| | | Lanarkshire is a mix of the industrial, new towns and gentler rural villages. |
| Parts of it are not at first natural tourist spots - Bellshill, Motherwell and Cumbernauld have all been affected by industry decline, especially in steel and coal. |
| But it's a place where you'll find something interesting in the most surprising settings. |
| In the New Town of East Kilbride, for example, is the Scottish Museum of Country Life, a fascinating look at traditional farms and how they coped with expanding towns. |
| One of the best examples of industry and tourism is at Lanark. The town itself is a typical small market town but just a mile or so away is New Lanark - now a World Heritage Centre and a great day out. |
| Here you'll find the village built by Robert Owen, an enlightened textile factory owner from the 18th century who realised he would get more out of his workers if they were well treated and educated. |
| The factories still remain as well as the houses he provided for workers and these days it's a living village in a beautiful setting next to the Falls of Clyde. |
| There's an interesting mix here of pretty villages like Strathaven, next to bigger town centres like Hamilton which is home to Strathclyde Country Park - an outdoor enthusiast's heaven with sailing, canoeing, cycling and even a funfair. |
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