D Loch Lomond H Antartex Village Visitor Centre
E Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
D Duncryne Hill E Balloch Castle Country Park
J Leven Valley Heritage Trail
B Motoring Memories Museum
This pleasant town sits at the point where the
River Leven (at five miles long, Scotlands
shortest river) leaves Loch Lomond on its
way to Dumbarton and the Clyde. The loch is
recognised as Scotlands largest and most
beautiful sheet of water, covering more than
27 square miles. The Loch Lomond and the
Trossachs National Park was Scotlands
first national park, opened in 2002, and
Lomond Shores at Balloch includes the
National Park Gateway.
The loch is at its widest to the south. It
gradually narrows and gets deeper as it goes
north, and at some points reaches a depth of
more than 600 feet, making it the third
deepest loch in Scotland. Many songs have
been written about this stretch of water, the
most famous being the Bonnie, Bonnie Banks o
Loch Lomond. The song was written by a
Jacobite prisoner held in Carlisle Castle who
was due to be executed. He is telling a fellow
prisoner whose life had been spared that he
(the condemned man) will be in Scotland
before him because he will take the low
road, the road of death, while his colleague
will take the high road, or the road of life.
At the nearby village of Gartocharn is
Duncryne Hill (nicknamed The Dumpling by
locals), where you get a marvellous view, not
just of the loch, but also of the surrounding
countryside. The Highland Boundary Fault,
which separates the Lowlands of Scotland
from the Highlands, passes through Loch
Lomond from Glen Fruin on the west, to
Balmaha on the east. The Balloch Castle
Country Park, northeast of Balloch, has
lochside walks, gardens and a visitor centre.
South from the town you can follow the
Leven Valley Heritage Trail, taking you
down the valley of the Leven to Dumbarton,
passing such small industrial towns as
Alexandria and Renton.
In Alexandria is the Antartex Village
Visitor Centre. It incorporates a factory
making sheepskin coats (with factory tours
available), a mill shop and a small craft
village. Close by is the Loch Lomond Factory
Outlets and Motoring Memories Museum,
housed in a magnificent building where one
of Scotlands former makes of car, the
Argyll, was manufactured.
Renton has a special place in the hearts of
all Scottish football supporters. Not only was
Renton Football Club responsible for the
founding of the Scottish League, it became
champions of the United Kingdom and the
world in 1888 when it beat West Bromwich
Albion at Hampden Park.
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CARDROSS
4 miles W of Dumbarton on the A814
E Geilston Gardens
Geilston Gardens (National Trust for
Scotland) surround a late 17th-century house
(not open to the public) to the east of the
town. Also at Cardross, in Darleith Road, is
St Mahews Chapel, dating from 1467, though
a church of some kind has stood here since
the 7th century. It was at Cardross Castle
(now gone) that Robert the Bruce died of
leprosy in 1329.
HELENSBURGH
G John Logie Baird A Hill House C Glen Fruin
Helensburgh now finds itself within Argyll,
though at one time it was in Dunbartonshire.
It was founded in the 18th century by Sir
James Colquhoun of Luss, and named after
his wife Helen. John Logie Baird, the
inventor of television, was born here in 1888.
It is one of the ports of call in July and
August for the PS Waverley, the worlds last
ocean-going paddle steamer.
In Upper Colquhoun Street youll find one
of Charles Rennie Mackintoshs masterpieces -
the Hill House (see panel below). It was
commissioned by Walter Blackie, the Glasgow
publisher, in 1902, and contains some of
Mackintoshs finest work. Not only did he
design the building, he also designed the
interior decoration, the fittings and most of
the furniture. There are also gardens
surrounding the house.
North of Helensburgh is Glen Fruin,
which has a narrow road that takes you over to
The Hill House
Upper Colquhoun Street, Helensburgh G84 9AJ
Tel: 01436 673900 Fax: 01436 674685
website: www.nts.org.uk
The finest of Charles Rennie Mackintoshs domestic
creations, The Hill House sits high above the Clyde,
commanding fine views over the river estuary. Walter
Blackie, director of the well known Glasgow publishers,
commissioned not only the house and garden but much
of the furniture and all the interior fittings and decorative schemes. Mackintoshs wife,
Margaret MacDonald, contributed fabric designs and a unique gesso overmantel. The overall
effect is daring, but restrained in its elegance: the result, timeless rooms, as modern today as
they must have been in 1904 when the Blackie family moved in.
An information room interprets the special relationship between architect and patron and
provides a historical context for Inspirations, a dazzling exhibition in the upper east wing and
the gardens. It brings together exceptional pieces of domestic design by great living
designers, all of whom, in some way, pay homage to Mackintoshs elegance and invention,
Inspiring comparisons may,be drawn between the work of Mackintosh, now recognised as
one of the geniuses of the early 20th century, and pieces that themselves have become 21
st century icons.
The gardens have been restored to their former glory, and reflect features common to
Mackintoshs architectural designs, They also contain a kinetic sculpture given to the house
by the artist George Rickey.
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Loch Lomond. It was the scene of a battle in
1602 when the MacGregors defeated the
Colquhouns with much loss of life. The origin
of the conflict occurred when two members of
Clan McGregor were returning to Loch
Rannoch from Glasgow in early winter, and
stopped near the Loch Lomond end of Glen
Fruin to ask for hospitality from the
Colquhouns. This was refused, a blatant breach
of the rules of Highland hospitality, so the two
McGregors killed, then cooked and ate a sheep.
On finding out, the Colquhoun chief ordered
that the two men be executed, even though they
had offered to pay for the animal.
The execution was duly carried out, and,
when word reached the McGregor chief,
Alasdair of Glenstrae, he decided to seek
revenge. A party of 80 men set out for Glen
Fruin, where they killed two Colqhuouns and
drove off some sheep and cattle. The two
clans eventually met in battle at the east end
of the glen, near Loch Lomond.
RHU
E Glenarn Gardens
Rhu (pronounced roo) is a small, attractive
village at the entrance to the Gair Loch. It
was originally called Row, and in the 18th
century was one of the ports on the Rhu to
Roseneath ferry. Glenarn Gardens off
Glenarn Road is a sheltered woodland garden
famous for its rhododendrons.
