So, just back from another wonderful week at Kokopelli combined with a few days either side in some of Italy’s most iconic cities.

For me, the best way to get to Kokopelli (or virtually anywhere else in Europe) is by train. There are several reasons for this but, essentially, by taking the train you can make the journey a positive part of your your holiday . So, instead of enduring the abusive security process, punitive  baggage restrictions and the in-your-face travel experience that is flying, you can look forward to a comfortable, relaxed journey aboard some of Europe’s fastest and most technically advanced trains, with spectacular scenery flashing by your window.

Kokopelli at sunrise

Kokopelli is an eco-friendly campsite, run on the principles of self sufficiency and low environmental imprint.Therefore, if you are  environmentally conscious and concerned about your carbon footprint, it makes little sense to fly there. According to Travelfootprint London to Rome by air creates 240-350 grams of co2 per passenger km travelled, compared to 50-75 grams by rail.

Taking the train means you can take your bike

As most Kokopellites love the outdoors, they will often have equipment like skis, snowshoes, cycles, tents, walking and climbing gear. Unlike aircraft, trains have  no baggage restrictions. Eurostar has recently altered its conditions for cycle carriage and now transports bikes, without bike bags, if booked in advance. This is well worth the £30 cost to avoid faffing around adjusting handlebars and pedals, particularly if you are touring with panniers. If you live near St Pancras you can also send your bike on to Paris/Brussels in advance which costs less. Have a look at Eurostar’s bicycle carriage and information about taking bikes on trains throughout Europe.

Enjoy some retail therapy among Milan’s designer labels either side of your stay

Kokopelli is situated roughly in the middle of Italy, so going by train means you can combine your trip with some city visits: Turin, Milan, Bologna, Rome, Florence, Naples; the choice is yours.

The train can also be much cheaper, particularly if journeying overnight: if travelling as a family or in a group, prices in couchettes can be as low as around £30 per person. And remember, an overnight fare includes your accommodation. You also waste less time as you are travelling  when you are normally asleep and kids invariably love sleeping on a train!

But the best reason for travelling by train is simply that it is better. Instead of detracting from your holiday experience, it adds to it. Rather than wasting time in soulless, indistinguishable airport terminals, you get to experience life in other countries as well as the chance to engage with people.

May 1st, Kokopelli style!.

On one journey the Italian family at the same table “forbade” me to go to the buffet and insisted I share their lunch of bread, mozzarella, tomatoes, prosciutto and local wine: something of a contrast with your typical Ryanair experience.

So, how do I organise train travel  to Kokopelli? Well, the good news is that it is actually ridiculously easy;  you do not need to move from your computer screen, there are no concealed extra charges and planning the journey can be an exciting way to involve all members of the family/group.

1. Make sure you consult  Mark Smith’s indispensable SEAT61  as this gives every possible source of advice on routes, destinations, booking tickets and just about everything else.

2. The nearest major station to Kokpelli is Pescara – liaise with Jacqui and Kevin about transfers etc – so look at the information on how to travel there.  But you may want to combine your trip with visits to other places in Italy, so look at all the options here.

3. Decide if you want to travel during the day or overnight: if I’m travelling on my own I tend to go during the day as individual sleeping accommodation is only available in first class and because I  enjoy the trip though the Alps. But, if travelling as a family/group and if time is at a premium, overnight can be the better option.

Milan-Turin-Paris TGV

4. I book tickets in three stages: direct with EUROSTAR for London to Paris, with RAIL EUROPE for Paris to Turin/Milan and ITALIA RAIL or TRENITALIA for any other journeys within Italy. Booking just under two months in advance I paid £69 return on Eurostar; £116 first class Paris-Turin return and the most expensive of my five first class tickets across Italy cost €29 for a three hour journey from Pescara to Bologna. Often the best deal was the first class offer.

5.If you have a currency card, such as CAXTON FX use it to pay for the tickets billed in euros and you won’t attract any conversion charges.

6. You will have to change stations in Paris from Gare du  Nord to Gare de Lyon. The easiest way to do this is by metro, using the green D RER line. Tickets cost €1.70 at the time of writing, so make sure you have some loose euros and cents, although the machines do give change. Eurostar information desks sell books of metro tickets and provide maps of Paris. The metro is easy to use; just follow the signs and use the destination information to check  you’re going in the right direction. There is only one stop, Chatelet les Halles, between Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon.

