Wifey has a conference/meetings in Glasgow April 21 to 27 and I'm tagging along. I'm looking at exploring the city and then renting a car. Any suggestions on what to visit in the city and where to drive to see some cool Scottish sights. Sadly, I don't drink, so a distillery tour is not on the agenda.
GoMA, Mitchell Library, Kelvingrove, the Transport Museum, Tam Shepherd's.
The Necropolis is fascinating, too.
A ride on the Clockwork Orange.
Fopp!
See if you can get a ride on that paddle steamer.
A day trip to Oban on the train for some seafood.
Kelpies, Falkirk Wheel, Glencoe (always a braw drive with stunning views if weather plays ball), Stirling for the castle and the Wallace Ornament Monument.
You could try the clockwork orange ( glasgow underground) drinking game. Get on at any station. go one station clockwise, leave station and go to a bar, have a drink, back to the station, go one station clockwise etc etc. If you fall over or puke you have to go one station anticlockwise and go from there. See if you can make it round. Its a traditional game.
In all seriousness there is good stuff to see and do in Glasgow and Edinburgh is only a 48min train ride away with again plenty to see and do. the train to Mallaig from Glasgow is one of the worlds great train journeys and includes the famous Glenfinnan viaduct. some steam trains do this route for tourists. Can be done as a day trip I think
What are your interests? Museums and art galleries are good in Glasgow - Burrell collection is very good. I think the Clyde walkway is decent these days as is the kelvin walkway which again can be done by train as a one way walk https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?t=107313. I had a good sight of Kingfishers on that walk.
Places to drive to? I take it day trips? Loch Lomond and the Tossachs - (callendar and aberfoyle and surrounding areas) dukes pass is a nice drive and Ben Ledi gives a lot of views for the amount of climbing
Plenty to keep you amused in Edinburgh as well - Water of leith walkway and dean village is a nice walk. More museums and art galleries.
don't forget Airdrie - the jewel of the central belt
A day out in both Glasgow and Edinburgh is worth the time - they are very different cities.
Late April can often see the very best of the weather in the West Highlands, plus it won't be too busy.
If you're happy driving then a day trip north into the highlands: A82 along Loch Lomond to Tyndrum, A85 to Oban (seafood shack lunch on the pier) and then take the A828 north from Connel along the Appin coast past Castle Stalker to Ballachulish and then down through Glencoe to Tyndrum. If you have time you can take the longer route home on the A85 from Crianlarich, Lochearnhead and Callendar back into Glasgow.
Glasgow is a bit 28 Days Later these days (as are most major cities, before any weegies threaten to chib me).
Take a bike and put the rental car to good use checking out some Scottish trails.
Take a bike knock about Sustrans route 75 sniffing out urban mountain biking towards Cambusland and Uddingston
Don’t live there, have killed time there..
kelvingrove hall/park
burral collection
Glasgow cathedral
transport museum.
train to Edinburgh, Stirling quite a lot to see..
loch lomand for a walk, are you taking the bike?? Peebles is an hour and a half…
In Glasgow The Scotia and The Arlington.
Edit What dyna-ti said+1
If you want an easy little spin, head out of the city on the canal towards Loch Lomond. Fills a day and covers lots of different scenery....
transport museum.
Whilst there pop over the newish bridge and go and see the Govan Stones. Some beautifully carved early medieval work.
The "modern" Victorian church on the site (modern is a relative term given the site was church/graveyard dating back to about the 5th century) is pretty impressive in its own right.
Do need to visit on again when the rain isnt horizontal and I havent done a tasting at the clydeside distillery.
Agree with lots that’s been said, you are never stuck in Scotland.
Transport museum, see if the moulsdale foundation has an event as the cars are something else, Kelvingrove museum, if into football maybe a stadium tour/football museum at hampden, got to have a curry somewhere. If getting a car then, as said, Loch Lomond up to Aberfoyle via the dukes pass/achray forest drive, into Callander stop a for a visit to Stirling castle/wallace monument. You could visit Comrie Croft and rent a bike if you have a car.
what are your interests?
Excellent suggests so far. Thanks!
Any bike rental places y'all recommend? I won't be bringing my ride, but happy to slum it on a rental.
Check out the Glasgow Murals Trail - it's really rather good.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/glasgow/glasgow-murals.shtml
Not sure whether Airdrie was a serious suggestion, maybe chuck in Coatbridge on the same day
Ballingry and Methil are a bit further east always worth a wee trip to the Kingdom
transport museum.
Yeah go visit a masterpiece of form over function.
Any bike rental places y'all recommend? I
The alpine bikes at Tiso used to rent out bikes so would be a good option for heading out on the paths around the city . You're relatively close to the tweed valley so if you have the car that's easily doable with plenty of bike hire options.