LUSS
11 miles N of Dumbarton off the A82
A Church of St MacKessog
This beautiful little village - one of the
loveliest in Scotland - was once the setting for
Scottish Televisions soap opera High Road, in
which it was called Glendarroch. Its an estate
village built by the Colquhoun family of
nearby Rossdhu Castle, and sits on the banks
of Loch Lomond. On the opposite shore, the
mighty bulk of Ben Lomond can be seen. It
is the most southerly of Scotlands Munros, or
mountains over 3000 feet, and is a
comfortable climb if youre reasonably fit and
active. The Church of St MacKessog, built
in 1875 on the site of a much older church, is
well worth a visit. Luss used to be famous for
the longevity of its residents. A visitor in 1769
found six people aged between 86 and 94, at
that time an almost incredible age.
GARELOCHHEAD
14 miles NW of Dumbarton off the A814
E Linn Botanical Gardens
This old village at the head of the beautiful
Gare Loch now finds itself in Argyll for
administrative purposes. However, along with
the picturesque Rosneath Peninsula, it was once
part of the old county of Dunbartonshire, and
it is to Dumbarton that it still looks for
shopping and other services. It makes a fine
centre for hill walking, bird watching and
yachting. At Cove, on the Rosneath Peninsula,
are the Linn Botanical Gardens.
Greenock
C Cross of Lorraine A Custom House
B McLean Museum and Art Gallery
G Highland Mary A Old West Kirk
Situated on the south bank of the Firth of
Clyde, at a point known as The Tail of the
Bank, Greenock is a bustling industrial town
and port. It was the birthplace, in 1736, of
James Watt, who perfected the steam engine.
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Hills pile up behind the town, and on the slopes
of Lyle Hill is a huge Cross of Lorraine
mounted on an anchor, which was built in
1946. It commemorates the Free French sailors
who sailed from Greenock and lost their lives in
the Atlantic during World War II. There are
excellent views out over the Firth of Clyde and
as far north as Ben Lomond.
Customhouse Quay was the departure
point for thousands of Scottish emigrants
sailing away to America in the 19th and early
20th century. The magnificent Custom
House, built in 1810, reflects the ports
importance in bygone days. It now houses a
museum dedicated to the work of
HM Customs and Excise. Another museum
is the McLean Museum and Art Gallery
on Kelly Street, which features exhibits on
local history as well as paintings by Courbin,
Boudin and the Scottish Colourists. The Watt
Library in Union Street is named after the
towns most famous son, and is the place to
go for genealogical information.
In Greenock cemetery is the grave of
Highland Mary, whose real name was Mary
Campbell. Robert Burns had met her at a low
point in his life in Mauchline and had asked
her to accompany him to the West Indies
when he thought of emigrating. However, on
a trip home to Dunoon to make
arrangements for her departure, she died. She
was previously buried in the kirkyard of the
former Old West Kirk, but was exhumed and
reburied in 1920. When the Old West Kirk,
which dated from the late 16th century, was
dismantled in 1926, some of its stones were
used to build the new Old West Kirk on the
Esplanade. The church has some wonderful
stained glass and woodcarving.
Around Greenock
PORT GLASGOW
4 miles E of Greenock on the A8
A Newark Castle G Sir Patrick Maxwell
E Finlaystone Estate
Before the Clyde at Glasgow was canalised
and deepened, this town was Glasgows main
port. Newark Castle (Historic Scotland) lies
close to the riverbank, and dates from the 16th
and 17th centuries. Up until the 1980s, the
castle was completely surrounded by
shipyards, testament to the importance of this
industry to the town at one time.
It was originally built by George Maxwell in
the late 15th century, and upgraded in 1597 to
what you see today by its most notorious
owner, Sir Patrick Maxwell. He was an
unsavoury man who was always quarrelling
with other families, most notably the
Montgomerys of Skelmorlie near Largs. In
fact he murdered two of them - Montgomery
himself and his eldest son - in the one day. He
also treated his wife Margaret abominably. In
1632, in front of the local minister, he struck
her on the face so hard that she had to take to
her bed for six months. As soon as she
recovered, he attacked her again, this time with
a sword.
Many times Margaret had resorted to the
law to have her husband restrained. Patrick
even had his son ejected from the castle when
he tried to intervene. Eventually, after 44 years
of marriage and 16 children, Margaret left
him, choosing a life of abject poverty rather
than suffer any more. This caused the
authorities to take an interest in his conduct,
but before he could be brought to trial in
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Edinburgh he died of natural causes.
Two miles west of Port Glasgow is the
Finlaystone Estate, where the present head of
the Clan Macmillan lives. It is open to the
public, and features gardens and 140 acres of
woodland. Finlaystone House, at the heart of
the estate, dates back to the 14th century,
though it has been extended over the centuries.
It can be visited by special arrangement.
GOUROCK
2 miles W of Greenock town centre on the A770
A Cloch Lighthouse C Granny Kempocks Stone
This little holiday resort is now more or less a
suburb of Greenock, though at one time it
was a separate burgh. It is on a most attractive
part of the Clyde, opposite Kilcreggan, the
Gareloch and the entrance to Loch Long,
where the mountains tumble down towards
the sea. The Firth of Clyde is a famous
yachting area, and the town is the home of the
Royal Gourock Yacht Club, which is situated
near the Promenade. At Cloch Point, four
miles to the southwest, is the Cloch
Lighthouse of 1797, a famous landmark for
ships sailing on the Clyde. Between Castle
Gardens and Kempock Street in the town is
the curiously named Granny Kempocks
Stone, which dates from prehistoric times. It
is shaped like a cloaked figure, and to walk
round it is said to bring good luck. However, it
also has associations with witchcraft. In 1662,
a young woman was burnt to death after she
admitted that she was going to use
supernatural powers to throw the stone into
the waters of the Firth of Clyde in order to
cause shipwrecks.
The town is the one of the ferry terminals
for Dunoon, across the Clyde in Argyll.
