Bell tents in Lanarkshire with hiking
Close to the big city but within reach of the great outdoors, Lanarkshire has plenty to appeal.
- Lanarkshire
Popular camping styles for Lanarkshire
Bell tents in Lanarkshire with hiking guide
Overview
Easily accessible from both Glasgow and Edinburgh, Lanarkshire is perfectly located for exploring Scotland’s Central Lowlands. There are lots of opportunities for scenic country walks and cycles. Those with an interest in history will love the New Lanark UNESCO World Heritage Site while nature lovers will enjoy the next-door Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve. With long daylight hours and your best chance of good weather, summer is the best time to visit, and, unlike better-known parts of Scotland, you won’t have to battle crowds. Campers have plenty of options, for pitching a tent in the wild to staying in a well-equipped caravan park.
Where to go
New Lanark
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of New Lanark tells the story of the model industrial community created here in the early 19th century. After exploring the visitor center and preserved complex of cotton mills, you’ll find plenty of nearby opportunities for adventure. A short walk away, the Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve has a network of trails for viewing its waterfalls and is home to wildlife including badgers, otters and more than 100 bird species. Nearby Clyde Valley Caravan Park has pitches for motorhomes, caravans and tents.
Leadhills
Set in a high valley in the Lowther Hills, Leadhills is Scotland’s second-highest village (behind nearby Wanlockhead). Best-known for its mining heritage, Leadhills also offers outdoor activities such as hiking and climbing in the Lowther Hills and is handy for following the Southern Upland Way long distance footpath, which passes through Wanlockhead. Nearby, the small campsite at Lettershaws Farm welcomes Camping and Caravanning Club members.
Little Sparta
Set in the Pentland Hills, Little Sparta is one of Scotland’s most beguiling hidden gems. Created by the artist Ian Hamilton Finlay, Little Sparta is a garden that covers seven acres (three hectares) of wild and exposed moorland with trees, flowers, streams, bridges, ponds and paths, as well as more than 200 artworks conveying messages about everything from war and revolution to poetry and nature, and secret codes to be translated. Twenty minutes away, Biggar Caravan Park has pitches for caravans, tourers and tents.
Calderglen Country Park
Ideal for traveling families, Calderglen Country Park has a mini zoo, as well as a glasshouse, ornamental gardens and a network of nature trails through the glen that pass through forest and by waterfalls and rivers. The historic Torrance House is at the center of the park and hosts art exhibitions.
