L2L Day 61 Abington to New Lanark - 16.5 miles

Abington Services really aren't well located if you have any intention of walking!

However, Tony's trusty Tyrolean walking app 'Bergfex' came to the rescue.

Recharged with a very good full Scottish breakfast in the service station, we climbed over the fence at the back of the car park.  After a short stretch of walking along the verge of the A702 and A73 


we branched off through Roberton farm and made our way along tracks to Muirhead pursuing Tony's growing obsession with fords..


..while shunning the obvious albeit wobbly bridge.

There were beautifully clear views of the mountains around us.





We  stopped for 'elevenses' ....


before heading into the Tinto Hills to a high point at Howgate Mouth.





On the way we passed daffodils in the verge


and a garden of fresh bluebells


...Spring clearly came later up here....


and a wonderful bull giving us the eye! 


while we were impressed by all his progeny.


We stopped at Carmichael churchyard for our lunch of Scotch Pies and Vimto - gazing at the gravestones and pondering the bigger questions of philanthropy, freemasonry, life and ashes.


....Oh! and taxation! 

A straightforward walk took us to the attractive Hynford Bridge with the wonderful perfume of gorse in the air.



before a long and unsatisfactory walk along the main road in to Lanark. NOT to be repeated.

Since our lunch stop, Tony had been picking up cans and bottles from the verges and by the time we reached  the ourskirts of Lanark and eventually found a rubbish bin, we were both laden with other people's jettisoned empties.



On the way into town we stopped to watch a dog agility competition at Lanark racecourse - though it wasn't clear who was getting most out of it, the dogs or the owners.


Apart from the town square and a few striking buildings



 - perhaps we were tiring by this stage - the town offered little charm and seemingly nowhere to quench our thirsts so we decided to continue our walk deep down the valley to New Lanark and our accommodation for the night.

Lanark and New Lanark are as different as chalk from cheese. It can't have been this way when in full production but today, New Lanark is a haven of calmness and industrial Georgian elegance.





Definitely worth a revisit  


I'll find out about Robert Owen tomorrow. 
Zzzz!!


Meanwhile, if you'd like to donate to my chosen charity Medecins sans Frontieres, here's a link to my JustGiving page and should take you straight there

https://www.justgiving.com/page/david-thomas-lewes2lewis?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL


Comments

  1. Robin26 May 2026 at 00:44

    Two months walking already! How are your poor feet?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Robin26 May 2026 at 11:48

    Glad the weather is OK for you. Walking with a hare and mountain views ain't too bad either

    ReplyDelete

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