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Biggar Museums Greenhill Covenanters' House On the parkland of Biggar's Burn Braes stands Greenhill farmhouse, but it used to be situated at Wiston some ten miles away on the other side of Tinto Hill. Biggar Museum Trust rescued it in a derelict condition and moved the whole house down to Biggar as a home for it's Convenanting museum. It has been joined up to the braes by an excellent stone bridge, now beginning, like the house, to look as if it had been had been there for centuries. Time stands still here, where one is back to the troubled century of the signing of the National Covenant, the Civil War, and the 'Killing times' when men and women were hunted down for worshipping in the open fields rather than attend the state controlled churches.

Opening Times Easter - Mid October. 2pm - 5pm daily.

Moat Park Heritage Centre The Moat Park Heritage Centre is the flagship of Biggar Museum Trust as it was opened by HRH The Princess Royal in 1988. Geology displays explain how the Clyde and Tweed valleys were formed millions of years ago. Rub shoulders with an Iron Age family or encounter a bloodthirsty Roman soldier and other figures from our turbulent past. Splendid models portray early dwellings, mottes, castles and bastle houses, all accompanied by archaeological exhibits. There is a magnificent Victorian patchwork, nine feet by eight feet with over eighty colourful figures meticulously stitched into place by an eccentric tailor during the Crimean War and, there are many more items of fine art. Other displays feature rural church, school, agricultural and costume heritage. In the natural history section one can watch a colony of live bees making their honey, learn all about local birds, animals and plants, have fun on a 'touch' table and lots more. Opening Times Easter - October 31. Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm. Sunday 2pm - 5pm Admission free - parties outwith these times by arrangement.

Gladstone Court Museum Gladstone Court is for all the family, its wee shops and offices displaying small town life as the old remember it and the young imagine it. Here is an Ironmonger's store, a bank, photographers, chemist, dressmaker, watchmaker, milliner, printer and bootmaker, together with a village library and schoolroom. Comparison with modern Biggar outside reveals many changes and continuities which are our heritage. Gladstone Court also houses the 1902 Albion Dogcart.

Opening Times Easter - October 31. Monday - Saturday 10am - 1230pm, 2pm - 5pm. Sunday 2pm - 5pm

The Albion Archive The Albion Building houses the complete archives of Albion Motors, a commercial vehicle manufacturing firm which was started in 1899 with a bond on a local farm. The company grew to be the largest truck manufacturer in the British Empire and is now part of the Leyland DAF organisation. Plans are afoot to build a motor museum, and to this end, Biggar Museum Trust organises a commemorative rally each August.

Biggar Gasworks Museum The only remaining gasworks in Scotland. The World's first public gas company, the Gas Light and Coke Company of London, was set up in 1812 to provide gas both for street lighting and private householders. It was a great success and the gas industry grew rapidly. By 1839 even a town as small as Biggar had it's own gasworks. Over the years, the works at Biggar were altered and expanded to keep up with the increasing demand. A major reconstruction in 1914 brought Biggar Gasworks into more or less its present form.

In 1973, when natural gas from the North Sea came to Biggar, the works closed down. However, unlike other gasworks it was not demolished. Instead, it has been preserved for future generations by Historic Buildings and Monuments and the National Museums of Scotland.

Opening Times June - late September. 2pm - 5pm daily. Sundays in July and August 12noon - 5pm Admission free - parties outwith these times by arrangement.

John Buchan In the old Free Kirk at Broughton, where young Mr. Buchan, the supply clegyman met his future bride Helen Masterton in 1874, a display has been mounted commemorating their eldest son, the writer, poet and statesman, author of many popular novels still in print like "The Thirty Nine Steps", Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly and Governor General of Canada. Broughton was his childhood holiday home, and the place where he often enjoyed writing in peace, often accompanied by his sister, Anna who wrote fine novels herself under the pen name of O. Douglas. Opening Times May to September 2pm - 5pm daily.

Hugh MacDiarmid Just a mile and a half out of Biggar is Brownsbank Cottage, which was the home of the poet Hugh MacDiarmid [Dr. C. M. Grieve] and his wife Valda from 1952 until their deaths in 1978 and 1989. Now restored by Biggar Museum Trust exactly as it was during the Grieves' long stay, the cottage is at present home to a writer-in-residence, who is sponsored by the Scottish Arts Council, the Scottish Postal Board, and the local authorities. Opening Times All year by appointment only. No admission charge but donations welcome.

Welcome to the website for New Lanark World Heritage Site, a beautifully restored 18th century cotton mill village in Central Scotland, close to the Falls of Clyde and less than an hour from Edinburgh and Glasgow. On this website you will find details of our award-winning Visitor Centre and Hotel in the village, which is one of Scotland's top attractions, welcoming over 400,000 visitors every year from all over the world.

The New Lanark Mill Hotel is a unique opportunity to stay in the heart of the World Heritage Site, on the banks of the River Clyde. Book on-line today and take advantage of some great last-minute discounts - bed and breakfast from £60 per person for 2 nights.

The fascinating history of the village is brought back to life in an award-winning Visitor Centre, where you can explore all the attractions with a passport ticket. Highlights of any visit will include the magical New Millennium Experience ride and an audio-visual theatre show called 'Annie McLeod's Story', where the ghost of a mill-girl appears on stage.

