Day 18 - Dr Livingstone I presume?

David Livingstone, the famous Scottish explorer and missionary, was born a short distance from the

campsite at Blantyre cotton mill which has become a museum of his life and work and included items relating to his 30 years of adventures in Africa as explorer, doctor and missionary. Born in Shuttle Row, his family lived with 23 other families and as a child worked in the mill. His family originated from the isle of Ulva, just off the coast of Mull. The Livingstones were descended from Dissenting families, on his mothers side the family were "Covenanters" David became a Scottish Congregationalist. The family benefited from the generosity of the mill owners concern for their workers, they were paid well and cared for the sick and destitute and enabled the children to attend school.

David Livinsone Centre

David Livinstone was to become one of the most famous 19 century explorers of Africa and a pioneer of tropic medicine devoting his life to the alleviation of human misery including being an anti-slavery crusader - He came to believe that his role on Earth was to explore Africa in order to discover routes for commercial trade, as he believed that commerce would provide an alternative to the slave trade and would promote civilization and Christianity. Whilst he died in a remote African Village, he is burried in Westminister Abbey in London.

Tom Weir

On the Banks of Loch Lomond @ Drymen

In the afternoon as the sun came out and the sky turned blue so we drove to Drymen and Balmaha on the banks of Loch Lomond part of the National Park and the meeting place between the Highlands and Lowlands, marking the point both in landscape and culture. We had a wonder round the banks and the woodland and came across the statue of "Tom Weir" - Scotlands most beloved mountain man - climber, author and broadcaster.

Loch Lomond @ Drymen

Loch Lomond @ Balmaha