Finally, on French and Italian long distance trains the standard of on board accommodation is generally excellent. However, despite commodious luggage racks at the end of each carriage (Virgin take note) Italian and French travellers seem to prefer to lug their cases to their seats! Do make sure your luggage is clearly labelled as French police boarded the train at the border to check this on my return journey.

Bon voyage; buon viaggio; enjoy the journey, it’s part of your holiday.

The Train Bleu, Gare de Lyon

Postscript: arrived back safely last night, having left Milan at 6am. Journey went like clockwork – TGV was actually held up at one point on the Italian border, but made up so much time it arrived at Gare de Lyon seven minutes early – only downside was last lap home from Euston to Lichfield Trent Valley. The concourse was packed, as was the train, with many passengers without seats and only their good humour and the diplomacy and  good sense of the train manager avoided any serious incident. Arriving at my destination, a busy stop on West Coast Main Line, is like stepping out into the third world: there is no lift over the line, the station was closed (London Midland deem it unnecessary to man the premises after 7pm) and those of us having to wait for lifts/taxis got soaked as there is no shelter.

The joys of UK’s privatised rail network; and to think these train operating companies take millions of our tax money every year, but that’s another story….

Wednesday May 9 2012:

Even the grey, raw dawn didn’t detract from the splendour of St Pancras as I dragged my damp baggage out of the Euston Road drizzle sometime before five am. Despite the early hour, it was clear Eurostar’s “cheap” deals were proving popular as the terminal was busy and the queue for the the only coffee outlet  already snaked into the departure lounge. However, Cafe Nero’s young baristars coped resolutely and the short wait enabled me to strike up a conversation with the guy in the tiger suit (who everyone else was staring at, but wouldn’t talk to) cycling to Andalucia for MacMillan Cancer Support – hi Cathal, hope it went well. You can read more about his challenge here

Although it seemed difficult to believe, this was my first Euro tour for nearly three years; injury and the increasingly pernicious demands of a depressing day job interfering with my travel plans in the interim. This time, I had chosen to travel during the day, in order to enjoy the scenery, heading initially to Turin, before eventually stepping out into a warm Florentine evening with the Renaissance facade of Santa Maria Novella straight in front of me.

Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Thursday May 10 2012:

Florence: the city that first took my breath away as a 16 year old and now, still as beautiful, but inevitably, even more crowded than I remember it. The Albergo Duilio hotel  is interesting in a quirky kind of way – a traditional building, small, but very clean, with a clever, en suite wet room, in an almost perfect location within walking distance of city, but away from crowds and, in Vincenzo, an extremely hospitable and helpful host. It also provides an ideal Italian breakfast: a voucher for coffee and pastry at the cafe across the road, the Cafe Communarde.

So, I start my first day in Italy proper with a velvety cappuccino, standing at the bar alongside some tasty Italian airline crew. Suitably invigorated, I cross the road to the Arno and stroll along towards the Ponte Vecchio.

The Ponte Vecchio

Even at 10 am it’s packed and, after a quick wander across to take in the views, I head  back and up towards the Uffizi to sniff around the plethora of tours available. Deciding to trust my own (fading) knowledge of Renaissance art later on, I head into the Piazza della Signoria and marvel at the statues – yes I know this David is a copy, but Neptune and Perseus are awesome and the Rape of the Sabine Women finally persuades me my hopeless school Latin wasn’t totally in vain.

One of Florence’s key attractions is its compact centre and, after securing  a late afternoon slot at the Uffizi from the booth at Orsanmichele (no queuing and no additional charges) I head up past the Cathedral and stop for a few moment to look at the Duomo and Baptistry.

The Duomo

It’s difficult to keep a space even for a few minutes, but Brunelleschi’s masterpieces retain their magic, even after five centuries.

On a hot, sunny day, the next logical stop is the marvellous Mercato Centrale,  whose stalls groan under the weight of cheese, ham and plump fresh vegetables. To get there, however, I have to negotiate the street stalls with their equally tempting array of leather goods and scarves, but fortunately I’m hungry, so for now anyway, I avoid the lure of a gorgeous Gladstone bag and follow my stomach to the food market.

After an afternoon nap, I’m back at the Uffizi for five pm. It’s busy, but not oppressively so and, although it’s difficult to secure an unrestricted view of Primavera, or the Birth of Venus, it’s empty enough in the early rooms to see the works of the Lippi family and and also, later on, to compare the Italian masters with the more realist school of Northern Europe.