I think there's a place in aberfoyle that hires bikes with lots of great gravel rides starting from there plus the butchers does the best rolll and bacon with black pudding you'll ever have , but from personal experience its definitely best to have it after your ride .
Comrie Croft hire bikes, it’s just over a hour from Glasgow. If you are into activities and have a car how about a bit of indoor wall climbing at Ratho.
As said, what sort of thing are you after, loads to see and do.
So I'm interested in cycling (but I got a bum knee so 20 km max) historical things (I'm from Canada and we don't have a heck of a lot that's older than 150 years), Alpine hiking, and good food.
i'll be staying right downtown on the Royal Mile so any tips on car hire companies would also be appreciated.
i'll be staying right downtown on the Royal Mile so any tips on car hire companies would also be appreciated.
And finally, I'm a volunteer with our search and rescue team so wouldn't mind connecting with a group in the area And sharing war stories/best practises.
Seeing as the OP has two usernames, and you've got plenty of spare time, why doesn't one of you take the high road. Meanwhile the other one could take the low road. Make a race of it. See who gets out of Scotland first.
Then, turn around and swap roads and see who wins getting back?
Op says staying in Glasgow but last reply (from a different username) says they are staying in Edinburgh...same person or someone else jumping in for suggestions? Or the tourist board looking for ideas?
i'll be staying right downtown on the Royal Mile
in Glasgow ? Aye, right…
Train to Fort William and walk up Ben Nevis (other mountains are available)
Surprised no one's mentioned the world famous Willy Wonka experience.
Glasgow has a mass of stuff to keep you happy: Kelvingrove, Burrell Collection.
Definitely a train trip to Stirling for the castle.
Wheels of Callander hires bikes with access to a maze of tracks from the door: Trossachs to Aberfoyle, Loch Katrine, Balquhidder etc. Stunning.
Train to the west coast - Largs, Ayr etc.
Ember bus north for walks and then a bus back home.
You could spend your life in this area and never get bored....
If I had a car and time to explore from Glasgow Loch Lomond would be my first call unless it was holiday season.
Stirling Castle already mentioned. Kelpies and Falkirk Wheel are proper wonders of the modern world
While you toward Loch Lomond look at Loch Katrine
Kelpies and Falkirk Wheel are proper wonders of the modern world
Whilst the Kelpies are a nice bit of large scale public art I think it is a tad hyperbolic to refer to them as a wonder of the modern world. Just trying to make sure the international visitors flocking there off the back of this thread aren't left a little disappointed. 😉
And the pyramids are just pyramids.
And the pyramids are just pyramids.
Are you comparing the Kelpies to the pyramids? I must be in the minority here.
I mean the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel are pretty cool and definitely worth seeing if you are nearby.
If you want to make a day of it you could visit Callendar Estate, hire a bike from Greenrig Cycles, and take in the local trails and then cycle down to the Falrkirk Wheel and Kelpies.
But, if I was going to drive somewhere and hire a bike I'd probably suggest Comrie Croft or Glentress instead, unless you really want to see the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel of course.
I just don't think the Egyptians had much imagination.
Not sure whether Airdrie was a serious suggestion, maybe chuck in Coatbridge on the same day
Ballingry and Methil are a bit further east always worth a wee trip to the Kingdom
good call. Maybe larkhall for a bit of religious exploration?
Op says staying in Glasgow but last reply (from a different username) says they are staying in Edinburgh...same person or someone else jumping in for suggestions? Or the tourist board looking for ideas?
yeah. That's on me. Haven't been active much since the new forum and I logged on from two different computers. Didn't even know I had two accounts. And I've never been to Scotland so I confused Glasgow and Edinburgh. Hanlons razor: Do not attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by incompetence. I'll be in Edinburgh. Obviously a day trip to Glasgow is now on my agenda. And thanks to this forum I have a few things to keep me busy for the remaining days
Plenty of stuff to see and do in Edinburgh as well.
The Kelpies and Falkirk wheel are ok if you're passing, but I was underwhelmed, and wouldn't make a trip especially to see them.
If you're knocking around Edinburgh, the Royal Yacht Britannia is fascinating, whether you're a royalist or a republican.
If you're knocking around Edinburgh, the Royal Yacht Britannia is fascinating, whether you're a royalist or a republican.
bloody hell. Wife just booked us tea on the Britannia. £75 each!
There better be 3 biscuits each with that cup of tea. And digestives none of this rich tea pish
Neolithic stuff…chambered cairns, standing stones.
