Tel:  0141 287 5108

Admission:  Free (but some events on the Green may be ticketed)

Opening hours:  The Green is open 24 hours per day

Check out what’s coming up in Glasgow Green

By far the oldest park in Glasgow, Glasgow Green is home to a number of big events each year, and to some of Glasgow’s most prominent historical landmarks.

Glasgow Green is situated within walking distance of the city centre, towards the east end of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde.  It has extensive open spaces, modern play facilities, and is home to the historic People’s Palace and Winter Gardens which allow the park to cater for all age groups whatever the weather.

History

Dating back to the 15th century, Glasgow Green is by far the oldest of the Glasgow’s parks.  The Green was initially created in 1450 when King James II granted the land to Bishop William Turnbull and the people of Glasgow, for use as common grazing ground which was it’s main use until the 19th century.  Back then the Green was quite different from what it is today, being an uneven swampy area composed of a number of “greens” including the High and Low Greens, the Calton Green and the Gallowgate Green.

The park served a number of purposes in its first few centuries; as a grazing area, an area to wash and bleach linen, an area to dry out fishing nets and for activities like swimming.  The city’s first steamie (or washhouse) opened on the banks of the Camlachie Burn in 1732.

Between 1817 and 1826, efforts were made to improve the layout of the park due to frequent flooding.  Much of the land was levelled and drained, and the Calmachie and Molendinar Burns (the latter of which is traditionally believed to be where St. Mungo baptised Christian converts in the sixth century) were both chanelled underground.  Most of the work was carried out by unemployed weavers, made redundant by the introduction of power looms.

In recent centuries, events have taken place on the ‘Green’ that continue to touch the lives of millions worldwide.  The following are just a few:

• 1732:  The Washhouse, Glasgow’s first ‘steamie’, is built in the middle of a field on the banks of the Camlachie Burn.
• 1745 – 1746:  Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) arrived in Glasgow with his army, their clothing in tatters.  Rather than have the city sacked, merchants provided them with new garments and a revitalised Prince Charles reviewed his troops on Flesher’s Haugh.
• 1831 – 1932:  Massive demonstrations on the Green associated with the Reform Bill.
• 1830 – 1914:  The Green became a favoured meeting place of suffragettes.
• 1867:  Hundreds of thousands met on the Green to hear about Gladstone’s Reform Bill.
• 1888:  Sir Henry Doulton donated a terracotta fountain to the city.  This was moved to the Green in 1890.
• 1889:  Templeton’s Carpet Factory completed.  The design of the façade is based on the Doges Palace in Venice. The façade collapsed on 1st November 1889 killing 29 women and girls.
• 1898:  The People’s Palace and Winter Gardens opened.
• 1920′s:  Football pitches and changing facilities appeared on Flesher’s Haugh.
• 1996:  Glasgow received Heritage Lottery Award of £6.6m towards the £10.2m capital cost of renewal and revitalisation of the Green.

Features

• The Doulton Fountain:  Moved to the Green in 1890 after the 1888 International Exhibition in Kelvingrove.  After a £5m refurbishment the fountain has been relocated to the front of the People’s Palace.
• The naval victories of Viscount Horatio Nelson are commemorated by the impressive grade A listed column erected by public subscription in 1806.  This was the first monument in Britain to be erected in his honour.
• The Collins Fountain:  Erected in 1881 by the temperance supporters of Sir William Collins.
• The McLennan Arch:  Designed by Robert and James Adam, the arch is a remodelling of the centre of the piano nobile of Robert and James Adam’s 1890 Assembly Rooms, Ingram Street, as a triumphal arch.  The building was demolished – and the arch was subsequently resited twice – the most recent being in 1992.
• Land and Environmental Services’ Park Rangers lead free tours of Glasgow Green.  To book a tour call 0141 287 5064

Facilities

• Play village (open 8.30 am – dusk)
• Local play area (open 8.30 am – dusk)
• Orienteering course – opens June 2004
• Clyde viewing platforms
• Heavy Horses:  stabled and exercised daily within the park
• People’s Palace and Winter Gardens
• Glasgow Green football centre
• Public toilets
• Public telephones

Events in the Park

The Green boasts a purpose built events space capable of holding major national and international events, all within walking distance of the city centre.  These include:

The Green is currently undergoing a renaissance with major investment through the Lottery Heritage Fund providing a catalyst for the redevelopment of the local neighbourhood.