FUSION
2 Hopeton Street, Gourock, Renfrewshire PA19 1PG
Tel: 01475 633998
Fusion offers a style of cooking that combines
ingredients and techniques from very different cultures or
countries. The restaurant was the brain child of Mary
Robb and Evelyn Docherty who trained to be chefs at
Gleddoch House in Langbank after leaving school. They
worked their way up the ladder to become Head Chefs at
the country club and then cooked at various high profile
restaurants around Glasgow before opening Fusion in
what was originally a coach house. Mary and Evelyns
Manager, Kirsty Beckett, had worked with them before
and made such a great team they decided to continue
their excellent working relationship at Fusion.
Depending on the season, their menu is based on
meats such as Perthshire beef and venison and Highland
beef from the Hebrides. To accompany your meal, theres
a good choice of ales from Loch Fyne Ales Brewery at
Cairndow in Argyll as well as an excellent selection of
wines from Alliance. In addition to the main restaurant, there is another room available for private
parties. Fusion is open from 12 noon until 2pm for lunches, Tuesday to Friday; from 5pm until late,
Tuesday to Saturday for Dinner. Closed on Sunday and Monday.
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Hamilton
A Hamilton Mausoleum A Chatelherault
E Chatelherault Country Park A Cadzow Castle
A Hamilton Parish Church A County Buildings
B Low Parks Museum G Sir Harry Lauder
Hamilton was once the county town of
Lanarkshire, Scotlands most populous and
industrialised county. It became a royal burgh
in 1548, though it lost this status in 1669. It
has strong connections to one of the most
important families in Scotland, the Dukes of
Hamilton, Scotlands premier dukes. Up until
medieval times, the town was known as
Cadzow, but gradually Hamilton took over as
the family grew in importance. By the 1920s,
when it was demolished, the immense
Hamilton Palace, home to the dukes, was the
grandest non-royal residence in Britain.
Not a stone now remains of it above
ground, though the Hamiltons burial place,
the grandiose Hamilton Mausoleum, still
remains. It is a curious building with an
immense dome, and is full of Masonic
symbolism. It consists of a chapel above and a
crypt below, and was built in the mid-19th
century for Alexander, the 10th Duke
(nicknamed Il Magnifico). He had his
ancestors removed from the ruins (now gone
completely) of the old Collegiate Church of
Hamilton and re-interred in the crypt. When
he himself died, he was laid to rest in the
sarcophagus of an Egyptian princess, which
was placed in the upper chapel. A curious tale
tells of how the duke was found to be too tall
to fit into the sarcophagus when he died, so
his legs were broken and folded over.
However, thats all it is - a tale. The duke was
indeed too big for the sarcophagus, but he
knew this long before he died, as he used to lie
in it. So he had stonemasons enlarge it.
The crypt is entered through the middle
arch of three arches. Above each arch is a
carved head, representing life, death and
immortality.
The bodies were all removed from the
mausoleum in 1921, and the place can now be
visited. It was never used as a chapel, however,
as it is reckoned to have the longest echo of
any building in Britain. One thing to note is
that the crypt doors lock from the inside. The
reason is simple - once a month a servant was
sent from the palace to dust and clean the
huge coffins. To prevent ghoulish sightseers, a
policeman was stationed outside and the
servant locked herself in.
A two-mile long Grand Avenue once
stretched from the palace all the way to
Chatelherault, pronounced Shattly-row, a
Hamilton hunting lodge east of the town.
Most of the avenue is gone, but Chatelherault
survives, having been refurbished in the 1980s
in the largest refurbishment project of its time
in Britain. It was officially re-opened in
September 1987 by the Duke of Gloucester.
Originally designed by William Adam in the
1730s, the lodge once also housed the Dukes
hunting dogs, and was therefore known as the
Dog Kennels. Now it houses a museum and
interpretation centre. The lodge got its name
because the Dukes of Hamilton were also the
Dukes of Chatellerault near Poitou in France.
The title was bestowed in 1548 by Henry II
of France in recognition of the part the
family played in arranging the marriage of
Mary Stuart to his son Francis, the Dauphin.
The spelling of the name changed over the
years, and Chatellerault gradually became
Chatelherault.
Surrounding the lodge is Chatelherault
Country Park, with more than 10 miles of
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woodland walks. The ruins of Cadzow
Castle, the original home of the Hamiltons,
and where Mary Stuart once stayed, can be
seen within the park. There are also the
remains of an old Iron Age Fort and the
Cadzow Oaks, which are very ancient. In a
field in front of Chatelherault is a small but
famous herd of White Cattle.
Hamilton Parish Church, within the town,
was designed by William Adam in the early
1730s at the same time as he was designing
Chatelherault. It is an elegant building in the
shape of a Greek cross, with a cupola over the
crossing. The pre-Norman Netherton Cross
stands at the church entrance, and in the
kirkyard is the Heads Monument,
commemorating four Covenanters beheaded
in Edinburgh after the Pentland Rising of
1666.
In Almada Street youll find the towns most
prominent landmark - the County Buildings.
They were built in the 1960s for the then
Lanarkshire County Council, and were
modelled on the United Nations building in
New York. It is one of the few 1960s
buildings in Scotland to be listed.
Based in an old 17th-century coaching inn,
once known as the Hamilton Arms, is the Low
Parks Museum, which has displays and
memorabilia on local history. It also houses a
large display on Lanarkshires own regiment -
the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Raised as a
Covenanting force in 1689, it took its name
from Richard Cameron, a Covenanting minister
who opposed bishops in the Church of
Scotland and the king being its head. It chose to
disband itself in 1968 rather than amalgamate
with another regiment. Most of the Low Parks,
which at one time formed some of Hamilton
Palaces parkland, has been given over to a huge
retail development that includes a multi-screen
cinema and supermarket.
In the Bent Cemetery is the simple grave
of one of Scotlands best-known entertainers,
Sir Harry Lauder. Born in Portobello near
Edinburgh in 1870, he at one time worked in
the coalmines in Quarter, a village near
Hamilton. He died in 1950. Nearby is the
plot where the members of the Hamilton
family who formerly lay in the mausoleum
are now buried. The 10th Duke, who had the
mausoleum built, still lies in his Egyptian
sarcophagus.
