Lanark
- For other places with the same name, see Lanark (disambiguation).
Lanark is a market town of 8,800 people (2020) in Clydesdale, South West Scotland, and is nowadays a commuter town for Glasgow. The prime reason to visit is for the nearby UNESCO world heritage site of New Lanark. It was at Lanark that William Wallace (1270-1305) first strode into history, leading a 1297 uprising against the English and killing the Sheriff. This escalated into the First War of Scottish Independence, and Wallace triumphed a few months later at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
Get in
By train
Trains run from Glasgow Central every 30 min via Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke, taking an hour to Lanark. From Edinburgh or England change at Motherwell.
1 Lanark Station is east end of town centre. It has a staffed ticket office and machines, a waiting room but no toilets. There is step-free access to all platforms.
By bus
Stuarts Coach 240X / 241X runs from Glasgow Buchanan station M-F hourly, taking 70 min via Motherwell, Wishaw, Carluke and Braidwood.
Bus 317 runs from Hamilton daily every 30 min, taking 50 min via Larkhall, Garrion Bridge, Crossford and Kirkfieldbank.
Bus 91 / 191 runs daily hourly from Biggar, taking 30 min via Symington, Thankerton and Hyndford Bridge.
Bus 34A runs M-Sa hourly from Livingston, taking an hour via Dedridge, Polbeath, West Calder, Breich, Fauldhouse, Shotts andd Forth.
Whitelaws Bus 258 runs M-Sa every hour or two from Lesmahagow, taking 30 min.
Lanark Interchange bus station is next to the railway station.
By road
From the south follow M74 to Junction 12 Uddington then A70 north onto Hyndford Road. From Glasgow leave M74 at Junction 9 Kirmuirhill and zigzag onto B7086 for A72. From Edinburgh follow A71 to Breich then A706. If in doubt, following the brown tourist signs for New Lanark will bring you into Lanark town centre.
Get around
The town is small enough to walk. New Lanark is two miles south, within walking distance, but you're destined to do a lot more walking once you get there.
As Lanark is the traditional county and market town, bus routes converge on the Interchange from the nearby villages. As well as the inter-town routes above, you might use:
Stuarts Coach 135 runs daily hourly to New Lanark, taking 8 min. Be sure to get the direct bus, as between times the 135 circles Lanark town.
Bus 37 / 137 runs daily hourly to Carstairs village, hospital and railway station, and Carnwath.
Bus 30 / 30A / 31 / 31A runs four times M-Sa to Hyndford Bridge, Thankerton, Symington, Abington, Crawford, Leadhills and Wanlockhead.
Whitelaws Bus 259 runs M-Sa every two hours to Hyndford Bridge, Kirkfieldbank, Rigside, Douglas and Glespin.
Taxi: in 2022 a ride within town costs up to £5 and to New Lanark is £6 to £8. The local operator is Clydewide (+44 1555 666333, tollfree 0800 050 9264).
See
- 1 Lanark Museum, 29 Bloomgate ML11 9ET, ☏ +44 1555 666680. Closed. Tells the history of the town. It remains closed in 2022.
- 2 The Girnin Dug sits atop 15 Castlegate. This statue of a dog was erected in the 1840s by its owner after it was poisoned. He suspected the culprit was his neighbour Miss Inglis, who had strenously opposed him building next door to her. So he put up this statue on his roof, its reproachful expression directed into Miss Inglis' parlour window. Her house is long gone so the dog now girns in an unfocussed manner towards St Nicholas Church.
- St Nicholas across the street is Church of Scotland, built in 1774.
- 3 Castlebank Park is the green space south of town centre, flanked by St Patrick's Rd. The castle stood at its east end (the streetname Castlegate being the clue) beneath what is now Lanark Thistle bowling green. It was built in the 1140s and was derelict by around 1400.
- 4 Old St Kentigern's Church is a ruin within the cemetery along Hyndford Rd. It was built in the 13th century and was governed by the abbey at Dryburgh. It was abandoned in 1668 when a new church was completed in town, the predecessor to St Nicholas. The metal gates by the roadside were toll gates, made in the 1820s for Cartland Bridge. They were moved here when road tolls were abolished in 1883.
- 5 Cartland Craigs, Lanark Road. A nature reserve to the north-west of Lanark, part of the Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve.
- 6 Cleghorn Glen, Stanmore Road. A nature reserve in the north-east of Lanark, part of the Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve.
- 7 New Lanark: see separate page for this 18th century mill complex two miles south, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Do
- 1 Lanark Golf Club, Whitelees Road ML11 7RX, ☏ +44 1555 663219, [email protected]. 6428 yards, par 70, visitor round £45.
- Football: Lanark United play soccer way, way down in the amateur leagues, at Moor Park on Hyndford Rd. (Third Lanark, who went bust in 1967, were named for a rifle regiment and were based in Glasgow.) Lanark RFC play rugby union at a similar humble level, with home games on the racecourse.
- Bowling: Lanark Thistle Bowling Club are based at Castlegate, and Lanark Waterloo are north on Waterloo Rd.
- 2 Lanark Tennis Club, Chapland Road, ML11 7QL, [email protected]. 07:30-22:00.
- 3 Scottish Equestrian Centre, Lanark Race Course ML11 9TA, ☏ +44 1555 661853, [email protected]. Activity based stays: riding lessons, hacking, forest trails, ponies. With its own hotel and B&B on site. The Centre is on the old race course, which closed as a racing venue back in 1977. The nearest racetrack is at Hamilton Park, which has flat-racing May-Oct.