Outside the Uffizi.

There’s never any a definitive length of time you should spend in a gallery, but an hour and a half seems about right: just enough to take in the depth of art treasure on show, but not too much to be overwhelmed.

All these marvels have made me hungry, again, so it’s back over the Ponte Vecchio in search of some sustenance. Found my way to Il Rifrullo  busy, but not with tourists and aperitivo buffet (€7 with drink) so good I doubt I’ll need any dinner.

From here it’s a short hop to Piazzale Michelangelo: where else to watch the sun setting over Florence and the Arno?

Sunset over the Arno

Friday May 11 2012:

The day starts well: another excellent coffee and more interesting airline guys. I try out a dummy run to the station in advance of tomorrow’s early start, waylaid en route, by a visit to the city’s English bookshop. More seriously, I find myself drawn back to the street market and, in particular, the leather stalls. I can be very persuasive when I want to convince myself I really need something, so force myself back on track to today’s first port of call -

the Church of Santa Maria Novella.

Garden of Santa Maria Novella

This is my first visit and I spend the rest of the morning and early afternoon enthralled by the masterpieces adorning this Dominican church. Masaccio’s fresco of The Trinity, Giotto’s Crucifix, Filippino Lippi’s frescoes for the Capella di Filippo Strozzi, before you even reach Ghirlandaio’s altar. A few more steps, another masterpiece: in some ways this is the highlight of revisiting Florence and the experience is marred only by a handful of brash American women taking photographs when specifically instructed not to do so.

A late lunch, a further selection of sumptuous leather bags and another plausible salesman – it would make more sense to wait until the final day of the holiday, but will they have these bags in Turin? – followed by a couple of hours reading in the shade.

The Campanile bell

Five pm and it’s cooled sufficiently for me to head back to the Campanile.

Rooftops in Florence

I still have a tiny instamatic print of the rooftops of Florence, taken on my school trip, its faded colours looking almost naive in today’s digital age. Today, the vistas taking in the domes and towers of the city, the Arno and its bridges and the surrounding Tuscan hills, are still stunning, their unique shades highlighted by the lowering sun.

This evening’s photos are sharper, but also the final confirmation I need another memento of Florence’s beauty to remember this visit. So, back to the leather stalls, momentarily panic when I can’t find the one I want, out with the credit card and then collapse into nearest bar, racked with guilt and the frightening realisation I have already spent the equivalent of Italy’s national debt on a leather bag.

That gorgeous Gladstone bag

However, every cloud and all that because, despite its dowdy decor and basic furniture, this place does a mean glass of rosario, the buffet is equally good and, it’s 1€ less than last night.  Unfortunately, in my initial hysteria, I completely forgot to memorise the name of the bar.

Saturday May 12 2012:

All too soon, my two days in Florence have come to an end and, just after 7.30 am, I thank Vincenzo for his hospitality, grab a quick coffee – clearly too early for the pilots today – and head for the station.

Florence: once seen, never forgotten

After my first visit I vowed I’d come back. Now, I mean to return again, maybe in the winter, maybe as part of a wider tour of Tuscany and its hills and towns. But, I will come back. Florence has that effect on me.

The train is routinely packed, but comfortable and on time. The trains also provide excellent storage space for large items of baggage at the end of each carriage – Virgin Trains, take note. Despite this, most of the Italian passengers seem intent on keeping their luggage, no matter how large or heavy, right beside them on their seats!

Rome: a city I’ve always wanted to visit but, until now, never quite arrived at. Termini station is log-jammed, but despite the crowds, the information booths are well-staffed and helpful and I’m soon making a (lengthy) walk to a peripheral platform for my first taste of Rome’s suburban transport system. And, it doesn’t disappoint: 1€ fare, fast trains with adequate space every 15 minutes, what’s not to like?

A bucolic image from Trastevere

I emerge out of Trastevere station to chaotic arterial traffic and a burning sun. Fortunately, the Hotel Roma Trastevere is only a few metres along the Viale di Trastevere and I’m able to park my expanding baggage until check in. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask for a map, so spend a rather pointless three hours mooching about in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. However, a tiny Arab cafe provides good coffee and an enormous sandwich and the views from the hill behind the main street open up right across the city, heightening my anticipation of what is to come.

