Old Moaner Travel
I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list
Glasgow
Scotland's second city it has transformed from a bleak industrial city, based on shipbuilding, to a bleak arty-farty, "cultural" city.
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The city adopted the slogan "Glasgow, smiles better" although I have to confess the only time I have smiled in the city is when I've been leaving the place. I have to confess I find the place dreary and uninviting and most of the people I encounter there generally unfriendly and unwelcoming. To me Glasgow is summed up by the entrenched religious bigotry that surrounds football within the city between Catholic Celtic and Protestant Rangers.
Getting There
Glasgow Airport is located a few miles south of the city in Paisley. Getting to / from the airport is a pain with buses / taxis being the only direct link and that involves a congested motorway. A shuttle bus links to Paisley station, about a mile from the airport, and from here around eight trains an hour make the ten minute journey to the centre of Glasgow.
Glasgow has good rail links to most of the UK, with the city being around 4½ hours from London with an hourly service.
Attractions
It's perhaps appropriate that one of the best and most interesting attractions in Glasgow is the Necropolis, a 37 acre Victorian Gothic garden.
Ornate graves mix with iconic sculptures and buildings. Admission is free but guided walks are available, which need to be booked in advance.
There is no charge, as such, for the walks but a "donation" is expected.
The necropolis is situated close to Glasgow Cathedral, also known as St Mungo's. An impressive Gothic structure the cathedral is open to visitors and, unlike many other great cathedrals, there is no admission charge, although donations are welcome. I wish other cathedrals would adopt a similar approach, instead of charging extortionate admission charges.
George Square stands at the heart of the city, Glasgow's answer to London's Trafalgar Square. Like Trafalgar Square it is bedecked by statues but, obviously, with a Scottish bent. The main statue is dedicated to the author Sir Walter Scott. There is also the only known statue of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert astride horses.
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The Glasgow School Of Art is an art gallery but is more famous for the building itself as it is a Mackintosh designed Art Nouveau structure, almost the textbook example of what an Art Nouveau building should be.
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Sauchiehall Street is the main thoroughfare in the city, almost 1.5 miles in length and almost fully pedestrianised. This is the shopping and eating hum of the city. At the top end of the street is Argyle Street, where the high-end shops and plush hotels can be found.
It is also home to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery. It is, arguably, one of the best and most extensive museums in the United Kingdom. Open daily from 10:00 - 17:00. admission is free.
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Glasgow’s maritime heritage is celebrated at the Riverside Museum and Tall Ship, located by the River Clyde. The Riverside tells the story of Glasgow's industrial heritage and is home to a very interesting transport museum. There is also a recreation of a 1930's shopping street. The Tall Ship, aka The Glenlee is one of only five surviving tall ships built on the Clyde. Both attractions are open daily and both offer free admission.
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Like Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, Glasgow Botanic Gardens is also home to a stunning glasshouse. Unlike Edinburgh, Glasgow do not charge admission to go inside the glasshouse. The gardens are open daily from 07:00 to dusk, with the glasshouse open 10:00 - 18:00 in summer and 16:15 in the winter.
Another stunning glasshouse can be found at Glasgow Green, the oldest of the city parks. The park is also home to the People's Palace, which tells the story of Glasgow from 1750 through to the 20th century. At 46' high and 70' wide the parks Doulton Fountain is the worlds largest terracotta fountain.
To some the bagpipes are a majestic instrument to others they sound like someone treading on a cat. If you fall into the former group then a visit to the National Piping Centre is a must. there is a museum and tours, where you have the chance to try you hand at playing the notoriously difficult instrument.
To find out more about the story of the River Clyde then a river cruise is a must. Operating in the summer months the 2¾ hour tour gives a different perspective of the city. Adults are £18 and children £9 and the tour must be booked before 18:00 the previous day. On selected Saturdays there is an afternoon tea, with Prosecco, tour lasting 3 hours and costing £25 / £15 (obviously the child price excludes the Prosecco), 24 hours notice is required for this cruise.
Return to Coast - Dunnet Head to Gretna
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