The village first rose to fame when Robert Owen was mill manager from 1800-1825. Owen transformed life in New Lanark with ideas and opportunities which were at least a hundred years ahead of their time. Child labour and corporal punishment were abolished, and villagers were provided with Accommodation Events at New Lanark Educational Visits The Trust Friends of New Lanark New Lanark Location

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New Lanark World Heritage Site South Lanarkshire Scotland ML11 9DB tel: +44 1555 661345 fax: +44 1555 665738

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Activities Adventure & Theme Parks Archery Bowling Clay Pigeon Shooting Climbing Combat Games Cycling Diving Driving Fishing >> Golf Ice Rinks In the Air Karting Leisure Centres Mountains On the Water Orienteering Play Centres Quad Bikes Riding Skiing & Snowboarding Swimming Pools Walks Heritage Nature Science & Industry Crafts & Shopping Tours & Trips Entertainments

01501 743 905 Discover a world of excitement at West Lothian's latest country park, where the clock has been turned back and a large area of neglected ground restored to its place as a focal point of the community. A variety of sporting activities have been introduced to the park, reminiscent of the early part of this Century, where as a private estate it was the home of the social leaders of the Whitburn area. Polkemmet Country Park is located on the Western boundary of Whitburn, on the B7066 Whitburn to Harthill Road, and it offers the visitor a range of sporting activities similar to those provided by the Baillie family, who owned the estate for over 300 years. Among the facilities are an information centre, golf course, golf driving range, bowling green, picnic and barbecue areas, play areas, restaurant and bar. The reception area is located in the converted garages of the old mansion house, which was itself demolished in the 1960s. The bowling green has been built to the east of the Park Centre complex, on the site of the old house. The Baillie family owned the estate from about 1620 until 1957 and they played a significant role in the life of the local community. One lasting reminder of the family is the mausoleum, built in 1907 in memory of Robert Baillie, fourth Baronet of Polkemmet, which still stands in the grounds. Early this Century, the family provided a bowling green, golf course and tennis courts on the estate, and talented local players were invited along to make use of the facilities. When the District Council took over ownership of the estate in 1978 - after many years of neglect - they decided to provide similar facilities and open the estate up to the general public. The golf course was opened in 1981, followed by a bowling green, golf driving range, picnic areas, children's play area and, within the central buildings, a restaurant and bar . In addition, in 1994, a large formal barbecue area was created on the site of the old, overgrown tennis courts and use of the charcoal grill units can be arranged through the park reception. The most recent development has been the provision of a large, central play area, named by local school children the "Fantasy Forest", comprising a wide variety of units, some with a local natural history theme, designed to provide a learning experience as well as a play function, some designed to cater specifically for children with disabilities and some unique to Scotland, all of which should be a major attraction for families with children visiting the Park. The end result is that this 169 acres Country Park provides a recreational area of outstanding value and can be described as "an oasis in a green desert". This relates to the fact that it is the only area of this part of West Lothian which has substantial mature tree covering. The River Almond meanders through the park and along its course and through the adjacent woodland areas, a number of pleasant walks can be taken. Grey squirrel, rabbit, fox and badger are all indigenous to the park and the diversity of the trees, from conifers to oak, sycamore, beech and horse chestnut, provide the perfect environment for a large variety of birds such as great tit, blue tit, thrush, chaffinch and robin. Several large carparks provide ample parking for sportsmen using the facilities and for families just wishing to relax in a more informal manner, making use of the barbecue and picnic sites, children's play areas and country walks to while away an afternoon. The Ranger Service at Polkemmet offers a range of activities based on the study of the environment which are particularly suitable for school groups and small parties. The park centre complex serves as a focal point for the park, where information on all activities is available. Across the courtyard from the reception area is the restaurant and lounge bar, specially adapted from the former byre and cart shed buildings they occupy. The nine hole golf course, reckoned by many to be the most attractive course in West Lothian, starts behind the restaurant and winds its way round the park before returning to end near the bowling green. It is open daily for play, weather permitting, at the discretion of the Greens staff. The driving range, the only one in West Lothian, is situated to the west of the centre complex and is floodlit to allow customers to play in the evening. The bowling green, the first ever constructed by the District Council, is open daily during the bowling season. Open: Park open all year. Golf course: Summer 7 days 7am-9pm, Winter Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat/Sun 9am-4.30pm. Driving Range: Summer Mon-Fri 10am-9pm, Sat/Sun 9am-9pm, Winter Mon-Fri 12pm-8.30pm, Sat/Sun 10am-4.30pm. Prices: Admission to park free. Facilities: Restaurant, Picnic area, Car park, Coach parking, Toilets, Baby changing facilities, Pushchair access, Wheelchair access, Wheelchair partial access, Wheelchairs available, Guided tours, Visitor centre, Shop, Dogs allowed, Countryside Ranger Service. Travel Directions: From the east, leave the M8 at junction 4 and follow the signs to the Park - on the B7066 between Harthill and Whitburn. From the West, leave the M8 at Junction 5 and travel through Harthill on the B7066; the Park is on the left, before you reach Whitburn.