Hamilton is the start of one of Scotlands
10 national tourist routes, the Clyde Valley
Tourist Route. It follows the Clyde Valley all
the way south to Abington on the M74.
Around Hamilton
AIRDRIE AND COATBRIDGE
7 miles N of Hamilton on the A89
G John Reith B Summerlee Heritage Centre
J North Calder Heritage Trail I Time Capsule
E Drumpellier Country Park
The twin towns of Airdrie and Coatbridge are
industrial in character. In Coatbridge, in 1889,
John Reith, the first general manager of what
was then the British Broadcasting Company
was born. Single-handedly he shaped the
character of the organisation.
The town is home to the Summerlee
Heritage Centre, built on the site of the old
Summerlee Ironworks, which traces the
history of the areas old industries - steel
making, coalmining and the manufacture of
heavy plant. Tramlines have been laid out and
there is a small collection of trams from all
over Europe. There is also a short section of
the Summerlee branch of the Monklands
Canal (now closed), which ran from Glasgow
to the Lanarkshire coalfields. The canal was
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built between 1770 and 1794, and at one time
was the most profitable in Scotland. The
North Calder Heritage Trail runs from
Summerlee to Hillend Reservoir, and passes
many sites connected with the past industry of
the area.
The Time Capsule is one of the largest
leisure centres in the area. In the Drumpellier
Country Park there is a visitor centre,
butterfly house, formal gardens, golf course
and pets corner.
MOTHERWELL AND WISHAW
3 miles E of Hamilton on the A721
B Motherwell Heritage Centre
E Strathclyde Country Park C Roman Bathhouse
E Amazonia B Carfin Pilgrimage Centre
B Shotts Heritage Centre
The twin towns of Motherwell and Wishaw
were, up until 1975, included in the one burgh.
They were steel-making towns, though the
steelworks at Ravenscraig have now gone. The
award-winning Motherwell Heritage Centre
on High Road has a number of exhibitions,
and hosts varied activities with a heritage
theme. To the west of Motherwell, adjoining
the M74, is the 1100 acres of Strathclyde
Country Park, built on waste ground in the
early 1970s. Within it there is an international-
sized rowing lake where the rowing events of
the 1986 Commonwealth Games were held.
On its banks are the remains of a Roman
Bathhouse. There are guided walks
throughout the year, as well as nature trails
and a camping and caravanning site. M&Ds
Theme Park is located near the north banks of
the loch.
Amazonia is Scotlands only indoor rain
forest attraction and houses reptiles, insects
and animals connected with the Amazon
rain forest.
A mile northeast of Motherwell is the
small industrial village of Carfin, where you
will find the Lourdes-inspired Carfin
Pilgrimage Centre and Grotto, created in
the 1920s by Fr Thomas Nimmo Taylor, the
local priest, helped by out-of-work miners.
There are displays and exhibits that help
explain the notion of pilgrimage, not only in
the Roman Catholic religion, but also in all
major religions.
The Shotts Heritage Centre is in Benhar
Road in Shotts, eight miles to the west of
Motherwell and Wishaw. There are displays on
the history of this former mining town. Kirk
o Shotts, built in 1820, lies to the east of the
town, and can easily be seen from the M8
motorway. Its future is in jeopardy, as it is
badly in need of restoration. Within its
kirkyard is a gravestone marking the last
resting place of William Smith, a Covenanter
who fought at Rullion Green in 1666.
DALSERF
7 miles SE of Hamilton town centre off the A72
A Dalserf Parish Church
Once a sizeable village with inns and a ferry
across the Clyde, Dalserf has now shrunk to
no more than a few cottages and a church.
Dalserf Parish Church, with its whitewashed
walls, looks more like a house than a place of
worship, and dates from 1655, though an
ancient chapel dedicated to St Serf stood here
before that. The building is a rare survivor of
a mid 17th-century Scottish church. Most
from that period were simply built, with earth
floors and a thatched roof. In the 18th and
19th centuries they were usually demolished to
make way for something more imposing.
Dalserf has lasted because the parish was a
poor one, and couldnt afford to rebuild,
preferring instead to upgrade whenever it
could. In the kirkyard is a pre-Norman hogs
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back grave slab, which was dug up in 1897,
and also a memorial to the Rev John
Macmillan, sometimes called the last of the
Covenanters. He died in 1753.
STONEHOUSE
6 miles S of Hamilton on the A71
G Patrick Hamilton A Old St Ninians Parish Church
This former weaving village still has rows of
18th- and 19th-century weaving cottages. On
one side of the main door is a large window,
that allows plenty of light into the room which
housed the loom, and on the other is a small
window, which allowed light to enter the main
living quarters.
Patrick Hamilton, Scotlands first
Protestant martyr, was born in Stonehouse in
about 1503. He was burned at the stake in St
Andrews in 1528. The Alexander Hamilton
Memorial Park was opened in 1925, the gift of
a local man. It has a bandstand, which was
originally made for the Great Glasgow
Exhibition of 1911.
The remains of the Old St Ninians
Parish Church are to the north of the
village, surrounded by an old kirkyard. A
prehistoric burial kist was once dug up in the
kirkyard, showing that the site may have had
a religious significance long before
Christianity came to the area.
STRATHAVEN
7 miles S of Hamilton on the A723
A Strathaven Castle B John Hastie Museum
C Battle of Drumclog D Spectacle Ee Falls
Strathaven (pronounced Stray-ven) is a real
gem of a small town, which sits at the heart
of Avondale. The ruins of Strathaven Castle
(also known as Avondale Castle) are all that is
left of a once large and powerful 14th-century
stronghold. It was built by the Douglas family,
then passed to the Stewarts, who became Earls
of Avondale, and eventually came into the
hands of the Hamiltons. A legend says that
before the Reformation, a wife of one of the
owners was walled up alive in the castle, and
when parts of a wall fell down in the 19th
century, human bones were found among the
rubble. On the edge of the John Hastie Park is
the John Hastie Museum, which has local
history collections.
Close to the cemetery is the James Wilson
Monument. James Wilson was born in
Strathaven in 1760, his father being a weaver.