Getting to Glasgow Green (View location on map)

• By train:  Glasgow Green is approximately 25 min walking time from Central Station and Queen Street Station. High Street and Bellgrove Stations are approximately a 10 min walk.
• By bus:  Various routes operate from the city centre
• By car:  Car parking is currently being redeveloped within the Green at the front of the Peoples Palace, access will be from Green Street and Greendyke Street. On street parking is also available on Greendyke street and car parks are located at Moir Street, Molendinar Street and High Street.
• By foot:  Access on foot is available via The Saltmarket at McLennan Arch, Greendyke Street, Monteith Row, Greenhead Street and Kings Drive, Adelphi Street via the St Andrews Suspension Bridge, Richmond Park via the Polmadie Bridge.
• By bike:  The park forms part of the Glasgow to Edinburgh Cycle Route, National Cycle Network Route 75.

Tel

Admission:  Free

Opening Hours:  Bellahouston Park is open from dawn till dusk daily however the specific facilities within the park are subject to opening times.

Boasting formal gardens and open parkland in which to relax and take in some wonderful views of Glasgow, this extensive park has many features and facilities to tempt visitors to its grounds.  Quiet contemplation can also be had at the House for an Art Lover, and for the more active and adventurous there are extensive sports facilities, including a ski centre.

Bellahouston Park is a park in south west Glasgow, between the areas of Mosspark, Craigton, Ibrox, and Dumbreck.  It is based around Ibrox hill in the centre, with commanding views over most of the city.  Notable views include that of Ballageich hill, rising to 1,084 feet (330 m) on the southern horizon in East Renfrewshire.

History

Until the late 19th century, Bellahouston Park consisted of farmland as part of the Maxwell Estate, which also included much of the surrounding areas including Maxwell Park, Pollok Country Park, Pollok House and Haggs Castle, and also housed a riding school.

The main part of the park was acquired by GLasgow City in 1895 for the sum of £50,000, and opened to the public in 1896.  As Glasgow expanded, Bellahouston Park was surrounded to the west, south and east by housing and to the north by the “White City” stadium, built in 1928, which hosted greyhound and speedway racing (located close to Rangers’ stadium at Ibrox).  This site is now the M8 motorway and Glasgow G-Division Police Headquarters.

The park was extended in 1901 by the addition of a part of Dumbreck Lands purchased for the sum of £2,824 from Sir John Maxwell, Bart.  A further addition was made in 1903 by including the lands of Ibroxhill at a cost of £40,222.

The park has been used as a location for public events for many years, including the Empire Exhibition in 1938.  This event was attented by 12 .5 million people.  Despite this, the exhibition made a loss of £130,000.  Today, of the 200 palaces and pavilions that were built for the exhibition only the Palace of Art remains – it now serves as a Sports Excellence Centre.  A stone Peace Cairn built for the exhibition is still visible from the rock garden.  The Tait Tower was built on a hill in the park as part of the 1938 exhibition but was demolished on the outbreak of World War II.

In 1982 the park was the venue for the visit of Pope John Paul II which attracted 280,000 people and part of the ceremonial platform still remains.  In addition to many Scottish Pipe Band competitions, a visit by Billy Graham the evangelist later in the 1980s, and more recently a Coldplay concert in summer 2005.  A monument in the form of a large inscribed granite stone commemorating the 1938 Empire Exhibition currently overlooks Bellahouston Sports Centre and was unveiled by King George VI on 9 July 1937 but was subsequently relocated to where it stands today.  Long distance races, such as the Glasgow Marathon and Half Marathon pass through the park, although events to the south were restricted in the 1990′s when subsidence into old mine workings resulted in some depressions in the park surface.

Features

• House for an Art Lover: It was in 1901 that Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret entered a competition set by a German design magazine to design a ‘House for an Art Lover’.  Whilst the Mackintoshs’ entry was disqualified from the competition, the spirit and tenacity of consulting engineer, Graham Roxburgh,
  led to the building of the House.  Visitors can now see the Main Hall, Dining Room, Music Room, Oval Room and the newly added Margaret MacDonald Room that earned Mackintosh European respect.
• Walled Garden:  The garden was the original kitchen garden for Ibrox Hill House and was acquired in 1905. It is laid out as a centre for horticultural excellence displaying a wide variety of herbaceous, annual, perennial plants and the “Peter Barr” bulb and fern collection.  The centre walk has the Trial Sweet Peas which are organised annually by the Scottish Sweet Pea, Rose and Carnation Society.
• Ibroxhill:  Clothed in Rhododendrons and underplanted with a vivid display of spring daffodils, Ibroxhill affords views over much of the city and as far as Ben Lomond on a clear day.
• Sunken Garden:  Originally the basement for Dumbreck House the garden dates back to 1860. The original entrance tunnel is still in use today leading visitors into the formally laid out garden which was
  refurbished in 2005.

Facilities

The park is patrolled regularly by the Ranger Service and has a wide variety of facilities to suit all age groups.

• Paths:  An extensive network of asphalt footpaths, which are suitable for walking, cycling as well as wheelchair and pram access
• Three Play Areas
• Horseshoe Garden
• Monument for the Empire Exhibition
• Popes Wall
• Portico Entrance
• Empire Exhibition Commemorative Cairn
• Public toilets:  Present in Bellahouston Leisure Centre, Bowling Green and House for an Art Lover
• Public telephones:  Present in Bellahouston Leisure Centre, House for an Art Lover and on both Paisley Rd West and Mosspark Boulevard.

Sports facilities

• Cycling Activity Centre
• Two Bowling Greens:  These are seasonal facilities and are subject to opening times.
• 18 Hole Pitch and Putt Course:  These are seasonal facilities and are subject to opening times.  Pitch and putt equipment can be obtained at the Bowling Green area.
• Orienteering Course
• Bellahouston Leisure Centre and Swimming Pool
• An “All Weather” Hockey Pitch
• An “All Weather” Running Track

Getting to Bellahouston Park View location on map

• By rail:  Trains travel from Central Station to Dumbreck Railway Station, which is a 5-minute walk from the park
• By bus:  Various routes operate from the city centre to Paisley road West and Moss Park Boulevard
• By car:  The park is located adjacent to Junction 23 and 24 Exits of the M8 motorway and car parking is available at The House for an Art Lover off Dumbreck Road and at Bellahouston Sports Centre off Bellahouston Drive (all car parks have lighting).
• By foot:  Access points available from Dumbreck Road, Paisley Road West, Bellahouston Drive and Mosspark Boulevard.
• By bike:  The park forms part of the Glasgow to Irvine and Ardrossan Cycle Route (Number 75)

Tel:  0871 716 2363

Admission:  Free

Opening hours:  The Visitor Centre is open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm, and on Sunday from 12pm – 5pm.  The main house is open Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 10am – 4.30pm, and on Sunday from 12pm – 4.30pm.

Chatelherault is a 500 acre country park and restored William Adam hunting lodge with visitor centre. The park is comprised of ten miles of footpath in historic landscape of the Avon River gorge, including ancient oaks, extensive semi-natural woodland and a huge variety of wildlife.

Chatelherault Country Park is just to the east of Glasgow in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.  The name Chatelherault is derived from the French town of Châtellerault from which a French dukedom (Duc de Châtellerault) was conferred on James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran, in 1550.  The title was inherited by the Dukes of Hamilton.

The park is centred around the beautiful hunting lodge of the former Hamilton Palace, which used to be linked by an avenue of lime trees.  The lodge was designed by William Adam, and completed in 1734.  Historic Scotland renovated the lodge in the 1990s, including the fine Georgian plasterwork, and a visitor centre was built to the rear.

The visitor centre contains permanent and temporary exhibits which tell the history of the lodge.  You can also find out about the park, and the wildlife in the area which includes roe deer, otters, badgers and a wide range of woodland birds.  The visitor centre also has a café and shop.  To the rear of the lodge there is a wonderful historic garden.  Around the lodge, there are a number of picnic areas and barbeque sites, an adventure play area.  The lodge is also available for function and conference hire.

Walking and Cycling

Beyond the main house, Chatelherault Park contains 10 miles of paths and walkways through the ancient woodlands along the Avon Gorge.

The densely wooded Avon Gorge holds an array of woodland flowers in spring and early summer which indicates its history of unbroken wooded cover dating back at least 400 years.  Within the forest, some of the walks can be rather spooky, with dark trees and deep ravines.  The open field edges come to life in the summer with their own range of wild flowers to delight the eye.

Central to the gorge is the River Avon, which has cut the impressive gorge into the 350 million-year-old sandstone since the end of the last Ice Age.  The river changes mood with the weather but is always a delight to walk near.  The area also has the famous Cadzow Oaks, some of the oldest trees in the UK thought to date back some 600 years, and the ancient ruin of Cadzow Castle which dates back to the 16th century.

The Chatelherault Country Park Trails Leaflet and the Chatelherault Green Bridge Trail Leaflet help walkers navigate their way along the various footpaths.  These range from the 1km Huntsman’s Trail to the 8km Green Bridge Trail.  There is a trail to suit most levels of walking ability.

Cadzow Castle

Cadzow Castle sits high above Avon Water, within Avon Gorge in the grounds of Chatlelherault Park.  Hamilton was once known as Cadzow, until it was renamed in 1455 in honour of James Hamilton, the 1st Lord Hamilton. The original Cadzow Castle was built in the 12th Century as an occasional royal residence for David I.  Royal charters of David’s reign were issued from here as early as 1139.  His successors Alexander II and Alexander III, and others down to Robert the Bruce also used the castle, primarily as a hunting lodge.

The current ruins are those of a more recent castle, built by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart around 1530.  It is here that Mary Queen of Scots stayed after her dramatic escape from Loch Leven Castle in 1568.  Having been destroyed by the Crown in the late 16th century, it was partially rebuilt in the 18th century, to serve as a folly within the Duke’s park.

The site is now owned and managed by Historic Scotland and there is no public access to the ruins, as the structure is unstable, and largely supported by scaffolding.  Footpaths within the country park allow visitors to view the ruin.  Beautiful views of the ruin can be seen from Duke’s Bridge, built high across the Avon Gorge.

Cadzow Cattle

A herd of Cadzow cattle live in the fields overlooked by the hunting lodge.  This ancient breed are easily recognised with their white coats, long horns and distinctive black muzzles, ears, feet and horn tips.

The wild white cattle once roamed freely in the northern forests of Britain, but their ancestry is unclear.  They may have originated from the native wild ox of Europe, the Aurochs, or from the wild cattle that roamed through the ancient Caledonian Forest.  In the 15th century, they became scarce but their distinctiveness and reputation as a challenging quarry for the hunt saved them from extinction.  Aristocratic influence led to the formation of hunting parks specifically for these animals.  Five park herds of the remaining wild white cattle were established, the Dukes of Hamilton’s cadzow herd being one of them.

The white cadzow cattle used to roam beneath the magnificent cadzow oaks in the Hamilton high parks, Chatelherault.  In the late 1960′s the herd was moved to the Duke of Hamilton’s estate in East Lothian.  However, since 1987, up to six cadzow cattle have also been a feature in the fields in front of Chatelherault.  It is hoped that one day a breeding herd of these magnificent white cattle might once again be established at Chatelherault.  However in the meantime the Duke of Hamilton’s Cadzow herd remains the only such herd in Scotland.

Events at Chatelherault

Throughout the year, numerous events take place at Chatelherault Country Park including the annual Chatelherault Classic Automobile Rally in August.  All events are listed in the council What’s On page.  You can also download the Country Parks Events Diary from the council website.

Getting to Chatelherault

Get directions to Chatelherault

• By car:  On the M74, take junction 6 towards Hamilton.  Chatelherault is well signposted from the roundabouts leading into Hamilton.
• By bus:  There are bus stops on either side of Carlisle Road in Ferniegair, which drop you off just outside the entrance to Chatelherault.  The bus from to/from here takes a mere 5 minutes to/from Hamilton.  Buses run frequently from the centre of Glasgow to Hamilton.
• By train:  Chatelherault train station is situated near to the entrance of the park.  This provides 2 trains from Glasgow (via Hamilton) per hour.

Admission:  Free.

Opening hours:  All day, every day.  But be sensible about the times you visit the park.

Originally created at the West End Park in 1852, Kelvingrove Park is a classic example of a Victorian Park.

Glasgow’s first area of ‘common land’, used for clothes drying, sheep grazing, concerts, sports and political meetings through the centuries was Glasgow Green, in the heart of the City next to the River Clyde.  However, in the 1800′s, the foresighted Town Council of the time noticed the rapid expansion of the city, and purchased large areas of land which until then represented the Kelvingrove and Woodlands estates to be made into public parks.  The sum paid for the land was £99,569, the current equivalent of around £8 million.

The first park created was Kelvingrove, and was the first purpose designed and constructed park in Scotland.  As one of many Victorian parks created in response to the appalling conditions created by rapid urban growth, resulting from the industrial revolution, it rapidly became a considerable attraction.

Kelvingrove Park was designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, the leading landscape designer of the time and head gardener at Chatsworth House, whose other works include The Crystal Palace in London.  He also designed the Crystal Palace in London.  Its design and setting on the banks of the River Kelvin enhance and compliment the magnificent buildings which surround it, such as those of Glasgow University, the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, and Park Circus.

Features

The Kelvingrove Park Heritage Trail comprises 35 points of interest within the park, including many of the features listed below.  It will take you approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to follow the Heritage Trail from Kelvingrove Museum to The Kelvinway Bridge.  Download the Kelvingrove Park Heritage Trail Map, and for more information about each feature of the trail you can also download the Heritage Trail Leaflet.

• The granite staircase near Park Gardens, 1854
• The Stewart Memorial Fountain, 1872:  built to commemorate Lord Provost Robert Stewart (1851-1854) and his achievement of providing the city with fresh water from Loch Katrine.
• The River Kelvin walkway: a peaceful natural haven within a densely populated area of the city, home to a diverse range of wildlife.  Some animals to look out for include the Grey Squirrel, Magpie, the Grey Heron, the Cormorant, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Redwing, Carrion Crow, Kingfisher, Mallard (Wild Duck), Goosander, Red Fox and Brown Rat.  The river also contains Brown Trout, Salmon and Sea Trout, and there have been sightings of otters in the past.
• Sunlight Cottages, 1901
• Statues of physicist Lord Kelvin, writer Thomas Carlyle, Field Marshall Lord Roberts and chemist Joseph Lister
• Bandstand and Amphitheatre, 1924
• Memorials to local regiments the Cameronians and the Highland Light Infantry
• The Honeyman Garden, 1972

Facilities

• Play areas for children
• Skateboard park
• Tennis Courts
• Croquet Green
• Bowling greens
• Park Ranger Information Centre:  located off  Kelvin Way, close to the tennis courts and bowling greens.
• Toilets
• Beautiful riverside walks
• Orienteering course
• Herbaceous borders
• Azalea and Rhododendron borders

How to get to Kelvingrove Park

• Underground:  Kelvinbridge Underground Station is a 5 minute walk.
• Train:  Charing Cross Rail Station is a 10 minute walk from the Park and Glasgow Central Station is approximately a 20 minute walk.
• Bus:  Various routes operate from the city centre to Sauchiehall Street.
• Car:  The Park can be accessed from the Clydeside Expressway following the signs for the Kelvin Hall, Museum and Art Gallery.  Parking is available at the Transport Museum and Art Galleries off Sauchiehall Street.
• Walking/Cycling:  Kelvingrove Park is a twenty-minute walk from the City Centre.  It also forms part of the Kelvin Walkway, which links with the Glasgow Loch Lomond Cycleway and the West Highland Way.

Pollok Country Park

Phone: 0141 276 0924

Admission:  Free

Opening hours:  The park is open at all times.  However facilities within the park may be subject to different opening times.

Voted the Best Park in Britain in 2007, and Europe’s Best Park in 2008, Pollok Country Park really is well worth a visit.

Pollok Country Park is Glasgow’s largest park, and the only country park within Glasgow.  Pollok Country Park has extensive woodlands and gardens, providing a quiet sanctuary for both visitors and wildlife; a bit of rural life within the city.

The Park is rich in rural history formerly being part of the Old Pollok Estate and ancestral home to the Maxwell Family, and is also home to the world famous Burrell Collection.  It has been the site of 3 castles, the oldest of which dates back to 1160.

Facilities

The Park Ranger Service is on hand to assist the public and ensure a safe enjoyable visit and is patrolled regularly both on foot and using mobile patrols.

• Clydesdale horses:  Clydesdale horses originated in the Lanarkshire area of Scotland and were bred for their power and stamina.  They were originally used as a source of power; pulling carts to deliver goods and transport people, uplift rubbish, and doing the work of tractors.  But now working horses are no longer required, and Clydesdales have become a rare breed.  Pollok park is home to Baron, Duke and TJ.  To find out more about Glasgow’s magnificent Clydesdale Horses, visit the Glasgow City Council website.
• Old stable courtyard and sawmill
• Walled gardens
• Highland cattle:  Visit the home of Glasgow City Council’s award winning pedigree fold of Highland Cattle.  The herd of Highland Cattle numbers close to 100, and can be seen grazing in the fields in Pollok Country Park.  Click here to find out more.
• Play park
• Countryside Ranger Centre
• Themed trails:  Discover the hidden delights of Pollok Country Park with the 2 themed trails: the food trail (highlights include the Wildlife Garden, avenue of lime trees and china closet) and the wood trail (highlights include pollock beech, wooden sculpture of a highland cow and wych elm chairs).  For more information and to download trail guides visit the Glasgow City Council website.
• Orienteering course
• Glasgow mountain bike circuit:  A real mountain biking experience within the city of Glasgow.  There are 3 individual circuits for riders of differing skill levels.  The separate circuits are linked, so riders can move with ease between circuits of different levels.  For more information and to find out the routes of each circuit, follow this link.
• Parkrun:  Glasgow Parkrun is a free weekly timed 5K around Pollok Park.  It takes place every Saturday at 9.30am.  To take part you must register in advance.  For more information and to register visit the Park run website.
• Riverside walks
• Wildlife garden
• Woodland walks
• Public toilets:  Present in the Old Stable Courtyard and in Burrell Collection.
• Public telephone:  Present in Burrell Collection.
• Picnic areas
• Restaurant facilities:  Present in Burrell Collection and Pollock House.

Burrell Collection

As Glasgow’s most extensive and diverse museum, the Burrell Collection is well worth a visit.  The award-winning building contains an internationally famous collection of art in the beautiful Pollok Country Park.  Bequeathed to the city by Shipping magnate Sir William Burrell in 1944, the collection includes paintings by Rembrant, Cézanne, Bellini and Sisley.  For more information read our Burrell Collection article.

Pollok House

Regarded by many as one of Glasgow’s most elegant family homes, Pollok house was built by successive generations of the Maxwell family who are known to have lived at Pollok since 1269.  The current house is an impressive 18th century mansion, filled with beautiful collections of Spanish art, antique furniture and ceramics, and an extensive library.  For more information visit the Pollok House website.

Events in the park

Pollok Park hosts various events throughout the year, including Pollok Family Day and the City of Glasgow Highland Cattle Show.  To find out what is on in the park visit our events page.

How to get to Pollok Country Park

• Train: You can catch a train from Central Station to Pollokshaws West Railway Station, which is a 2 minute walk from the park entrance.
• Bus: Various routes operate from the city centre to Pollokshaws Road.
• Shuttle Bus:  There is a shuttle bus service which operates at selected times from the Pollokshaws Road entrance to Pollok House and the Burrell Collection.  Contact the Park directly for further details.
• Car:  From the M77 exit at junction 1 or 2 and follow the signs for the Burrell Collection.  Parking is available at Pollok House and the Burrell Collection.
• Walking:  Access is available via the Burrell Walkway from Dumbreck Road or from Pollokshaws Road and Corkerhill Road.
• Cycling:  The park forms part of the Glasgow to Irvine and Ardrossan National Cycle Routes (No.’s 7 and 75).

Tel: 0141 334 2422

Admission: Free

Opening hours: The Gardens are open from 7am until dusk daily.  Glasshouses open 10am – 4.45pm (4.15 in winter).  Visitor centre open 11am – 4pm.

The Glasgow Botanic Gardens are reknowned worldwide for their impressive tropical and temperate plant collections from around the world.

The Botanic Gardens is a large parkland situated in the West End of the city (a 5 minute walk from Hillhead underground station).  The gardens were created in 1817, in order to supply the University of Glasgow.  They were originally used as a venue for concerts and other events, until 1891 when the gardens were incorporated into the park and gardens of the City of Glasgow.

The Botanic Gardens house several massive glasshouses.  One of these,  Kibble Palace, is one of the most prestigious iron and glass structures remaining from the Victorian era.  As one of the largest glasshouses in Britain, it covers a total area of 2137 square metres.  Kibble Palace was originally designed and built by John Kibble for his private home on Loch Long in the 1860s.  However it was brought to the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow by barge along the River Clyde, and was assembled at it’s current location in 1873.  After being used as a concert venue, it was eventually used for growing plants in the 1880s.  It underwent a large-scale restoration programme between 2004 and 2006, when the palace was dismantled, repaired for conservation purposes and then rebuilt.

Within the grounds of the Botanic Gardens there are many species of horticultural and botanical interest.  Kibble Palace houses the national collection of tree ferns (including those from Australia and New Zealand).  The glasshouses also host an extensive collection of tropical plants from Africa, the Americas and the Far East.  In my opinion, the large collection of tropical orchids is simply breathtaking.  Within the grounds there is a 200 year old Weeping Ash tree, something that I feel is quite exceptional and always makes me feel insignificant.

There are also a number of nice walks by the River Kelvin, and the Botanic Gardens are a particularly nice spot for a picnic on a nice day.  The Gardens also host a number of events throughout the year.  More details of these can be found on the Glasgow City Council website here.

The Gardens are open from 7.00am till dusk daily, but the specific facilities within the park are subject to opening times.

Glasshouses: 10.00am – 4.45pm (4.15pm in winter)
Visitor Centre: 11.00am – 4.00pm
Toilets: 10.00am – 5.00pm (this may vary through the year)

Admission: Rates shown below

Taking a sightseeing bus tour of Glasgow is absolutely the best, and probably the most fun way to see the city.

The tours have 21 stops around Glasgow, and stop at all the major tourist attractions within the city centre, the West End and a number of other areas (see a list of stops and what you can see and do at each of them below).  There is guide on board each bus, and they also have a multilingual commentary system which will not only keep you entertained, but also well informed about the city.

The tours are not just aimed at tourists though.  I took a tour last summer, and after living in Glasgow for 27 years still learned a few things about my beloved hometown.  So no matter whether you’re looking for some history, brilliant shopping, or you’re just out to see what’s what in Glasgow, the Sightseeing Tours are definitely the best way.

One thing I would advise is to take clothing for every possible weather scenario.  In Glasgow, as any Glaswegian will tell you, rain can appear at any minute.  So if you’re on the top of the open top bus, you will get wet!

Buses leave every 15 minutes from George Square between the hours of 9.30 am and 4.30 pm (5.30 pm in summer).  The buses all follow the same route, and get to each stop regularly.  See the website for a full timetable, and you can click here to see a downloadable map which shows the bus route and all the stops in the city.  And you won’t miss these buses – there certainly aren’t any others that look like them in the city!

Ticket prices are shown below.  Each ticket is valid for 2 days, and you can hop on and hop off as many times as you like on each of those days.

Book online at the official website.

Tel: 0141 271 2962

Admission:  Free

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday and Saturday 10am - 5pm, Friday and Sunday 11am – 5pm

The People’s Palace is Glasgow’s social history museum and a chance to see the story of the people and city of Glasgow from 1750 to the present.

You can see paintings, prints and photographs displayed alongside a wealth of historic artefacts, film and computer interactives.