That was already covered off with Airdrie/Coatbridge! 😉
Can head out to the Pentlands (accessible on the bus) for good walking
...pull out
Here all week, don't forget to tip the waiter
First thing to point out is scotland is small. But... don't underestimate how long it takes to get places it would be quite easy to sort an itinerary where you miss loads travelling (ben nevis for example is daft for an 8 hour return jouney).
Based on the whole "canada not being short of mountains" thing. I am going to suggest swerve our ecological disaster areas. With two longer exceptions...
Hit islands. Specifically Arran. By train and ferry and bike or bus on the island itself. Thats a day and its my only longer travel suggestion because ot ticks some novel things like a a ferry and also gets you a decent looking mountain and lots of coastline stuff.
And if you MUST see mountains driving through glencoe is quite impressive but its just such a huge chunk of time.
Then a trip to the seaside on the east. Very different vibe. Two options. East neuk of fife for a more active option along the coastal path starting with the chainwalk at earlsferry and taking in a bunch of old fishing villages type history and some little dots of older history in castles etc but you will have to research yourself as these aren't tourist type castles they are crumbling ruins perched on clifftop type history. You can bus there do some bits and hop back on a bus back to edinburgh OR north berwick for sandy beaches and take in tantallon castle for bigger more fighty clifftop castle. You could also tactor in dunbar and some coastal activities.
Cities... Day in edinburgh day in glasgow. Sweeve ed castle its shit. Arthurs seat, nationla museum of scotland (even just sticking your head in for museum done right) necropolis, Britannia, mary kings close is a touristy trap butshow you something pretty unique history wise. On the subject of Edinburgh its Edinburra not Edinburro and its princES street not PrincESS street.
My curve ball. Dundee. If you like history... Discovery, unicorn (both very unique) not an unpleasant place in the sun. By train you cross to top three proper bridges. The muuseum is also quite good from memory especially around the bridge disaster.
If you want a castle, Stirling castle is much better than Edinburgh
If you're taking a drive out towards Callander I can recommend the Hamilton Toy Museum. It's a tiny shop front opposite the Co-op in Callander and is an amazing rambling place over several floors, packed with all sorts of toys, trainsets, , games, etc. In no way a large place but it's packed with stuff.
A great trip through childhood
don't underestimate how long it takes to get places it would be quite easy to sort an itinerary where you miss loads travelling (ben nevis for example is daft for an 8 hour return jouney).
East neuk of fife for a more active option along the coastal path starting with the chainwalk at earlsferry and taking in a bunch of old fishing villages type history and some little dots of older history in castles etc but you will have to research yourself as these aren't tourist type castles they are crumbling ruins perched on clifftop type history. You can bus there do some bits and hop back on a bus back to edinburgh
Which also takes a lot longer than you might think - 4.5 hour round trip by bus on the express x61 IF there are no traffic holdups.
don't underestimate how long it takes to get places it would be quite easy to sort an itinerary where you miss loads travelling (ben nevis for example is daft for an 8 hour return jouney).
East neuk of fife for a more active option along the coastal path starting with the chainwalk at earlsferry and taking in a bunch of old fishing villages type history and some little dots of older history in castles etc but you will have to research yourself as these aren't tourist type castles they are crumbling ruins perched on clifftop type history. You can bus there do some bits and hop back on a bus back to edinburgh
Which also takes a lot longer than you might think - 4.5 hour round trip by bus on the express x61 IF there are no traffic holdups.
Yeah but if you come from canada you aren't seeing the typical east coast fishing village and ruined castles in canada where as you do have some fairly good mointain scapes. Its absolutely still a day out but that day includes the journey.
I was trying to pick out the unique bits that the OP might like rather than reccommending stuff Canada has.
Your point is 100% valid though. Of you can drive it it makes even more sense (and you can still bus back to where you parked the car)
Any car hire companies I should use/avoid? Any tips. Here in Canada it's generally more expensive picking up a car at an airport vs. booking online and grabbing it from an industrial area.
Personally I use enterprise because they have a less strict damage policy and are generally more reasonable. They do use dynamic pricing tho so book ahead for non peak times they are cheap, go on the day at a busy time and its expensive. Do not use goldcar - notorious for scamming on damage.
I agree with th about enterprise. Not sure you can as a foriner but parking is a pain in the arse. Car club (which is part of enterprise) might make sense and keeps you flexible without being tied to a car.
Whilst you are effectively wasting a trip to Scotland by being based in Edinburgh, rather than Glasgow - you can still find some things to do. Portobello for a potter about, North Berwick for the Sea bird centre - Fife to see how many fingers people can have on one hand. The Edinburgh museums are decent enough, the castle has a good bit of history - just make sure you have a maple leaf visible...
Fife to see how many fingers people can have on one hand
Atleast fifers can count up the number of fingers they have.