This hotel is, in direct contrast to the Albergo Duilio,  modern and rather soulless in its public areas. However, the bedrooms are roomy, with a small balcony and the exquisitely tiled en suite the kind of facility you look forward to in a decent hotel. And, it supplies a readable map.

Santa Maria in Trastevere

So, after a short rest and shower and, armed with said map, I set off to investigate Trastevere after dusk.  Quickly realise that if I had wandered a further few hundred metres  earlier on, my lunchtime options would have included a cafe, bar or restaurant at every corner along the Via San Francesco. But at least it ensures I intend to make the most of Trastevere, now I’ve actually found it.

The Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere is thronged with families, tourists, street artists and people of all ages enjoying the balmy evening. It’s animpressive church, thought to be the first place of Christian worship in Rome and I nip in quietly, trying not to disturb the on-going Mass. Mosaics of saints and a series of panels by Cavallini are stunning and well-worth a future visit for a closer look.

A traditional way to see the sights

From the piazza it’s a short hop to Via Moro 15-16 and the divine La Renella. Considered by many to be the best bakery in Rome, its wood-fired ovens produce a delectable range of pizza al taglio, focaccio and biscuits that attract a most diverse range of customers; people waiting for a bus, priests, workers from nearby shops and well-dressed couples on their way for a night out in the city. Take your slice of pizza with you, or eat it at the long bench along the width of the bakery. It’s not salubrious, but at less than €2 for a delicious portion of pizza ai funghi, with mozzarella and pomodoro, I’m not complaining.

Trastevere at dusk

Originally the artisan area of Rome,Trastevere’a narrow streets, closeted squares, trattorias, cafes, bars and night clubs are now some of the most popular areas of the city, for residents and tourists alike. Even past nine pm, it’s still possible to browse a bookshop, or look round a boutique between sipping a cocktail and enjoying some traditional and (for Rome) reasonably- priced cooking in traditional and unpretentious restaurants.

Sunday May 13 2012:

Benefitting from a comfortable and uninterrupted night’s sleep, I’m up and about early, determined to make the most of my only full day in Rome. The hotel breakfast (usual unappetising stuff at an extra €6) is easily resisted, so I grab a decent enough cappuccino and pastry at the bar next door, before catching the No8 tram into the city.

Front of the Pantheon

In less than 10 minutes, I’m stepping off the tram in Largo di Torre Argentina. My plan is to see the Pantheon and Piazza Navona, check out the best coffee and also take in a few of the beautiful, small churches in the Centro Storico before it gets too hot and crowded. It’s hardly ambitious, but I’m not going to see all that Rome has to offer in a day and, part of the thrill of visiting the Eternal City, is to discover the wonders of the little, unheralded churches found on almost every corner of the city centre.

The Pantheon doesn’t disappoint and, standing for a few moments to appreciate this magnificent building, it is impossible not to wonder how it continues to stay up, without any apparent arches and vaults.

It’s not yet crowded, but busy enough to share the view of Raphael’s tomb:

Raphael’s tomb, the PantheonIt’s not yet crowded, but busy enough to share the view of Raphael’s tomb:

“Living, great nature feared he might out vie Her works, and dying, fears herself may die.”

Pieto Bembo’s inscription sums up, not just the impact of the great artist, but of the Pantheon itself.

I want to savour the memory of the Pantheon before it merges with the other sights I hope to see, so head east along to the Plazza San Eustachio   to try out what is generally regarded as the best coffee in the city, at its eponymous cafe.

Cafe San Eustachio

This tiny shop, selling all things coffee on one side, with a bar on the other was already crowded with locals and other tourists. Quickly learning the etiquette, I’m rewarded with the best creamy cappuccino I’ve ever tasted. It’s so good I almost order another, but promise myself that abstinence now will be rewarded later with a chance to sample their macchiatos.

Suitably rejuvenated, I walk back towards the Piazza Navona and, although the square is already filling with people,

The Fontana del Quattro Fiumi, Piazza Navona

the magnificent Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi still draws my eye and I’m hard pressed to drag myself away from Bernini’s magical fountain celebrating the four great rivers of the world.

It now hits me (better late than never, I suppose) that trying to visit churches on a Sunday morning is not my greatest-ever idea, given that I don’t intend to participate in Mass and, after a disappointing stop at La Caffeteria  – coffee very good, but pretentious service and silly prices – stroll down Via del Corso past the bizarre Palazzo Venezia and thence along to Arco di Tito.

