Bonnington Pavilion

The Pavilion at Bonnington sits right on the River Clyde, just outside Lanark, and it's a proper focal point if you're walking the gorge. Built in the Victorian era, it's the sort of structure that makes you stop and actually look - red sandstone, solid architecture, the kind of thing that tells you someone thought this spot mattered enough to build something permanent here.

It's mainly a viewing platform, really. You get decent sightlines across the valley and down towards the falls. Not a massive time commitment - twenty minutes poking around and you've seen what there is to see - but it breaks up a longer riverside walk nicely. The gorge itself is the real draw; the Pavilion is just a handy spot to pause and take stock.

Historically minded visitors will appreciate what it represents - Victorian confidence in the landscape, that era when landowners thought nothing of installing stone structures to frame a view. Kids won't spend long here unless they're keen on clambering about, but parents doing the riverside circuit from Lanark will find it a natural stopping point.

If you're staying at Ecosse Glamping just down the road, this works well as a morning walk before you head back for a late breakfast. The footpath access is straightforward, and there's something satisfying about ticking off a proper landmark rather than just drifting past it. Free to visit, obviously, and no time constraints - just turn up and have a look.