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Visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of New Lanark in South Lanarkshire is like stepping back in time. The beautifully restored 18th century cotton mill village, concealed down a gorge, lies above the banks of the River Clyde. The village first made headlines back in the early 1800s when Robert Owen was mill manager. Owen, a forward thinker with ideas well ahead of his time, created a community where villagers were provided with decent homes, affordable food, education and free healthcare. With child labour and corporal punishment eradicated he believed the welfare of the workers was crucial to industrial success.
New Lanark is gateway to the Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve. Set amidst ancient woodland you can enjoy riverside walks to view the spectacular waterfalls upstream and watch out for a variety of wildlife from badgers to red squirrel, from otters to peregrine falcons. A breeding pair of falcons returned to the reserve in 1997 after an absence of 200 years. "Operation Peregrine" has been set up to observe the birds and we were fortunate enough to see these incredible creatures in action at the viewing station. These clips were filmed at the Bonnington Linn Waterfall.
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