Glasgow had been a good place to rest, my first proper visit to this lively city. Leaving this morning though I was soon passing through industrial areas in a bad state of decline, a total contrast to the grand city centre. Celtic Football Club's stadium was the only thing I saw of much interest as I left.
All through the Highlands I had felt perfectly normal walking around with my big backpack, there being others like me everywhere. But I began to feel I was the odd one out today, getting curious looks from people wondering why someone looking like me was walking through their street. Something else changed too, in a pleasing way, as I left Glasgow I started to see road signs for Carlisle, these were the first signs I had seen anywhere on my walk mentioning a place in England.
With 13 miles or so covered in hazy sun a moderate breeze, perfect walking weather, I stopped for lunch in Hamilton. After Larkhall I came into the first real countryside of the day. There were several wind farms in this area. I don't understand why many don't like them, in the right places they seem to add to the landscape in a strange way to me, if they're creating green energy too I can't see what the problem is.
I'd planned to stop at Lesmahagow to buy my main meal of the day and take a break. I arrived on schedule but unfortunately the town seemed to have fallen on hard times. Around half the businesses in the main street were boarded up, including the main hotel. The two pubs didn't look very appealing to me, so I bought fish and chips and ate them on a bench.
The B7078 south of Lesmahagow is a strange road. It must have been the main north/south route before the nearby M74 was built. Today it's still a big wide dual carriageway, but it has almost no traffic. Good news for a pedestrian of course, also good news for motorcyclists, some were using the long straight empty road to test their bikes at very high speeds.
The services at Cairn Lodge were another good spot to rest my legs for a while. After leaving there I continued south for a bit, then wild camped close to the B7088 near Douglas. My good fortune with the weather continued, the first rain of the day fell just after I'd finished putting up my tent.
GPS data click here
Mileage today; 30.95 miles, walking time 7 hrs 37 mins, average walking speed 4.1 mph
Weather; hazy sunshine and a moderate breeze, max 20C
Cumulative mileage 342.80 miles
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| Boarded-up shops in Lesmahagow |
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| One of the many wind farms south of Glasgow |
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| The B7078, surely Britains quietest dual carriageway |
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