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Welcome

The award-winning New Lanark Visitor Centre tells the fascinating story of the cotton mill village of New Lanark which was founded in the 18th century. New Lanark quickly became known under the enlightened management of social pioneer, Robert Owen. He provided decent homes, fair wages, free health care, a new education system for villagers and the first workplace nursery school in the world! Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Lanark has been beautifully restored as a living community, which welcomes visitors from all over the world. 

Watch the video: New Lanark Visitor Centre
An aerial view of New Lanark World Heritage Site

Hearing

The fire alarm has flashing lights.
We have a hearing loop in Main reception area, Annie McLeod Ride, School for Children.
Some staff have disability awareness training.

Visual

Some parts of the venue have low lighting.

General

We have a complimentary ticket policy for personal assistants.
Some staff have disability awareness training.
We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors.

Getting here

For further information on accessible travel in Scotland, go to Transport Scotland.
New Lanark Mills
Lanark
South Lanarkshire
Scotland
ML11 9DB

Travel by public transport

You can get to New Lanark World Heritage Site by bus and train.
There is a bus service between Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow and Lanark. Details of this service are available by calling Stuart's Coaches on 01555 773533 FREE. Please note this service does not run on a Sunday. The bus stop is 0.3 miles / 0.5 km from New Lanark World Heritage Site.
The nearest train station is Lanark. The train station is 1.5 miles / 2.4 km from New Lanark World Heritage Site.

2 every hour (1 every hour on Sundays) from Glasgow Central or Motherwell to Lanark railway station (1.5 miles/2.5 km from New Lanark). Local buses and taxis at the bus stance, adjacent to Lanark Railway station and Lanark Visit Scotland Information Centre. For local bus times contact Stuart's Coaches, tel: 01555 773533

Travel by taxi

You can get a taxi with Clydewide Taxis by calling 01555663813.

Parking

We have a car park. There are accessible parking spaces. Parking is free.
There is a drop-off point at the main entrance. The drop-off point has a dropped kerb.
From the car park to the entrance, there is level access. The path is sloped.
The route is 1000mm wide, or more.
Blue badge parking outside out main Reception area Our main Visitor Attraction reception area - The Institute for the Formation of Character Cobbles directly outside main reception entrance Main reception entrance, wooden doors opened

Arrival

Path to main entrance

From the street to the main entrance, there is level access.

Main entrance

The main entrance has level access.
The door is 1005mm wide.
The main door is side hung and manual.
The main door is sliding and automatic.
Automatic sliding doors within our reception entrance

Getting around inside

Some parts of the venue have low lighting.
Waterwheel area part of Visitor Attraction - straight after reception Annie McLeod Experience Ride where visitors sit within moving pods

Lift

We have 5 lifts.
You can get a lift to some floors.

Institute lift

The lift door is 960mm wide.
The lift is 970mm wide. The lift is 1650mm deep.
For the public, the use of this lift is not necessary as there is a continuous ramp which takes visitors to the same location.
Institute Lift Inside Institute Lift

Mill 3 Lift

The lift door is 850mm wide.
The lift is 1460mm wide. The lift is 1560mm deep.
For the public, this lift takes visitors from the Level 4 Textile Floor to the Level 7 Roof Garden.
Mill 3 Lift Inside Mill 3 Lift

Robert Owen's School Lift

The lift door is 990mm wide.
The lift is 1300mm wide. The lift is 1450mm deep.
For the public, this lift takes visitors to all floors of Robert Owen's School for Children.
Robert Owen's School for Children Lift Inside Robert Owen's School for Children Lift

New Lanark Mill Hotel Lift (Reception)

The lift door is 780mm wide.
The lift is 1009mm wide. The lift is 1360mm deep.
This lift is located next to the Hotel Reception Desk.
Hotel Reception area lift Inside lift at Hotel reception area

New Lanark Mill Hotel Lift (Bar)

The lift door is 800mm wide.
The lift is 1013mm wide. The lift is 1400mm deep.
This lift is located through the New Lanark Mill Hotel Bar & Lounge.
Outside the Hotel lift through bar area Inside the Hotel lift through bar area

Ticket/ information desk

Visitor Attraction Reception Desk

From the main entrance to the desk, there is level access.
The Visitor Attraction Reception Desk

Things to See and Do

We have a complimentary ticket policy for personal assistants.

Anne McLeod Experience Ride

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There is a hearing loop.
Some displays have flashing lights.

In the Annie McLeod Experience you sit in motorised 'pods' which lead you around the ride.  Travel back in time on the Annie McLeod Experience Ride! Enter the spirit world of New Lanark and be taken on a fascinating journey of discovery by the ghost of mill worker Annie McLeod who tells her story of life in New Lanark in 1820. Commentary is available in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish & Japenese. Induction loop facility also available.

