Finally, internet!  I'm sitting in the pub at the New Lanark Hotel drinking a Strongbow and waiting for steak and ale pie.  It's my reward for hiking up the river this morning for about 2 1/2 hours, on a trail remarkably like the Canyon View in Campbell River.  Made me miss my walking partner, Cathy!

Now to summarise the last few days.  Got to New Lanark no problem, though the train from Edinburgh to Motherwell was running 35 minutes late.  No problem getting a seat either this time.  Switched trains to head south - it was absolutely pouring when we arrived in Lanark.  Didn't last long though.  Caught the bus for the ride down to New Lanark,  it dropped me right at the hostel.  Settled in for the night.

Friday I walked up to the town, about a 35 minute walk. Connected to the internet at the library, but the server wouldn't allow me to access my blog.  Wandered up and down the High Street, then picked up some groceries at Morrisons.  Got lost on my way back, but eventually figured it out.  Curse my sense of direction!

Saturday I toured the heritage site.  The hostel is in one of the old buildings, but they also have the old schoolroom, store, one of the mills and a couple of homes set up how they used to be, in various other buildings.  This was a very progressive place to live and work in the early 1800's.  It was still a very hard life,  but the owner of the mill didn't allow children to work until age 10, whereas in other mills they started at age 6.  Children went into nursery school at age 18 months and had to attend school full time until age 10.  Classes were offered in the evenings for both adults and older children.   There was healthcare for all, and Robert Owen planted the forest around here and encouraged the residents to take their excercise on the paths he built.  Of course this all benefited the running of the mill, but he believed that everyone should be treated kindly and have the benefit of education.   He cut back working hours to 10 1/2, and his mill production didn't suffer.  He tried to get his measures passed into law, but the government (pressured by other mill owners) wouldn't do it.  His ideas were the basis for the co-op movement.

This photo is of Corra Castle,  at the end of my hike today. It dates back to the 14th or 15th century.

I'm staying in the building on the far left.

Another view of the town from the path to the graveyard.

One of the falls on the Clyde - called Corra Linn.