As a center for outdoor recreation, Strathclyde Country Park in Lanarkshire is one of the best in the UK. There is a wide range of activities available within its four square kilometers and it has continued to attract visitors since its inception in 1965. Activities are divided into two main areas: on the water and on land.

water based activities

The focal area of ​​the park is Strathclyde Loch, a man-made loch that is a major center for water sports and caters to enthusiasts and those who just want a fun day out. It is home to the Strathclyde Park Rowing Club and the Scottish Rowing Centre, whose training facilities are the best in Europe. The rowing club welcomes competitive and recreational rowers and offers state-of-the-art facilities for both. Beginners who enroll in the Rowstart course are guided through the basics of rowing and progress to individual sculls, while experienced rowers enjoy world-class training facilities.

Other water sports in the Park include canoeing, jet skiing, windsurfing, dinghy sailing and water skiing. Equipment and training for each are available for rent. For those who just want to mess around on the water, there are pedal boats, canoes, and bumper boats. The lake is regularly monitored by rescue boats to ensure all users of the lake are safe at all times.

The Loch and the Clyde and South Calder Rivers also support a healthy population of coarse fish, and fishing permits are available at reasonable prices.

land activities

Soccer fans are well catered for with seven pitches and a 7-sided soccer center. The surrounding terrain is criss-crossed with specially designed tracks for jogging, cross-country running, and there are also seven miles of bridle paths for horseback riders and three different courses for orienteering. The paths are also suitable for cycling and it is indeed possible to rent bicycles at the water sports center.

Big events

Strathclyde Country Park and its lake have hosted a number of major events over the years. The T in the Park music festival was held there between 1994 and 1997. The lake regularly hosts national and international rowing competitions, the most notable of which was the Commonwealth Games in 1986. It also hosts sailing regattas and canoeing and will host the triathlon at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The sprawling fairgrounds are the venue for public fairs and exhibitions, many of which attract tens of thousands of visitors.

Nature

There is a variety of landscapes in Strathclyde Park, such as woodland, parkland and wetlands that are connected with nature trails and paths that visitors are free to roam. The park is a sanctuary and breeding ground for around 150 different species of wildlife. Visitors can avail of the services of the park’s resident rangers who conduct regular guided walks throughout the year.

theme park

Dominating the skyline in Strathclyde Park is the giant Ferris wheel belonging to the M&D theme park. There’s also a variety of roller coasters and thrill rides or, for the faint-hearted, there’s an indoor entertainment complex with bowling, amusement rides and a tropical rain forest. The park has excellent visitor facilities including ample free parking and disabled access.

Get there

Getting to Strathclyde Country Park couldn’t be easier as it is highly accessible and is located just off junction 5 of the M74 motorway in the Clyde Valley, close to Hamilton and Motherwell. Between April and September, a regular bus service operates from Glasgow’s Buchanan Street bus station.