Motherwell 

Until the late 19th century Motherwell and neighbouring Wishaw were nothing more than tiny villages in the agricultural belt of the Clyde Valley. By the early 20th century they were home to the largest steel works in Britain and Motherwell had earned the name ‘steel town’. The heavy industry has now all but gone and the Ravenscraig plant is currently undergoing redevelopment.

This area is undoubtedly renowned for heavy industry rather than appealing tourist attractions but it does have a surprising number of places of interest. The Strathclyde Country Park is one of Scotland’s top recreational parks. Set in 1,100 acres of the Clyde Valley it boasts a world class Watersports Centre, which played host to the 1996 World Rowing Championships.

• Nearby is the Dalzell House & Country Park, which has a Japanese garden, a rose garden, an arboretum and woodland as well as having the RSPB Baron’s Haugh nature reserve next door.