There is: dancing and holidaying; home life during the Second World War; and a trip to the steamie to get the clothes washed. Visit the ‘single end’ and discover how a family lived in this typical one-room Glasgow tenement family home of the 1930s. See the amazing banana boots worn by Billy Connolly on stage in the 1970s. Have a look at the Glassford family portrait and find out the history of this painting of a tobacco lord and his family and why one figure was painted out. Discover the political history of the city through some of the superb and unique banners on display.

On the top floor is the Glasgow history painting series made by artist Ken Currie in 1987. The series commemorates the massacre of the Calton Weavers, which marked the birth of the trade union movement and visually presents the political history of working class struggle in the city.

Winter Gardens
Attached to the People’s Palace is the Winter Gardens, and elegant Victorian glasshouse where you can relax among the tropical plants and enjoy the café. There is a programme of temporary exhibitions and events throughout the year.

Doulton Fountain
The Doulton Fountain is the largest terracotta fountain in the world, as well as the best surviving example of its kind. The fountain has been beautifully restored and relocated to the front of the People’s Palace. Find out more about the fountain from Glasgow City Council’s website.

Tel: 0141 956 6100

Admission: Free (except Mugdock Castle for which there is a small entry fee).

Opening hours: Can be found on the Mugdock Park website.

Mugdock Country Park is both beautiful and historical, and there is always something for the kids to do.  No matter whether you are looking for a jaunt in the countryside, a bit of Glasgows heritage or to simply tire the kids out, there is definitely something to do at Mugdock.

Activities

Visitor centre:  The visitor centre, although it is quite small, is very interactive and fun for the kids.  It is also quite interesting and educational – worth a visit – particularly if it’s raining…

Walking:  The park is huge, and there are several recommended walks which you can find on the website.  The park isn’t so big that you will get completely lost, so it is quite easy and enjoyable to just go wherever your feet take you.  You will see a fair bit of bird and there is some beautiful plantlife to enjoy in the park, so keep your eyes peeled for some great wildlife!

Cycling:  The park has about 2.5 miles of paths that are suitable for cycling.  I’d advise the wearing of helmets as the paths can be a bit slippery if it’s been raining!

Archery:  Several archery groups meet regularly at Mugdock Park.  The Western Archers meet on Saturdays, using mainly the modern recurve bow (like that used in the Olympics).  Lessons and memberships are available; for more information see the archery website for contact details.  The Green Hollow Bowmen also meet at Mugdock Park on Sundays and Thursdays, and use the traditional British longbow.  They are also dedicated to keeping the crafts associated with longbow making and fletching alive.  They run a 6 week beginners course in the summer, and again, membership is available.  For more information see the Green Hollow Bowmen website.

Horse Riding:  Easterton Stables are situated just next to Mugdock Park.  They offer livery services, horse riding lessons and courses, hacking through Mugdock Park and also host a number of events throughout the year including show jumping.  For more information on events and prices visit the Easterton Stables website.

Orienteering:  Mugdock also offers orienteering opportunities.

Eating and shopping

There are a number of places to eat in Mugdock park, including the Stables Tearoom and the Garden Restaurant.  There is also a gift shop at the Stables which contains lots of pocket money toys for kids.  The Mugdock Plantaria contains a garden centre, gift shop and farm food shop.

Ranger service

The Ranger service is based in the Mugdock Country Park visitor centre complex and they really are a friendly bunch.  You need to go over a metal bridge to get to their office – it looks like you aren’t allowed in, but you are, and they are very helpful, so if you have any questions they are the folk to see.

Mugdock Castle

Mugdock Castle dates back at least to the 14th Century, when it was used as an administrative centre for the lands of Mugdock.  The Mugdock Castle ruins are open 365 days a year for visitors to explore.  The only part of the castle that you have to pay to get into is the rebuilt and furbished southwest tower which is open every day from 26th May to 16th September from 2pm to 5pm.

Events

Mugdock Park always seems to have something on.  Events range from photography and arts & crafts to wildlife surveying and flora & fauna identification.  There is a full list on the Mugdock Country Park website.  You have to go to the tabs at the top and then select which month you’d like.