Trace your finger along a map of the Clyde Valley as it meanders south-east of Glasgow, from the outskirts of Bothwell all the way to Lanark, a picturesque stretch that has many interesting facets to explore.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, wealthy families flocked to the area – nicknamed “the fruit basket of Scotland” thanks to its sheltered topography, fertile soil and heritage orchards – snapping up land for their sprawling country houses and estates.

But then, as fortunes dwindled and the sweeping social and economic change brought about by the First World War and the Great Depression came to pass, many of these mansions faded from the landscape.

The captivating tale of the lost houses of the Clyde Valley is something that I stumbled upon – quite literally – during lockdown days.

On a walk around the upper reaches of Strathclyde Park, a smattering of sandstone walls peeking out from the leafy vegetation that lined the trails caught my eye, as well as what looked like an underground bunker hidden among the trees.

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A bit of research revealed these to belong to the........

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