We did a little sight-seeing today with David and Fiona Carmichael (photo #1). New Lanark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a cotton mill and community for its workers, built in 1786 along the River Clyde. The founders, Richard Arkwright, David Dale, and later his son-in-law, Robert Owen vastly improved working conditions by providing good food and clean living quarters for their workers. Later, they provided education and child care. Still later, they strove for “utopian style” community living. What started as Christian philanthropy moved toward a socialist way of living. The mills operated until 1986, when the industry declined. The buildings are now used as a hotel, apartments, offices, and tourism sites (photo #2). At the top of the trail are beautiful waterfalls (photo #3), as well as along the way (photo #4). We enjoyed a delicious lunch after our hike.