He was a free thinker on the matter of
religion, and was also a radical reformer,
something of which the local landowners did
not approve. In 1820, a band of reformers, of
which he was a member, posted a bill on the
streets of Glasgow that was held to be
treasonable. He was arrested near Falkirk and
executed in 1820.
To the west of the town, at Drumclog, the
Battle of Drumclog was fought, at which
an army of Covenanters overcame
government troops in 1679. A memorial on a
minor road off the A71 commemorates the
event. At the small village of Sandford, two
miles to the south, are the lovely 50-feet-high
Spectacle Ee Falls on the Kype Water, a
tributary of the Avon.
EAST KILBRIDE
5 miles W of Hamilton on the A726
A Hunter House E Calderglen Country Park
E James Hamilton Heritage Park
B Scottish Museum of Country Life
East Kilbride is the largest and undoubtedly
the most successful of Scotlands new towns.
Work started on laying it out in 1947 round an
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old village, and now it has a population of
about 70,000. It is renowned for its shopping
facilities, and has four shopping malls, Princes
Mall, the Plaza, the Olympia Centre and
Centre West, which together make up the
largest undercover shopping area in Scotland.
In the Calderwood area of the town is
Hunter House, birthplace in the 18th century
of the Hunter brothers, John and William,
pioneering surgeons and anatomists who
worked in both Glasgow and London. The
house has a small display and museum about
the two men and their lives. The Hunterian
Museum in Glasgow is one of their legacies.
On the outskirts of the town is Calderglen
Country Park, based on Torrance House
(private). It has play areas, nature trails and a
childrens zoo. To the north of the town is the
James Hamilton Heritage Park, with a
16-acre boating loch. Behind it is the restored
Mains Castle (private), which was built by the
Lindsay family in the early 15th century and
subsequently sold to the Stuarts of Torrance.
Up until the 1970s it was a ruin. Close by, the
Scottish Museum of Country Life is based
around Wester Kittochside Farm, which was
home to the Reid family from the 16th
century. In 1992, the last of the family,
Margaret Reid, gifted it to the National Trust
for Scotland. Run jointly by the National
Museums of Scotland and the National Trust,
it explains rural life in Scotland throughout the
ages and has a huge collection of farm
implements and machinery. The elegant
farmhouse of Wester Kittochside, which dates
from 1783, is also open to the public.
EAGLESHAM
9 miles W of Hamilton on the B764
A Parish Church G Rudolf Hess
The conservation village of Eaglesham was
planned and built by the Earl of Eglinton in
the mid 1700s. It is shaped like a huge A, with
the point facing the moorland to the west of
the village. Between the two arms of the A is a
large village green area known as the Orry, on
which a cotton mill once stood. The lovely
period cottages and houses in the village make
a perfect picture of Scottish rural life, though
the village has largely been colonised by
commuters from Glasgow and Lanarkshire.
The Parish Church, which dates from 1788,
has the look of an Alpine church about it, and
it is reckoned that while planning Eaglesham
the 10th Earl was influenced by villages he had
admired in northern Italy.
It was in a field near Eaglesham in 1941 that
Rudolph Hess, Hitlers deputy, landed after
he parachuted from an ME 110. He was found
by a local farmer called David McLean, who
took him home and treated him firmly but
politely. Hess gave his name as Alfred Horn,
but his real identity was soon established. He
said he was on a secret mission to speak to the
Duke of Hamilton, and a map he possessed
showed that he had been trying to reach
Dungavel House, one of the Dukes hunting
lodges near Strathaven.
He was then taken to Maryhill Barracks in
Glasgow, where he was sometimes in the
custody of Corporal William Ross, who went
on to become the Secretary of State for
Scotland in the Wilson government. Hess was
later moved to Buchanan Castle near Drymen
in Stirlingshire, where he was interrogated.
BOTHWELL
2 miles NW of Hamilton off the M74
A St Brides Parish Church G Joanna Baillie
A Bothwell Castle C Battle of Bothwell Bridge
In the centre of this small town is St Brides
Parish Church, with a chancel dating from
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1398. It was built as part of a collegiate church
by Archibald the Grim, 3rd Earl of Douglas,
and has a roof made entirely of stone. A year
after it was built, it was the scene of a royal
wedding when David, son of Robert III,
married Archibald the Grims daughter
Marjory. Outside the west end of the
Victorian nave is a monument to Joanna
Baillie, a playwright and poetess born at
Bothwell manse in 1762. She was praised by
Scott as being one of the finest writers of the
18th century. Her work, though at times filled
with humour, is dark and sometimes violent,
with murderous, paranoid characters, and
more than one critic has wondered where a
seemingly prim daughter of a minister found
the material to write such stuff.
On the banks of the Clyde, some distance
from the town, are the massive and
impressive remains of Bothwell Castle
(Historic Scotland), which historians have
rated as one of the most important secular
medieval buildings in Scotland. It was most
likely built in the 13th century by Walter de
Moravia who was granted the lands of
Bothwell by Alexander II. It later passed to
the Douglas family, who rebuilt and
strengthened most of it. In the 15th century,
when James II overthrew the Douglases, it
passed to the crown.
Upstream is Bothwell Bridge, scene, in
1679, of the Battle of Bothwell Bridge
between the Royalist forces of the Duke of
Monmouth and a Covenanting army. The
Covenanters were heavily defeated, with
more than 500 being killed and 1200 taken
prisoner. The bridge you see today is basically
the same bridge, though much altered and
widened. A memorial on the Bothwell side of
the bridge commemorates the event.
BLANTYRE
3 miles NW of Hamilton on the A724
A David Livingstone Centre
Blantyre is a former mining town, which
nowadays is visited because of the David
Livingstone Centre (National Trust for
Scotland). Here, at Shuttle Row the African
explorer and missionary David Livingstone
was born in 1813. A great cotton mill once
stood here, and Shuttle Row was a tenement
block that housed some of the workers. The
great man was born in a one-room flat,
though the whole tenement has now been
given over to displays and mementos about his
life and work. Within the centre there is also
an art gallery, social history museum, African
play park, tearoom and gift shop.
