Community Action Lanarkshire

12/06/2026

🌿Make Your Way Strathaven & Upper Avondale 🥾🚶🚶‍♀

That’s a wrap on our Make Your Way Strathaven & Upper Avondale Walks! 🚶‍♀️✨
Over the past few months, it’s been fantastic to see so many of you join us across Strathaven & Upper Avondale 💚

Together we’ve enjoyed:
🌼 Fresh air and beautiful local routes
🤝 Friendly chats and new connections
🤝 Shared ideas and local knowledge along the way which helped shape local active travel map.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along and made these walks special, your enthusiasm and community spirit made all the difference 😊

Although these walks have come to an end, we hope you’ll keep walking, exploring, and making your way every day 🌿

🗺️ Coming soon: Once the Make Your Way map boards are ready, we hope to host one or two unveiling events in Strathaven & Upper Avondale, we’ll keep you updated!

Keep an eye on our page for future activities 👀


For walks in your area, please check out https://makeyourwaylanarkshire.com/

09/06/2026

🌿 Looking for a breath of fresh air? The Auldton to Douglas path offers a great way to get outdoors and enjoy the scenery🚶‍♀️🚴‍♂️, with new signage now in place to help guide the way and make the journey even clearer.

📢 Alongside these improvements, it’s now easier than ever for everyone to play a part in keeping the path in great condition. If you spot anything on the path that needs attention, you can get in touch at:
📧 [email protected]

Your feedback helps keep the path safe, welcoming, and enjoyable for everyone, thank you! 💚

For more information on walks in your area, please check out www.makeyourwaylanarkshire.com


Douglasdale Real Group Coalburn Community Action Group One Stop Shop Coalburn Walking Scotland South Lanarkshire Council

26/05/2026

🚶‍♀️🚴 Volunteers wanted to help keep the new active travel path between Auldton and Douglas in great condition for everyone to enjoy.

Come along and get involved! 🌿

Volunteers are needed to play a vital role in keeping a new active travel path between Coalburn and Douglas in top condition.
Find out more at a drop in event at the One Stop Shop, Coalburn, from 10am to 2pm on Saturday 30 May.
Full details in the View:
https://orlo.uk/b3slW

26/05/2026

Another brilliant MYW walk in the bag. The Rutherend Loop recce (thanks to Janet for leading the walk 🙏) delivered cracking views over Cladence (or Claddens) Moss, the raised bog that is the source of the Powmillon Burn, flowing past Chapelton and into Strathaven from the north. 🌿

We even managed to help a trucker who was stuck in the ditch! 🚚💪 NOT!

As a vital carbon sink, the Moss has drawn close attention from environmental groups, with local champions like Friends of Langlands Moss keeping a careful eye on commercial peat extraction. 🌍

We stopped by the Quakers Graveyard (at Shawtonhill) and the Millennium Stone at Chapelton, the views were stunning at every turn. Sunshine, fresh air, and miles well walked. ☀️🚶‍♀️✨

Today's walk definitely benefitted from a quieter main road due to current road closures on the A726. Whilst this route only has 2 short sections of wide and grassy verge walking, great care should be taken under normal road conditions.

Thanks to all who joined us, much appreciated😊
www.makeyourwaylanarkshire.com
icecream architecture

18/05/2026

A lovely wander today starting in Sandford, following the old mill paths out towards The Brew Barn for a cosy coffee stop, then down towards Stonehouse before heading back to Sandford via the Fairy Bridge ✨

Sandford itself grew around its old mill on the Avon Water, once one of the busiest in the area. As you head out of the village, you're walking the same paths used for centuries by weavers, farmers and families making their way to markets and fairs and the Fairy Bridge would have been crossed by all of them.

Thanks to all who joined us, much appreciated😊
www.makeyourwaylanarkshire.com
icecream architecture

18/05/2026

Don’t let a few light showers put you off, it’s still a perfect day for a good walk! ☔🌱

Join us today for a wander from Sandford to the Brew Barn and back again with a cosy stop at the Brew Barn 🍰✨

🌿Make Your Way Strathaven, Chapelton, Gilmourton/Drumclog Community Mapping Walk 🥾🚶🚶‍♀

Join us on Monday 18th May for a 9.8km walk out to the Brewbarn. Starting in Sandford, we’ll walk out to the Brewbarn, continue on to Stonehouse, and loop back to Sandford, plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors 🌄💬

Let's know if you plan on joining us; pease wear suitable footwear 🥾🌳🍀

For more information on walks in your area, please check out www.makeyourwaylanarkshire.com
icecream architecture

16/05/2026

🌿🌲Smashing walk up Dungavel Hill and down to Glengavel Reservoir today 🌤️

Standing above Glengavel Reservoir, Dungavel Hill offers sweeping views across Avondale, Ayrshire, Arran and the Clyde Valley. Its open moorland and heather slopes make it a perfect wander and breathe kind of hill.