Pods within the Annie McLeod Ride Ramp up to Annie McLeod Ride Disabled pod within Annie McLeod Ride

Roof Garden

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. There is a lift.
Some display information is low, for wheelchair users.

Be inspired by the design and amazed at the stunning views of our unique Roof Garden. Created on the 9,000 square feet of roof on one of our mill buildings, our Roof Garden is the largest of its kind in Scotland and is one of the highlights of our Visitor Centre. The garden is open to visitors all year round and is the perfect location to enjoy a spectacular bird's-eye view of the surrounding natural scenery and the historic village.

New Lanark Roof Garden The ramp from the Roof Garden to the Attic Space

New Lanark Village Store

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a portable ramp. Some display information is low, for wheelchair users.

The New Lanark Village Store was established by Robert Owen in 1813, selling quality goods at cheap prices and giving customers value for money. The Village Store today offers visitors the chance to find out about shopping in the past, the development of the Co-Operative movement and Fair Trade. You can also treat yourself to some delicious New Lanark Ice Cream!

Portable ramp access to the Village Store Till counter in the Village Store

School for Children Exhibits

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a lift.
Some display information is low, for wheelchair users. There are seats.
There is a hearing loop.

Robert Owen made clear that the prime vehicle for social reform was education. Whilst at New Lanark, he created the first Infant School in the world, complete with a comprehensive education system for children. Visit our Historic Classroom and discover what it was like to go to school in Robert Owen's time. Children can enjoy dressing up as schoolchildren from Annie McLeod's time!

Historic Classroom area Disabled entrance to Robert Owen's School Temporary Exhibition Space

Millworkers House

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a portable ramp. Some display information is low, for wheelchair users.

See how the villagers of New Lanark lived by exploring our Millworkers’ Houses. The reconstruction of an 1820s Millworkers’ Home shows what housing would have been like in New Lanark just before Victorian times, with ‘hurly beds’, company dressers and often 10 or more people to a room! The 1930s Millworkers’ House by contrast shows what housing would have been like just after Victorian times, a period still within living memory.

Portable ramp entrance to Millworkers' House Inside Millworkers'House

Robert Owen's House

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. Some display information is low, for wheelchair users.

You can also explore mill manager Robert Owen’s House – the only house in New Lanark to have more rooms in it than people! See Owen’s original desk, the books from the New Lanark Reading Room and the elegant furniture of Mrs Owen’s sitting room.

Disabled entrance to Robert Owen's House Robert Owen's House Inside Robert Owen's House

Exhibition Gallery

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. The route is 1700mm wide, or more. The door is 1700mm wide.
Some display information is low, for wheelchair users.

The Exhibition Gallery is located on the ground floor of Mill 3 at New Lanark. The Reception Desk has a lower section at a height of 76cm. The entrance to the Exhibition Gallery includes two large glass doors which are currently manually operated. The Exhibition Gallery will host an annual programme of touring exhibitions. 

Entrance to the Exhibition Gallery showing texture of road outside entrance Immediate entrance to the Exhibition Gallery Exhibition Gallery glass doors Original Mill flooring throughout the Exhibition Gallery & Reception Desk Lower section of Exhibition Gallery Reception Desk - 76cm high

Bar

New Lanark Mill Hotel Bar & Lounge

From the main entrance to the bar, there is level access.
New Lanark Mill Hotel Bar & Lounge Entrance to the New Lanark Mill Hotel

Public toilet

Institute toilet

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. The route is 750mm wide, or more.
The toilet door is 750mm wide.
The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the right.
There is 1250mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 460mm high. The toilets have handrails.
Automatic opening door which leads to the disabled toilet Institute disabled toilet

Public toilet

Mill Café toilet

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. The route is 2000mm wide, or more.
The toilet door is 2000mm wide.
The direction of transfer onto the toilet is to the left and right.
There is 1300mm in front of the toilet. The toilet seat is 400mm high. The toilets have handrails.
Door to Mill Café toilet Mill Café disabled toilet

Public toilet

Robert Owen's School Toilet

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.
From the main entrance to the public toilet, there is level access. There is a lift.
From the lift to the public toilet, the route is 1005mm wide, or more.
The toilet door is 2500mm wide.
The toilet seat is 460mm high. The toilets have handrails.
Door to School disabled toilet Inside School disabled toilet

Shop

New Lanark Mill Shop

From the main entrance to the shop, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp.
Ramp from the Mill Café to the Mill Shop, and vice versa Mill Shop till counter

Place to eat and drink

New Lanark Mill Café

From the main entrance to the dining area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. To get to a table, there are no steps.
The dining area is self-service. There is background music.
The table and plates have high colour contrast.
We cater for vegetarian specific diets.
The New Lanark Mill Café Serving counter in the Mill Café Till counter x 2 in the Mill Café

Place to eat and drink

New Lanark Mill Hotel Restaurant

From the main entrance to the dining area, there is level access. There is a lift. To get to a table, there are no steps.
There is background music sometimes.
The table and plates have high colour contrast.
We cater for vegetarian specific diets.
New Lanark Mill Hotel Restaurant Entrance to New Lanark Mill Hotel

New Lanark Mill Hotel Accessible Bedrooms

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access. There is a permanent ramp. There is a lift.
From the lift to this area, the route is 800mm wide, or more. The door is 800mm wide.

