Upgrade for Lanark town centre's path to Clyde Walkway

The short-cut, which links Lanark town centre, the Clyde Walkway and Castlebank Park, is being upgraded by the Central Scotland Green Network Trust (CSGNT) with South Lanarkshire Council and Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership.

It forms part of the wider Clyde Walkway Community Links path network initiative, designed to improve paths between settlements in the Clyde Valley and develop local links with the Clyde Walkway - the main long distance route running through the area.

Jookers Johnnie is one of the key routes linking the Clyde Walkway to Lanark but it is in poor condition and is badly eroded in places with encroaching vegetation. It also relies on local knowledge of its existence!

The path leads from the side of the EU Church on the A73 to St. Patrick’s Lane and then on to the Clyde Walkway and the upgrade seeks to improve the condition of the route and to provide better signage to increase awareness and encourage wider use of it.

The improvement work will include new sign-posting and waymarking throughout the town, clearance of encroaching vegetation and dead trees and provision of 333 metres of path resurfacing.

The path will be closed until March 10 for this to be carried out.

The work will also include the installation of information at the train station and tourist information centre.

South Lanarkshire Council’s head of grounds services, Alistair McKinnon, said: “Upgrading the Jookers Johnnie path and signage improvements are designed to make the route more accessible for residents and visitors.

“The path links the town centre to the Clyde Walkway long distance route (one of ‘Scotland’s Great Trails’) at Castlebank Park.”

“The council are keen to encourage people to become more active by walking and cycling, both to improve their health and improve air quality by reducing the use of motor vehicles for short journeys.”

Donna Marshall, CAVLP Programme Manager, added: “We’re delighted that the much-needed access work is being carried out at Jookers Johnnie.

“It follows the upgrade of five Clyde Walkway Community Links routes in 2016, which link the communities of Ashgill, Braidwood, Crossford, Dalserf, Larkhall, Law, Nemphlar and Rosebank with the the Clyde Walkway.”

The project is funded by SLC through the Scottish Government’s Air Quality Action Plan grant and by the Heritage Lottery Fund through the Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership.