Excite me about moving to Glasgow

Long time lurker, first time caller 🙂

The whole Brexit disaster means that I will be moving back to Glasgow within the next couple of months to ride out some of the storm and figure out what the hell to do, and where next in the world to move to.

It is many years since I last lived there, although I have enjoyed visiting. I will be living in the City Centre, having been in London for many years. I’m braced for a big culture shock.

What’s good about the Dear Green Place these days? Who should I ride with? Any insider tips to ease re-entry?

Thank you.

It is many years since I last lived there

How many. If you’ve not been there since the 80s its changed a lot. If you haven’t been since the 90s its changed very little.

What aspect of brexit are you imagining you can hide from by moving there though?

Its a great city. I’d be pretty excited to move back.

If you haven’t been since the 90s its changed very little.

I dunno about that. I was a uni there in the early 90’s and it seems to have changed a lot since then, well the city centre has.

I got excited about it (visiting, not moving) when I flew into the airport and saw all those hills. No other stimulus needed 🙂

Brilliant city. Love living here. The city is really buzzing these days. Great food, bars, culture, music etc.

Riding wise there’s not a great amount in the city but it’s very easy to get out. Mugdock and surrounding area probably offers the best stuff close by. Dumyat and Cambusbarron 40 minutes by car. Aberfoyle just under an hour. Just over an hour to Dunkeld. Tweed valley in an hour and 20 etc.

What are you into?*

*Don’t fret; not about to proposition you.

OR AM I?

By heading back I can radically slash my living costs. Projects are being put on-hold left, right and centre in London at the moment, so there is little merit in hanging about down here while the economic constipation continues.

And who knows, Nicola might yet pull a rabbit from her hat and find a way to keep Scotland in Europe and make a bid for the London jobs that would otherwise head to mainland Europe. I’m hoping for a mini-boom in Scotland with folk like me heading there.

Glasgow is a great place, made even better by the fact you have the Highlands on your doorstep.

Do you like sectarianism and/or knife crime?

I moved to Glasgow for a year in 1999 , still here . All the benefits of a city and can be in the hills in 20 mins .

I will be living in the City Centre, having been in London for many years. I’m braced for a big culture shock.

Yes we’re all wearing kilts and chasing haggis.

Do you like sectarianism and/or knife crime?

Can you explain that?

I’m hoping for a mini-boom in Scotland with folk like me heading there

I’m sure we could cope without you but thank christ you’re coming up to save us.

You could try this quick quiz:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/hilarywardle/what-per-cent-glaswegian-are-you

OP as a first post is it going how you hoped ?

have you bought some new clothes for the occasion?

(sorry I couldn’t resist 😉 )

Is the beer hall still under central station?
2 fat ladies?

Is the beer hall still under central station?
2 fat ladies?

Bier Halle is just along from the station and still there.

Two fat Ladies is also still here.

moved up from newcastle in 2000, still here, great local riding, city is buzzing with whatever you want. some great coffee shops, bike shops, bars and clubs. Great mix of architecture if you care to look up whilst walking the streets.

and 20 mins out of the city and you’re away through woods and moorland trails…

only downsides are neds and midges.

It’s great in Glasgow, plenty going on. Have a good explore for yourself, there’ll be plenty of good, bad and mediocre new places along with a few places that have been here forever.

Loads of riding, I ride with Glasgow Mountain Bike Club (when I can), they’re a good bunch and ride all over the place.

Cathkin XC course is pretty good and is probably the nearest trails to the city centre, but plenty of other stuff is near enough and as others have said, plenty of options a short drive away (Anywhere from Ft William to 7Stanes can be done as a day trip).

Has the problems of any large UK city, but the notion that it’s uniquely violent is (these days) way off. The city did previously have a disproportionate issue with knives (surgeons at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary became world leaders at patching-up stab victims at one point) but this has improved a great deal over the last ten years.

As above, it’s a pretty buzzing city today, whatever you happen to be into.

MTB-wise, there’s decent riding options within 30 minutes drive and some of the best UK riding within a couple of hours.

Be sure to eat here at some point:

http://www.oxandfinch.com/

The one thing that the city doesn’t do particularly well at is outdoor drinking options, with the few decent placed generally rammed on hot days (they do happen occasionally). Whisper it: Edinburgh’s a bit better at this.

Whisper it: Edinburgh’s a bit better at this.

And only 45 mins away by train, then once you’ve come to your senses it’s only a morning you’ve wasted 😉

Only kidding, I like Edinburgh – it’s the people that annoy me 8)

^ practice that sort of commentary & add in your own, you’ll be Glaswegian in no time.

(I do like Edinburgh…)

Glasgow violence may be down but it’s from a high starting point.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes report claimed Scotland is the world leading location for attacks resulting in “serious bodily injury”.

Nearly 1,200 people per 100,000 were assaulted in 2013.

The figure is more than double the rate in England and seven times the average for the rest of the world combined.

Read more at http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scotland-assault-capital-world-according-6391138#Ei4fjk1T2C5z27yG.99

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scotland-assault-capital-world-according-6391138#MDwao2ejRUWuxl55.97

Two of my kids have been robbed at knife point. One in the city centre the other in a leafy suburb. When bike commuting late at night I had to take avoiding action from drunks attempting to assault me three times.

All that said there are many safe areas I wouldn’t think twice about walking through night or day. Other bits I’d be more careful.

The one thing that the city doesn’t do particularly well at is outdoor drinking options

Hmm. Off the top of my head

Buchanan Street and Gordon Street stuff
Royal exchange square
Rum Shack
Inn Deep
Chinaskis
Black Sparrow
Babbity Bowser
Brel
West
Cottiers
Big Slope
Waverley Tea Rooms
Record Factory
The Finnieston
Sloan’s
Drygate

Brilliant! Some predictably chippy responses, and some very encouraging ones.

You are assuming that Scotland under Nicola will be better?

Hmm. Off the top of my head

Some of those are nice spots (and therefore rammed when the sun’s out), but as for others, you might as well be drinking on a traffic island.

And anyway, you clearly get out a lot more than me, so I hate you and will dismiss everything you say, regardless of accuracy. So nyyyeeeerrrrrr.

I can’t imagine that Scotland under Nicola will be worse than remaining in London in the midst of the biggest brain drain in a generation. Although I was unable to vote in indyref1 I was opposed to independence. Indyref2, I would vote in favour of independence if the opportunity arose.

I ain’t no Nicola fan, but until I can get myself overseas again she is a promising least worst option.

Yes, Glasgow doesn’t do beer gardens very well, but that’s because it always rains here. In fact the only reason I’d want to move from Glasgow is the weather, but that’s it-otherwise Glasgow has more going for it for us (with 2 young kids) than anywhere else in the UK. I would consider moving elsewhere a backwards step.

Brel’s beer garden is awesome

Plus when the weather’s nice we just go and trash loch lomond with a carry out

Brel and Jinty’s beer gardens are great, though normally rammed, same as all of ashton lane.

ok, the flickr thing didn’t work (not my pic)

Ashton Lane *spits*

Aye it’s pretty guff. Brel and the rooftop terrace in The Chip are the only saving graces.

What’s all this ‘beer garden’ pish? Simply combine one of the many green spaces with a carefully refilled Volvic/Evian/San Pellegrino (delete according to area) bottle.

Nice breakfast

Is that a ‘munchie box’? I’ve never had the pleasure.

hmmm munchie box….

you can tell a good takeout by how much sellotape they have to use to keep the lid shut.

Rockplough – Member
What’s all this ‘beer garden’ pish? Simply combine one of the many green spaces with a carefully refilled Volvic/Evian/San Pellegrino (delete according to area) bottle.

Or just keep yer carry out in the poly bag. 😆

*beh’ir aff wi a cool boax mind! 😀 – wee taste eh the lingo fur ye in nat no.