Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Blantyre
POP 17,300
Though technically part of Lanarkshire, Blantyre, the birthplace of David Livingstone, is
an outlying suburb of Glasgow these days. It was founded as a cotton mill in the late 18th
century. Livingstone, that zealous and pious doctor, missionary and explorer, was raised in
a one-room tenement and worked in the mill by day from the age of 10, going to the local
school at night. Amazingly for a time in which most mill-workers were barely able to
write their names, he managed to get himself into university to study medicine.
The David Livingstone Centre (NTS; www.nts.org.uk ; adult/child £6/5; 10am-5pm
Mon-Sat, 12.30-5pm Sun Apr-late Dec) tells the story of his life from his early days in
Blantyre to the 30 years he spent in Africa, where he named the Victoria Falls on one of
his numerous journeys. It's a good display and brings to life the incredible hardships of
his missionary existence, his battles against slavery, and his famous meeting with Stanley.
There's a child-friendly African wildlife feature and the grassy park the museum is set in
makes a perfect picnic spot.
It's a 30-minute walk along the river to Bothwell Castle (HS; www.historic-scot-
land.gov.uk ; adult/child £4/2.40; 9.30am-5.30pm Apr-Sep, to 4.30pm Sat-Wed Oct-
Mar) , regarded as the finest 13th-century castle in Scotland. The stark, roofless, red-sand-
stone ruins are substantial and, largely due to their beautiful green setting, romantic.
Trains run from Glasgow Central station to Blantyre (20 minutes, three hourly). Head
straight down the hill from the station to reach the museum.
PAISLEY
Once a proud weaving town, but these days effectively a southwestern suburb of Glasgow, Paisley gave its name to
the funky patterned fabric. Though flanked by green countryside, it's not an engaging place, but it has an ace up its
sleeve in the shape of the magnificent Paisley Abbey ( www.paisleyabbey.org.uk ; Abbey Close; admission free;
10am-3.30pm Mon-Sat) , which is well worth the short trip from Glasgow to see.
This majestic Gothic building was founded in 1163 by Walter Fitzalan, the first high steward of Scotland and an-
cestor of the Stuart dynasty. A monastery for Cluny monks, it was damaged by fire during the Wars of Independence
in 1306 but rebuilt soon after. Most of the nave is 14th or 15th century. The building was mostly a ruin from the
16th century until the 19th-century restoration, completed in 1928. Apart from the magnificent perspective down the
nave, points of interest include royal tombs, some excellent 19th- and 20th-century stained glass, including three
 
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