Lanark
I Lanimer Day I Whuppity Scoorie I Het Pint
F William Wallace D Falls of Clyde
B Royal Burgh of Lanark Museum
G William Smellie A New Lanark G Robert Owen
E Scottish Wildlife Trust Visitors Centre
Set above the Clyde Valley near the upper
reaches of the Clyde, the ancient royal burgh
of Lanark received its royal charter in about
1140, making it one of the oldest towns in
Scotland. But even before this it was an
important place, because, in 978AD, Kenneth
II of Scotland held the very first recorded
meeting of a Scottish parliament here.
This small town, with a population of just
over 8000, keeps alive several old customs.
Every year in June, the townspeople celebrate
Lanimer Day, which originated as a ceremony
of riding the boundaries of the burgh. And on
March 1 each year, the Whuppity Scoorie
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SHIRREFFS LTD.
5 Broomgate, Lanark, South Lanarkshire M11 9ET
Tel: 01555 660005
A little gem of a shop, Shirreffs Ltd stocks a dazzlingly diverse range if items. It is owned and run
by June Shirreffs and her two daughters Lynn and Tracy, June and Tracy are both artists. So
amongst the unusual stock youll find some of their attractive oil paintings on display and for sale,
picture framing is also available.
A popular choice in the shop is a range of stylish French ladies wear that includes blouses,
scarves, hats and Italian leather gloves. There are handbags by
Fiorelli, Padavano, Kipling and Mary Francis, other designer names
include Little Earth, Tony Perotti, Yoshi and Ciccia. Theres also
jewellery by Storm, Pilgrim, and Dyreberg Kern, there is also china
pets by Pets with Personality, wall sconces and plaques, Woodwick
candles, rainbow maker crystals, handmade glass coasters, Scottish
cards and soaps and much much more.
A great place to
browse and you can
be sure, whatever
your tastes, you will
find something.
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celebrations are held when the children of the
town race round the 18th-century St
Nicholass Church waving paper balls above
their head, then scrambling for coins thrown
at them. Nowadays, it is the opening event in
the Whuppity Scoorie Storytelling Festival, but
it may have had its origins in pagan times,
when it celebrated the arrival of Spring.
Another custom is the Het Pint, held on
January 1 each year. Citizens of the town meet
at 10am and are given a glass of mulled wine.
Anyone wishing to do so, can also claim a
pound. The tradition goes back to the 17th
century, when Lord Hyndford gave money to
the town to be used each year for pious or
educational purposes.
High on a wall of St Nicholass Church is a
statue of William Wallace the Scottish
freedom fighter. It recalls an event that took
place when the towns castle (now gone) was
garrisoned by English troops. Wallace
committed some misdemeanour that brought
him to the attention of the English sheriff of
Lanark, Sir William Hesselrig. He fled, and
when Wallaces wife Marion Braidfute (some
versions refer to her as his lemman, or
girlfriend) refused to divulge where he was,
Hesselrig killed her and her household. Wallace
later returned and killed the sheriff in revenge.
The supposed site of Wallaces House is now
marked by a plaque near the church.
In the Westport youll find the Royal
Burgh of Lanark Museum, which explains
the incident, as well as the towns history. Near
the centre of the town are the ruins of St
Kentigerns Church, the original place of
worship. It is said that Wallace married Marion
Braidfute within the church, though there is
no proof of this. However, there certainly was
a real Marion Braidfute living in the area at the
time, referred to as the heiress of Lamington,
a village to the south of Lanark.
In St Kentigerns kirkyard is buried William
Smellie (pronounced Smillie), the father of
modern midwifery. He was born in Lanark in
1697, and was the first obstetrician to teach
midwifery on a formal basis as a branch of
medicine. He also pioneered the use of forceps.
He began life as a doctor in Lanark, but then
studied in Glasgow and Paris before
establishing a practise in London, where he also
lectured. He was a kindly man, and frequently
delivered the babies of the poor of London
without charging them. He died in 1763.
On the banks of the Clyde below Lanark
lies the village and UNESCO World Heritage
TEA TIME
1 Hyndford Place, Lanark ML11 9EA
Tel: 01555 660484
Located in the heart of this ancient Royal Burgh,
Tea Time is an inviting place to enjoy Scottish
hospitality at its best. Here, in a relaxing
environment, owner Andrea Wilson offers an
excellent choice of home-cooked dishes based on
fresh local produce. Try to get one of the window
seats which provide grand views of the town. There
are 8 tables, seating up to 34 customers, and a takeaway service is also available. Tea Time is
open from 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.
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Site of New Lanark. It was here, in 1785,
that David Dale founded a cotton mill and
village of 2500 people that became a model
for social reform. Under Dales son-in-law
Robert Owen, who was manager, there were
good working conditions, decent homes, fair
wages, schools and health care available.
The mills were still in production up to
1968. Under the care of the New Lanark
Conservation Trust, it has become one of the
most popular tourist destinations in Scotland,
even though people still live in some of the
original tenements and cottages.
Attractions include a Visitors Centre
(including a Textile Machinery Exhibition and
the New Millennium Ride that introduces
you to Robert Owens original vision), the
Millworkers House, the Village Store
Exhibition and Robert Owens House. Other
buildings have been converted into craft
workshops, and there is also a hotel housed
in a former mill. A presentation called Annie
McLeods Story is shown in what was Robert
Owens School, and uses the latest in 3-D
technology. The ghost of 18th-century mill
girl Annie Macleod
returns to tell the story
of her life in the days
of Robert Owen. Also
in the village is a
Scottish Wildlife
Trust Visitors Centre.
The mills were at one
time powered by the
Clyde, and close by are
the Falls of Clyde
waterfalls, the most
famous being Cora
Linn and Bonnington.
A hydroelectric scheme
now harnesses the
power of the water, and the falls are only
seen at their most spectacular at certain times
of the year.
A few miles north of the town is Carluke,
which stands above the Clyde Valley. It is
noted for its orchards, introduced in medieval
times by the monks of Lesmahagow Priory.
The bell tower of the former parish church,
built in 1715, still stands.
