New Lanark

Ok, so the *plan* was to catch the bus to Biggar (I love that name) and then walk about 13 to New Lanark. Well. I left the b&b in good time and hit the shops. Topped up on some first aid items, posted a few maps back home and bought the Saturday sudoku (disguised as the Times). I was hobbling. Shoes were nice and dry though :-)

I think country buses are run for senior citizens. Hardly anyone is fool enough to pay to use them, they've all got passes except me. And no, that's NOT the birthday that's coming up soon, thank you. They're good though and run to timetables and you expect them to turn up. Fortunately, today was the first time I came across one running late and this meant I caught it.

Yes, while on the first bus my toe and head were having a discussion as to the merits of a 13 mile walk. The toe won. I arrived in Lanark before midday, sought out some food and did walk about a mile and a half to New Lanark where the YH is.

I'd not known anything about the place nor of Robert Owen. He pioneered the idea of work communities, campaigned for better working conditions, against child labour and so on. When he took on ownership of the mills at New Lanark, he also provided the first ever workplace nursery, and a school, 'decent' accommodation; created the first ever co-operative shop; provided a health care service. And so on. His views were not popular amongst employers - those things cost money. The 'village' provided all the employees would need.

All fascinating stuff and the setting on the banks of the Clyde is amazing. There's been a phenomenal restoration job done. The village is now lived in again (at a density lower than 12 people to two rooms) and there's a visitor centre, examples of what it was like, some working machinery and so on. All the usual stuff. But to me, it felt light on content. Too much fluffiness with high tech bells and whistles. Why do I need to sit in a little two person ride to go through a 'story' when I could walk through at my own pace? As a parent with two children I didn't think it was well thought through.

When I was in Oz (stop yawning at the back) I felt sometimes overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information on offer at museums etc. I think I prefer it that way. For example, today I couldn't seem to find the answer to the simple question of how the raw cotton reached the mill. I knew where it came from but not how it travelled to New Lanark, Scotland, hiding in a steep valley.

I went for a stroll upstream in the evening which had turned out beautiful. Wearing my thongs to help soothe my toes. Yet again, my hopes of exciting wildlife were dashed. The massive black slug really doesn't count. The creature surfacing occasionally and randomly on the far side of the river might have met my need if only I could tell what it was. There was a sign saying you're never more than 200 metres from a badger around these parts. Oh yes? So why was he avoiding me? I did my bit of covering the odd 200m so how about meeting me half way?

The toe that looked angry yesterday is now behaving extremely badly. So I've had to give up any thought of walking tomorrow either. So, I shall be re-acquainting myself with Glasgow (sometime city of culture) on my way to Stirling. Let's hope the YH receptionist there has been on the smiling at guests course.

This probably sounds like a whinge day but I would say the setting of New Lanark is absolutely glorious.

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