Close to the big city but within reach of the great outdoors, Lanarkshire has plenty to appeal.


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.
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.
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.
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.