At the summit cairn you might even meet some of the locals, including an Oak Eggar moth caterpillar 🐛 spotted sunning itself right on the stones. Proof that even the wildlife enjoy the view 💛

Glengavel Reservoir
Construction of Glengavel Reservoir began in 1893 to replace the many local wells which served the village of Strathaven. This gravitational water project was completed in 1896 with further incremental increases in dam height between 1903-1906 (due to issues of it not being fully water tight). These works eventually increased capacity to 446 million gallons. In the 1940's the surrounding farms and communities in Upper Avondale were finally linked to a reliable and clean water from the reservoir.

It remains a favourite trout fishing managed by Upper Avondale Angling Association.
More information can be found at their website
https://upperavonangling.co.uk/the-history-of-glengavel-reservoir-water-supply-in-starthaven

Dungavel House
Originally built as a 19th Century hunting lodge and summer retreat, for the Duke of Hamilton, Dungavel Lodge became the main ducal residence from 1919 due to Hamilton Palace being demolished due to subsidence. It has had a varied past including being a flying base for the Duke during the inter war years; the destination of Rudolph Hess's abortive flight to meet the Duke in 1941; a hospital during the Second World War; later as a National Coal Board Training Centre and since 1982 as a prison.

Thanks to all who joined us, much appreciated😊
www.makeyourwaylanarkshire.com
icecream architecture

16/05/2026

🌿 Perfect day for a wander up Dunvegan Hill. If you fancy fresh air and cracking views, come join us 💛🌿

🌿Make Your Way Strathaven, Chapelton, Gilmourton/Drumclog Community Mapping Walk 🥾🚶🚶‍♀️

🥾🌄 Fancy a (3ml, 200m ascent) walk with a story behind it?
Join us as we climb 🏞️ Dungavel Hill, where James Renwick once made one of the most dramatic escapes of the Covenanting years 🏃‍♂️

🥤🍏🍫 Don't forget a snack and a drink for this 3 hour wander!
🚗 Limited parking available on site
🤝 Car sharing is encouraged where possible
⚠️ Please be mindful not to block passing places!

⚠️ Advanced booking is required for this walk, please email [email protected] to book your space!

🥾🥾Boots are strongly recommended. Although most of the approach follows good wind farm access roads, the final short section up to the impressive summit cairn is spongy and moss‑covered, and can be very wet
For more information on walks in your area, please check out www.makeyourwaylanarkshire.com

icecream architecture

13/05/2026

🌿Make Your Way Strathaven, Chapelton, Gilmourton/Drumclog Community Mapping Walk 🥾🚶🚶‍♀

Up next is our walk from yesterday afternoon which was a smashing walk out to the old railway line and back via Kirkhill!

🚶‍♀️✨ Started at the Rifleman Khan Memorial in the square and headed out to part of the old railway line that once stretched all the way to Stonehouse, full of local history and loads of character. Such a beautiful stretch to explore 🌿

We then made our way up Lovers Lane, pausing on the way up to soak in the stunning views across to Sandford and beyond before continuing on to the Strathaven Cemetery War Memorial. From there, we headed back into town, rounding off a relaxed route packed with beautiful scenery and a lovely sense of local heritage throughout ✨

Thanks to all who joined us, much appreciated😊
www.makeyourwaylanarkshire.com
icecream architecture

13/05/2026

🌿Make Your Way Strathaven, Chapelton, Gilmourton/Drumclog Community Mapping Walk 🥾🚶🚶‍♀

Smashing walk around Strathaven Town yesterday morning using the Strathaven Heritage Trail booklet, courtesy of the John Hastie Museum - strathavenmuseum.org🚶‍🏡✨ It offers a fascinating glimpse into the town’s rich heritage, bringing to life the events, industries, and people who helped shape Strathaven into what it is today 📖👣

Highly recommend the trail if you’re in the area! 📍📖

Thanks to Stella & Ian for joining us, much appreciated 😊

For more information on walks in your area, please check out www.makeyourwaylanarkshire.com
icecream architecture