The New Lanark Mill Hotel has 4 Accessible Bedrooms which feature fully accessible wetrooms and an Emergency Alert Alarm System. There is one Family Accessible Room (double bed + single bed) and three Double Accessible Rooms.

Family Accessible Room Family Accessible Room Family Accessible Room Bathroom Standard Accessible Room Standard Accessible Room Bathroom Ramp to the bedrooms

New Lanark Leisure Suite

From the main entrance to this area, there is level access.

New Lanark Health & Fitness has a range of facilities for accessible users. The pool can be accessed by a Poolside Chair Hoist and there is a dedicated accessible Wet Room changing facility. The gym features two adaptable machines and a range of other equipment including free weights.

New Lanark Leisure Suite Pool Pool Lifting/Lowering Chair Accessible Wet Room / Changing Room with Shower Adaptable machine 1 Adaptable machine 2 Free weights Variety of other equipment Leisure Suite lounge area Entrance to New Lanark Health and Fitness

Getting around outside

From the main entrance to the gardens, there is level access.
The route is sloped.
Robert Owen's Garden Disabled entrance to Robert Owen's Garden

Designated Walking Trail

Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve

Some of the trail has a loose surface. Some of the trail has cobbles.
The trail is sloped.

The fast rush of water. The crack of branches. The call of birds. Fall in love with the 'great outdoors' all over again by visiting the Falls of Clyde at New Lanark. These magnificent waterfalls on the River Clyde have been impressing visitors for centuries - from Wordsworth to Coleridge, and J. M. W. Turner to Sir Walter Scott. The four linn (Scots: waterfalls) compromise of the upper falls of Bonnington Linn, Corra Linn, Dundaff Linn, and the lower falls of Stonebyres Linn. Corra Linn is the highest, with a fall of 84 feet. Bonnington Linn (fall of 30 feet), Corra Linn and Dundaff Linn (fall of 10 feet) are above New Lanark and located within the Falls of Clyde Reserve managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, a national nature conservation charity. Stonebyres Linn is located several miles downstream from the reserve and New Lanark.

Visitors can enjoy walks within the native woodlands, spotting wildlife and wondering at the flora & fauna all around them. Look our for kingfishers, otters, deer and badgers!

Dundaff Linn can be seen from the far end of New Lanark village. From there it is around a 20-30 minute walk along the river boardwalk until you arrive at Corra Linn. It is then another 20-30 minutes before you arrive at Bonnington Linn. (in total this route is 3 miles)

Entrance to the Falls of Clyde walk Steps leading to the Falls of Clyde walk Corra Linn waterfall

Picnic Area

Clearburn Play and Picnic Area

You can bring your own food to the picnic area.

In September 2014, we were delighted to open our brand new Clearburn Picnic and Play Area which will be a fantastic resource for the community and visitors alike. The development of the project was generously supported by The Big Lottery Fund and The Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership. With adventure play areas, a giant willow storytelling dome, a secret hideaway tree house, and bug hotels (to name just a few of the features of the Play Area!) there is more than enough to keep the kids entertained.

Picnic tables at Clearburn Boardwalk within Clearburn Play area at Clearburn

Customer care support

We provide wheelchairs. Wheelchairs are free.
We have a hearing loop in Main reception area, Annie McLeod Ride, School for Children.

New Lanark Visitor Centre welcomes everyone. However, the location of the village in a steep-sided valley beside the Falls of Clyde, though picturesque, is not ideal terrain for wheelchair-users and visitors with mobility needs. The village has been made as wheelchair-friendly as possible; however please download our mobility needs information guide to help you plan your visit. Alternatively, call us on 01555 661345 for more information.

For a list of more items, please go to http://newlanark.org/uploads/Mobility%20Information%20Update%202015.pdf.
For accessibility dogs only, access to any public green areas is allowed, as long as the owner/carer cleans up after the dog. New Lanark receives a high visitor footfall, so public walkways should not be used as a dog toilet area in any circumstances.

Emergency evacuation procedures

We have emergency evacuation procedures for disabled visitors.
The fire alarm has flashing lights.

Customer care support

Some staff have disability awareness training.
Guide info
Any information, comments and views made available to users via this Accessibility Guide are provided directly from third party business operators. VisitEngland and VisitScotland do not endorse or validate this information. Any reliance on this Accessibility Guide is at your own risk. This guide is not intended to be a substitute for users making their own checks, inquiries and investigations directly with the business operators prior to making any booking or visiting the venue.