The Colosseum

My next visit will concentrate on Classical Rome, as opposed to the Baroque centre, but today even just looking in on some of the ancient monuments, it is humbling to think of them in a historical context. How appropriate then, that on this sunny Sunday morning in May 2012, the entire length of the Via dei Fori Imperiali is packed full of children playing a mini-football tournament in the shadow of the Colosseum, the most famous arena of all.

Monday May 14 2012:

Pack up my goods and chattels, leave in the luggage room and head back into the city. I start with the Jesuit church of Sant’Ignazio and wonder around the spacious interior, gazing at the amazing Baroque ceiling showing St Ignatius entering paradise and trying to reconcile that with my understanding of the contribution to humanity of Ignatius and the Jesuits.  Ignatius, of course, isn’t actually buried here: he’s in the Gesu church a short stroll away that, conveniently, can be easily reached via San Eustachio cafe.

The Basilica of St Peter

Decide that, despite the shortages of time, I can’t really leave Rome without at least seeing the Vatican. So, head back to find a bus  - not sure which bus, but follow the priests and nuns congregated round the a particular stop and, happily, this piece of inspired logic delivers me safely to St Peter’s Square in under 15 minutes.

Seeing the Sistine Chapel is high on my list of “to-dos”, but that will have to wait for another visit. On this sunny, but fresh morning – ideal for my kind of sightseeing, but the Italians are swaddled in scarves and down jackets – I’m content to wander among the colonnades in Bernini’s best-known piazza, taking in the extent, both of the square, but also the beauty of the Basilica and its dome.

Frescoes in Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

Back in the city, I make a point of seeing the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome’s only Gothic church and home to a host of art treasures. Filippino Lippi’s fresco of the Assumption in the Carafe chapel takes my breath away and I’m thrilled to stand for a few minutes in front of Michelangelo’s Christ Bearing the Cross.

But, unfortunately, that’s it, my time in Rome is up and it’s off to Tiburtina station to catch the bus to the Abruzzo the next stage of my travels.

Read about my week in Kokopelli.

Monday May 21 2012:

I say my goodbyes to Kevin and Jacqui as they drop me at Pescara station – very impressive modern building with good catering outlets and lots of lovely escalators to transport me and my ever-more-heavy bags. The sun’s out and Pescara, which looks almost like a resort on the Cote d’Azure, becomes another destination awaiting a return.

Fontana del Nettuno, Bologne

Another comfortable, civilised train journey – just how will I cope with Virgin and London Midland after this? – but the weather worsens as we head north and, by the time we reach Bologne, it’s as grey and dull as November in the Lake District.

Fortunately, the HotelInternazionale/en is well within trolley-bag distance of the station and I’m able to check in immediately.This is the most luxurious of the hotels on my trip, and today its comfortable room and plush ensuite are a welcome treat for my end-of-holiday shabbiness and constantly throbbing ankle.

Palazzo d’Accursio, Bologne

Bologne is compact and its characteristic porticos are ideal in the afternoon downpours – Glasgow take note – enabling me to wander about fairly aimlessly without getting soaked. I suss out Bottega del Caffe   and convince myself that 200g of their speciality coffee won’t make too much difference to my overweight bags. Their chocolate, disappointingly, is less impressive and a macchiato in the cafe is average at best.

Bologna is now considered by some as the foodie capital of Italy, however,  this evening I sample the more basic end of its culinary offerings with a visit to Pizzarie Altero, virtually across the Via Indipendenza from the hotel. Ignore the strip lighting and wait your turn in the queue and you will be rewarded with an excellent choice of pizza al taglio (up there competing with Renella) for under €2 a slice.

Central Bologne – between the showers

Bologne’s history as a hot bed of socialism has always intrigued me and its leftish leanings are still evident in the names of many of its streets and squares and any city with Rosa Luxemburg as a bus terminal definitely deserves another visit – a taste of socialism perhaps might be an appropriate theme to sample its culinary and political heritage in the future?

Tuesday May 22 2012:

Another day, another train journey: this time the short hop (90 minutes) to Turin and the end of my tour. Fortunately, the sun is shining and  Hotel Dock Milano  (not as plush as yesterday and en suite wet room even smaller than in Florence, but perfectly adequate once I get the safe to work) is right across the road from the station.

One of Turin’s ubiquitous book carts

Usual story of too much to see and far too little time at my disposal, so concentrate on getting a feel for the city and checking out some of the best cafes. Start by grabbing a sandwich and drink and head for the nearest park and, already, pick up on one novel aspect of Turin’s street life: the mobile book cart, stationed at the corner of streets and squares.

I’m soon on my way to Via San Tommaso, to visit its eponymous cafe, reputably the original home of Lavazza. First impressions are heartening – a little bar packed with non-touristy looking people drinking small cups of coffee.

The crowded San Tommaso bar

And the verdict? The macchiato from heaven, the very best I’ve ever tasted; honestly. It’s only two pm and I do want to see more of Turin, so, regrettably, I force myself away from San Tommaso without trying its famous bicerin (cappuccino fortified with brandy) vowing to return this evening.

Given its location on the northern borders of Italy, some of Turin’s most famous cafes have more in common with those in central Europe. Indeed, Baratti and Milano  and Cafe Mulassano  would not look out of place in Vienna or Budapest. But be warned, although the gelato in B&M and coffee in Mulassano were both excellent, the prices you pay for gazing at their marble fittings and Belle Epoque interiors are high and in B&M  be prepared to be treated with contempt by some of its more mature staff.

Cafe society, Turin style

Continuing my sequence of cheap eats, in the evening I dine at Brek  An interesting concept, and very popular with workers, families and sole diners, it’s essentially a self-service restaurant where you choose whatever combination whets your taste buds. My generous portions of pasta, salad, bread, fruit salad, bottle of water, 250ml jug of house red and coffee came in at a very reasonable €13.

Wednesday May 23:

The last day of my tour of Italy and, with some sadness, I cross the road to Porta Susa station just after seven am in time to catch the TGV back to Paris.

Travelling to Italy by train is easy, enjoyable and economic, read my tips on how to go about it.

Highlights:

Coffee: can’t quite decide between San Eustachio in Rome and San Tommaso in Turin, so will go for the cappuccino in San Eustachio and the macchiato in San Tomasso

Gelato: has to be the amaretto flavour in Baratii and Milano, Turin, despite the service

Pizza: no competition here: La Renella in Rome

Hotel: toss up between the style and facilities of Hotel Internazionale in Bologne and the hospitality, original building and location of Albergo Duilio in Florence

Overall: probably  re-visiting Florence, but Raphael’s tomb in the Pantheon comes a close second

And: being able to travel across western Europe and around cities, using efficient, clean, affordable public transport, although this always makes  returning to the UK’s third word infrastructure eminently depressing

View over the Clyde and Erskine Bridge from Kilpatrick Braes

Five hours to spare, a mild, if cloudy, spring day in Glasgow; where else but the Kilpatricks? These surprisingly remote, heather-clad hills, set in relatively wild moorland, perch above Dumbarton a few miles north west of Glasgow. Given this location, their great asset is that they are very accessible from the city, by bus or train, even on Sundays.  And, as such, along with Dumgoyne, Conic, Ben Lomond and The Cobbler, they are part of that bizarre and beguiling Glaswegian idiosyncrasy: sizeable hills and mountains that can be accessed by the city’s suburban transport network.

The Kilpatrick Hills are ideal for getting rid of winter’s cobwebs, or as an afternoon or evening walk as the nights get lighter and provide extensive views, not only back along the Clyde to the city, but also across the Campsie Fells and northwards towards the Arrochar Alps.

Trains run every 30 minutes to Old Kilpatrick from Glasgow Queen Street, and once at Kilpatrick station, just head along the road under the A82 road bridge to Kilpatrick Gasworks and follow the broad track signposted “Loch Humphrey”.

The usual route then heads along this path as far as the loch, however, the Forestry Commission are currently resurfacing the track, so the route is temporarily diverted on discernible hill paths up Kilpatrick Braes and around The Stacks. Unlike on many diverted routes, these signs are plentiful and easy to follow and indeed, I think the diversion adds to the circuit as it makes it more of a hill walk, as opposed to a trudge up a sometimes busy track, often shared with mountain bikers and others.

Once at the loch continue on the track that skirts round the loch and then keep on this still obvious, but boggier, path that continues north east along a visible ridge that passes Fynloch Hill on your left and Little and Middle Duncolm on your right.

A Loch Humphrey resident seemed singularly unimpressed by its visitors

Head on for the furthest and highest mound: this is Duncolm and take a few minutes to enjoy the 360 degree panorama, including Ben Lomond and Stob Binnein, after the short, steepish, but easy climb to the summit. On this overcast Tuesday, the islands at the south of the loch were still clearly visible and it was just possible to see the summit of the Ben peeping through the clouds.

