Directions
Site Location: Glentaggart East/Townhead Wood, on the A70 just West of Douglas, you’ll see the banners on the left hand side of the road!
Transport Info Number: 07806926040
We’ve occupied Scottish Coal’s new opencast site at Glentaggart East for a week of direct action. The camp is situated amongst many opencast coal sites and just along the road from the old site of THWAC! (the Happendon Wood Action Camp) and the Mainshill Solidarity Camp which was evicted in January of 2010. For more information on both of these sites, South Lanarkshire and coal in general see here.
Getting to the Camp -
It would be great if you could make your own way to the camp – there’s detailed info about local transport routes below. However, we will be providing a limited shuttle service from Lanark train station to the camp on Thursday 12th and back again on the Wednesday 18th.
Please let us know if you require this service and what train you will be arriving on and we’ll do a couple of pick-ups when we can fill the available transport. A transport phone number will be posted on this page closer to the camp.
Public transport to the Douglas Valley -
From Glasgow: the easiest option is to get a train to Lanark and a bus from the train station terminal in the direction of Glespin. Buses 259 and 9 follow this route. The X50 also runs a very limited service Monday to Saturday from Hamilton bus station. Ask the bus driver to let you off at the protest camp just beyond the Douglas cemetery at Townhead Wood. The entrance to the camp is on the left (clearly visible with banners and welcome area), and it’s a 15min walk up to the camping area.
From Edinburgh: again, the easiest thing to do is the same as above, starting with a train to Lanark, then bus number 259 or 9. It is also possible to get the 100/101 McEwans coach from Edinburgh bus station to Biggar, then the 191 bus from Biggar to Lanark, then the 259 or 9 in the direction of Glespin. Ask the bus driver to let you off at the protest camp just beyond the Douglas cemetery at Townhead Wood. The entrance to the camp is on the left (clearly visible with banners and welcome area), and it’s a 15min walk up to the camping area.
From down south: Motherwell is the nearest station for Intercity trains including Caledonian sleepers, Crosscountry, Virgin, Transpennine Express and East Coast. Motherwell is also on the Glasgow to Lanark line, so if you get a train to Motherwell, change there for Lanark, and from Lanark get the 259 or 9 bus. Ask the bus driver to let you off at the protest camp just beyond the Douglas cemetery at Townhead Wood. The entrance to the camp is on the left (clearly visible with banners and welcome area), and it’s a 15min walk up to the camping area.
Cycling -
There is a long distance cycle path running parallel to the M74 (Sustrans N74) on the B7078. Junction 12 of the M74 intersects with the A70 which runs through the Douglas Valley. From Lanark train station follow signs to Carlisle M74, which will take you over Hyndford Bridge and right onto the A70. Follow that to the Douglas Valley, go through Douglas and the camp is a mile further down the road on the left, just past the cemetery. The entrance is clearly visible from the road.
Hitching -
Happendon Services, also called Cairn Lodge on the B7078, is a good drop off point from the motorway, just in between Junctions 11 and 12 of the M74. You’ll then need to make your way Westwards on the A70 through Douglas, and the camp is a mile further down the road on the left. It’s clearly visible from the road.
Driving -
From the M74 either direction (i.e. Glasgow or down south), leave when signed for Happendon/Cairn Lodge Services. From slip road follow the local signs towards the A70. From Edinburgh, take the A70 (Slateford Road/Lanark Road) from the centre of town all the way there. Keep following the A70 westwards and the camp is situated between Douglas and Glespin, about a mile past Douglas on the left hand side, clearly visable from the road.
Any problems, call 07806926040