- Clyde Walkway and cycle track runs along the Clyde for 40 miles from Partick in Glasgow via Cambuslang, Strathclyde Country Park, Cardies Bridge and Crossford to New Lanark. The final 7 miles are the most scenic, passing Stonybyres HE Power Station and waterfall, Lanark, New Lanark Mills, Bonnington HE Power Station and the three upper Falls of Clyde, ending at Bonnington Linn.
- Lanark Lanimers: "Lanimers" means Land Marches, or beating the bounds of the burgh. A ceremony has been held each year since 1140, usually on the Thursday between 6 and 12 June. Dressing up, parades, pipe bands and suchlike.
Buy
- Tesco is opposite the railway station and open M-Sa 07:00-23:00, Su 08:00-21:00.
- Lidl is on the retail park east on Hyndford Rd. It's open M-Sa 08:00-21:00, Su 08:00-20:00.
Eat
- 1 The Woodpecker, 20 Wide Close ML11 7LX, ☏ +44 555 665161, [email protected]. M-Th 12:00-23:00, F-Su 12:00-01:00. Smart informal bar and restaurant a block north of High Street.
- 2 Inn on the Loch, 179 Hyndford Road, ML11 9BJ, ☏ +44 1555 663638.
- 3 La Vigna, 40 Wellgate, ML11 9DT, ☏ +44 1555 664320. M-Sa 12:00-14:30 and 17:00-22:00; Su 12:00-15:00 and 17:00-21:30.
- 4 Prego, 3 High Street, ML11 7LU, ☏ +44 1555 666300. Tu-Su 12:00-14:00 and 17:00-23:00; closed M. Offers pizza, pasta and seafood, and other Italian cuisine.
- 5 Valerio's Fish and Chips, Bannatyne Street, ML11 7LB, ☏ +44 1555 665818. 10:30-22:00.
- 6 Ebi's, 78 High Street, ML11 7ES, ☏ +44 1555 663797, [email protected]. M-Th 11:00-22:00, F-Su 11:00-23:00.
- 7 Capital House, 95 High Street, ML11 7ET, ☏ +44 1555 663826. M-Th 12:00-22:00; F Sa 12:00-22:30; Su 16:00-22:00. Chinese restaurant and takeaway on Lanark High Street.
- 8 Jholpai Indian Fusion, 1 Hope Street, ML11 7LZ, ☏ +44 1555 661010. M-Sa 17:00-22:00; Su 17:00-21:30.
- 9 Tea Time, 1-3 Hyndford Place, ML11 9EA, ☏ +44 1555 660484. M-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su closed.
Drink
- 1 The Clydesdale Inn, 15 Bloomgate, ML11 9ET, ☏ +44 1555 678740, [email protected]. M-Th 12:00-22:00; F 12:00-01:00; Sa 10:00-01:00; Su 10:00-22:00. A historic pub and former hotel on Bloomgate, a five minute walk from the train station. It has been in the hands of chains in recent decades, including Wetherspoons and Your Valued Local, but is now an independent pub once again. There are a wide variety of drinks available and an extensive menu is on offer with locally-sourced produce. Afternoon tea is served every day from 12:00 to 16:00, but booking ahead is recommended. Events are held regularly including bingo and live music, check website or social media for details of upcoming events.
- 2 The Crown Tavern, 17-21 Hope Street, ML11 7NE, ☏ +44 1555 664639, [email protected].
- 3 Horse & Jockey Bar, 56 High Street, ML11 7ES, ☏ +44 1555 664825.
- 4 Maisies Bar, 12 Wellgate, ML11 9DT, ☏ +44 1555 664644. M-F 11:00-01:00, Sa 11:00-00:00, Su 12:30-01:00. "The braw wee pub" is a traditional Scottish bar, sometimes drouthy, never snooty.
- 5 Miss D's, South Vennel, ML11 7JT.
- 6 The Wallace Cave, 11 Broomgate, ML11 9ET, ☏ +44 1555 663662.
- 7 The Wee Man's, 34 Castlegate, ML11 9EF, ☏ +44 1555 661379.
Sleep
- 1 Westport B&B, 5 Westport ML11 9HD, ☏ +44 7447 223999. Small terraced house in town centre. B&B double £120.
- Rosemount Boutique B&B, 14-16 Westport ML11 9HD (opposite Westport B&B), ☏ +44 7746 468900, [email protected]. Comfy friendly guesthouse. B&B double £120.
- Scottish Equestrian Centre has rooms, see above.
- See New Lanark for the hotel and hostel in the mill village.
Connect
As of Oct 2022, Lanark and its nearby villages and highways have 4G from EE, O2 and Vodafone, and a basic mobile signal from Three. 5G has not reached this area.
Go next
- Follow A70 west towards Alloway near Ayr, birthplace of Robert Burns.
- East, head via Biggar into the Tweed valley and Scottish Borders, with fine ruined abbeys at Melrose and Jedburgh.
- Glasgow and Edinburgh are just over an hour away.
| Routes through Lanark |
Ayr ← Douglas ←  ←
|
SW  NE
|
→ Carstairs → Edinburgh |
| Hamilton ← | NW  SE
|
→ merges with  until Symington → Biggar
|
| Cumbernauld ← Carluke ← | NW  SE
|
→ Abington |
| Glasgow Central ← Motherwell ← | NW  S
|
→ END |