Around Lanark
BIGGAR
10 miles SE of Lanark on the A702
B Biggar Gas Works Museum
B Moat Park Heritage Centre
A Greenhill Covenanters House
B Gladstone Court Museum
B Albion Motors Archives G Hugh McDiarmid
I Biggar Puppet Theatre A St Marys Church
Biggar is a small, attractive market town that
still has its original medieval layout. It sits
among the rich agricultural lands of South
Lesmahagow Priory, Lanark
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THE ELPHINSTONE HOTEL
145 High Street, Biggar, Lanarkshire ML12 6OL
Tel: 01899 220044
website: www.elphinstonehotel.co.uk
Standing on Biggars broad main street, the
Elphinstone Hotel is a handsome whitewashed
building with a long and illustrious history that goes
back more than 400 years. The owners, Robert and
Janette Allen, along with their son, Michael, have
been at the heart of the business for more than
twenty years and they offer a warm and homely welcome
to all visitors and locals alike. The family pride themselves
on the continued patronage of a busy local trade with a high
level of repeat custom which clearly tells its own story.
A major attraction here is the quality of the food on
offer. The menu is wide and varied with every effort made
to source and utilise the best in fresh, local produce. Take
your pick from two dozen starters and more than twice as
many main courses. Delicious Cullen Skink, Black Pudding
with a Smoked Bacon in a red wine jus, Smoked Salmon
cornets are among the list of popular starters. Mains include
tasty Chicken and Haggis with a wholegrain mustard sauce,
Fishermans Pie and Stuffed Loin of Pork . Using local butcher, Jimmy Bogle, the chef will also cook
you the best steak youve had in years. Fresh haddock, and mince and tatties are also on the
menu, as is a range of oriental dishes, thus ensuring every taste is catered for. A well balanced and
reasonably priced wine list is also available.
The hotel lounge is in the style of a traditional old inn and is full of character. Here, as well as
in the restaurant, meals are served or you can just sit in front of a roaring fire enjoying a glass of
wine, a rusty nail or even a hot toddy.
The accommodation at The Elph comprises 9 guest bedrooms, all bright and clean and all
benefiting from recent complete refurbishment of the bathrooms. Theres a choice of double, twin
or single, and all rooms are equipped with en suite facilities digital television, direct dial telephone,
broadband access, tea and coffee making facilities. Hairdryers and ironing facilities are available.
The hotel also has a first floor function room which can comfortably seat sixty for a full sit
down meal and up to around ninety where a less formal buffet style of service is required.
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Lanarkshire, and was granted its burgh
charter in 1451.
It must have more museums per head of
population than any other place in Britain. The
Biggar Gas Works Museum, housed in the
towns former gas works dating from 1839,
explains how gas was produced from coal in
former times, and the Moat Park Heritage
Centre has exhibits and displays about the
town and its immediate area from the time the
landscape was formed millions of years ago
right up to the present day. Greenhill
Covenanters House used to stand at Wiston,
10 miles away, but was transported to Biggar
stone by stone, and is now dedicated to the
memory of the Covenanters. These were men
and women who, in the 17th century, resisted
the Stuart monarchs attempts to impose
bishops on the Church of Scotland. They
sometimes paid with their lives for their
convictions. The Gladstone Court Museum
has re-created a Victorian street, with a
dressmakers shop, boot makers shop and a
schoolroom.
The Albion Building houses the Albion
Motors Archives, the records of the Albion
Motor Company, which was started locally in
1899 by Norman Fulton and T B Murray
before moving production to Glasgow. It soon
grew to be the largest manufacturer of
commercial vehicles in the British Empire.
At Brownsbank Cottage, a mile and a half
from the town, lived the Scottish poet
Christopher Grieve, better known as Hugh
McDiarmid. He died in 1978, and his wife
Valda continued to live there until her death in
1989. The cottage has been restored to exactly
how it looked when the poet lived there, and it
is home to a writer-in-residence. It can be
visited by appointment only.
In Broughton Road is the professionally run
Biggar Puppet Theatre, which has a
Victorian-style theatre seating up to 100
people, plus a museum. Purves Puppets, which
owns it, is Scotlands largest puppet company
and regularly presents shows all over Britain.
St Marys Church was founded in 1546 by
Malcolm, Lord Fleming, Chancellor of
Scotland. It was formerly collegiate, and is a
graceful, cruciform building. It was the last
church to be built in Scotland before the
Reformation. In the kirkyard is a gravestone
CORMISTON FARM
Cormiston Road, Biggar, ML12 6NS
Tel: 01899 221507
website: www.cormistonfarm.com
Listed by Historic Scotland, Cormiston Farm is a 4 star
bed and breakfast surrounded by the rolling hills of the
Clyde Valley. It lies within 2 acres of mature garden and
woodland, 2 miles from the town of Biggar. Two large,
double bedrooms , one with a four poster, overlook the hills to the south. A full Scottish breakfast
is included: from fresh seasonal fruit, porridge and free range eggs laid by our own hens, to bacon,
sausage, home-made marmalade, and the finest teas and coffee. Dinner is a seasonal four-course
set meal and much of the produce is from the walled kitchen garden or from local markets. We
have a select wine list, as well as excellent beers from the local Broughton Brewery. All major
credit and debit cards accepted.
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HOLMLANDS COUNTRY HOUSE
22 Carlisle Road, Crawford, by Abington,
South Lanarkshire ML12 6TW
Tel; 01864 502753
website: www.holmlandscountryhouse.co.uk
Beautifully located beside the River Clyde and
commanding some grand views of the Clyde Valley,
Holmlands Country House is a substantial Edwardian
property built in 1903 and set in an acre of land
surrounded by rolling hills. There is a pleasant garden
where guests can enjoy afternoon tea and homemade
cakes and admire the stunning views across the
valley. Inside, there is a spacious lounge with an open
fire for all to enjoy.
The owners of Holmlands, Verena and Graham
Soanes , extend a very warm welcome to their
guests on arrival. The house has a very comfortable
feel and visitors are able to relax and enjoy their stay
in a beautiful part of the Scottish countryside, great
for quiet walks by the river. The accommodation is reached by a handsome oak staircase and
comprises of 4 elegant bedrooms, all with en-suite or private facilities. The rooms are equipped
with colour TV, tea & coffee making facilities and all have pleasant views. Evening meals are
available from 6.30 pm to 9pm, a typical menu may include homemade soup and pate, Scottish
salmon and Game, a good cheeseboard and various delicious sweets. Meals are prepared on site
from local produce or from the kitchen garden. Holmlands is also a perfect setting for that special
celebration, catering for up to 20 guests, suitable for private dining, lunch or dinner, business or
pleasure.
There is also a Tearoom at Holmlands which is open daily, noon to 5pm except Tuesdays. The
menu is varied and offers good homemade food, such as soup, salads with gammon , beef or
salmon and bread made on the premises. Cakes and puddings are also available. Free Fly- Casting
tuition is on offer to residents, there is plenty of local fishing available, the Clyde River is fished for
Brown Trout in the summer and Grayling in the winter. There is ample off-road parking and secure
areas for cycles and motorbikes.
Holmlands is open throughout the year and is the ideal location
for that special quiet weekend in the country.
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commemorating the Gladstone family,
forebears of William Ewart Gladstone, British
prime minister during Victorias reign.
To the west of the town, just off the M74,
are the twin settlements of Abington and
Crawford, which have a number of services,
and make ideal stopping off places when
heading north or south along the motorway.
LEADHILLS
18 miles S of Lanark on the B797
G William Symington
Like its neighbour Wanlockhead (which is in
Dumfriesshire), Leadhills is a former lead
mining village. It has the highest golf course
in Scotland, and is full of old 18th- and 19th-
century lead miners cottages. It forms one
terminus for the Leadhills and Wanlockhead
Light Railway.
The Allan Ramsay Library is the oldest
subscription Library in Scotland, and is named
after the famous poet born here in 1684. In
the graveyard is the grave of John Taylor, a
lead miner who lived to be 137 years old. Next
to the cemetery is a monument to William
Symington, who was born in the village in
1764. He worked as an engineer in the mines,
and was a pioneer of steam propulsion in
ships. His paddleboat the Charlotte Dundas was
launched at Grangemouth in 1802.
CARMICHAEL
4 miles S of Lanark on a minor road west of the
A73
A Carmichael Parish Church
B Carmichael Visitor Centre
The small Carmichael Parish Church dates
from 1750, and has an interesting lairds loft.
One of the past lairds, the Earl of Hyndford,
left a sum of money called the Hyndford
Mortification to provide the local
schoolmasters with a yearly pair of trousers
and a supply of whisky. The Carmichael
Visitor Centre is situated on the Carmichael
Estate, and has a display of waxwork models
(formerly housed in Edinburgh) that illustrate
Scotlands history from the year 1000 to the
present day. There are also displays about the
history of the Carmichael family, which owned
the lands of Carmichael since the 13th
century, and others about wind energy.
DOUGLAS
8 miles SW of Lanark on the A70
A Castle Dangerous A The Sun Inn
A Old St Brides B Douglas Heritage Museum
It was in Douglas, in 1968, that the
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), a proud
Scottish regiment, was disbanded. The
ceremony took place in the grounds of Castle
CABBAGE PATCH FABRICS
Coulter Park, Coulter, Biggar,
Lanarkshire ML12 6HN
Tel: 01899 221234
Are you looking for new curtains or just bits and
pieces for upholstering a chair or making
cushions, then Cabbage Patch Fabrics is the
place to visit.
The farm steading conversion on the edge of
Coulter village makes a wonderful setting for displaying our fantastic selection of fabrics.
Our opening hours are 10-5, Mon-Sat, if you need any further information please phone us.
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Dangerous, ancestral home of the Douglases,
of which only a tower now survives. It was
here, in 1689, that the regiment was raised by
James, Earl of Angus. His statue now stands
in the village.
The centre of Douglas is a conservation
area, with many old cottages and houses. The
Sun Inn of 1621 was once the villages
Tolbooth, where justice was meted out. Old St
Brides is the choir of the former parish
church dating from the 14th century. Within it
are memorials to members of the Douglas
family, including Archibald, the 5th Earl of
Angus. He was killed at Flodden in 1513, and
had the curious nickname of Bell the Cat.
There is also a memorial to the Good Sir
James of Douglas, killed by the Moors in
Spain while taking Robert the Bruces heart to
the Holy Land for burial. The clock in the
clock tower was gifted to the church by Mary
Stuart in 1565, and is the oldest working
public clock in Scotland.
Douglas Heritage Museum, in Bells
Wynd, is situated in the former dower house
of the castle. It is open on Saturdays and
Sundays by prior appointment. It has displays
on the Douglas family and on the
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
CROSSFORD
4 miles NW of Lanark on the A72
A Craignethan Castle
This lovely little village sits in the heart of the
Clyde Valley, on the banks of the river. Above
it youll find the substantial ruins of
Craignethan Castle (Historic Scotland),
Craignethan Castle, nr Crossford
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where Mary Stuart once stayed. It was built in
the 1530s by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart,
illegitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl
of Arran and ancestor of the present Dukes
of Hamilton. He was the master of works to
James V, who gave him the lands of Draffan
on which the castle was built. However, the
king later suspected that Hamilton had been
plotting against him (which was probably not
true), and had him executed.
The castle then passed to the crown, and
was subsequently given to the 2nd Earl of
Arran, Sir Jamess half-brother and the
Regent of Scotland.
Sir Walter Scott is reputed to have used
the castle as a model for his Tillietudlem
Castle in Old Mortality, though he later
denied any link.
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ADVERTISERS AND PLACES OF INTEREST
ACCOMMODATION, FOOD AND
DRINK
Cormiston Farm, Biggar pg 31
East Lochhead, Lochwinnoch pg 13
Elphinstone Hotel, Biggar pg 30
Fusion, Gourock pg 20
Holmlands Country House, Crawford, Abington pg 32
Tea Time, Lanark pg 28
FASHIONS
Shirreffs Ltd, Lanark pg 27
GIFTWARE
HOME AND GARDEN
Cabbage Patch Fabrics, Coulter, Biggar pg 33
Tea Time, Lanark pg 28
JEWELLERY
PLACES OF INTEREST
The Hill House, Helensburgh pg 17
Pollok House, Glasgow pg 10
Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour, Glasgow pg 6
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Guide To Rural Scotland - Glasgow West Central

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