Retrace your steps to the loch, then head back down to Kilpatrick station (about 3 and a half hours at reasonable pace), or if you have another couple of hours to spare, bear right at the loch embankment and follow a path north west through a conifer wood.  After about a mile, turn left at a junction and follow a path downwards, in a south west direction, passing Brown Hill and Greenland Reservoir.

Follow the “Circular Crags Walk” signpost down to a road at Greenlands Farm, turn right and head along the “Crags Walk” to the Milton Inn. Then cross the A82 to the cycle track, turn left and follow this into Bowling, before turning right to the Forth and Clyde Canal.

Head along the towpath as far as Lock 37 at the Erskine Bridge. Cross the canal, turn left into Dumbarton Road, then right into Station Road back to the railway station.

Two trains an hour will take you back to the city for a late afternoon coffee, spot of shopping, or in plenty of time to scrub up for an evening out. Overall, an ideal way to spend the day that marks the equal division of daylight and darkness and heralds the advent of spring.

For details of other walks accessible by public transport Around Glasgow, visit:

Autumn, in particular October, is  ideal  for a short break. But perhaps time and money are a bit short and you can’t spare more than a few days away; not enough to enjoy some sunnier climes?

Last Rays of Afternoon Sun

No problem, stay in Britain, make the most of the daylight before the clocks change, enjoy the changing autumn colours and, if the weather turns inclement, you can easily spend a day in a nearby city, or local attraction.  Britain in autumn is perfect for a few days away where you can combine some cycling, walking, climbing, photography in the countryside, with a cultural, foodie, or chilled-out few days in the city.

One great advantage of our crowded island is that many of our major urban areas are cheek by jowl with national parks and areas of national beauty: think Sheffield/Manchester and the Peak District; Bristol and Exmoor; Glasgow and the Trossachs;  Edinburgh and the Pentlands. 

Autumn Colours

Even the sprawling West Midlands conurbation has the Malverns and the Cotswolds on its doorstep and woodland Surrey, the Chilterns and the south coast can be easily reached from Greater London.

But what to pack; particularly for us eco-conscious, self-sufficient travellers, who have to carry our needs for all eventualities on our backs, or bikes and on public transport? You need the footwear and outwear for protection in the great outdoors, but you don’t want to look like an outdoor gear geek as you sip your flat white in Convent Garden.

It’s a hard call,  but essentially the same rules apply as outlined in KIT,
http://www.bootandbike.co.uk/sample-kit-lists/   http://www.bootandbike.co.uk/kit/what-to-take/
but, on a smaller scale.

Sunset through the Trees

The key is, like with all packing, to try to take multi-purpose garments and, to be fair, the look, quality and weight of outdoor gear has improved immeasurably over the last few years. Merino wool tops, such as Icebreaker, look good enough to wear out or indoors, and merino also has the priceless asset of lasting several days without offensive odours.  Similarly, ultra-lightweight down (and some man-made alternatives), like those by Rab, now are stylish enough, and in sufficiently pleasing shades, not to look out of place in city streets.  And if it’s wet, wear your wet gear: if it throws it down, nobody cares much what you look like; hillside or city street.

Jurassic Coast in Autumn

This first “rule’ is generally to wear your “active” gear and footwear  (usually because it’s the bulkiest) when you travel to your destination.  This can result in some amusing scenarios: once, having secured a reasonably-priced first class ticket and resplendent in lycra and cycling helmet, I was initially blocked from entering the posh end of the train by an attendant who told me: “This is a first class coach madam.” When I replied that I had a first class reservation and offered to show him my ticket, he apologised and said: “I thought you were off on your bike, not travelling first class!”

Above Dunoon, Cowal Peninsular

So, other than specialised activity kit, what else to take?
Essentials: sleepwear, something to lounge about in, underwear and toiletries – if you’re staying in a hotel, b&b etc, it’s a good idea to check in advance what toiletries they provide as it can save considerable weight and bulk.

For trips of up to a week, I now organise my gear into: jeans/leggings, couple of tee shirts, tunic, sweater, comfortable lightweight shoes – obviously amend as appropriate.

Up to the Long Mynd

These I can pack into a small, lightweight wheeled bag, with waterproofs, hat, gloves, water bottles and the like in a 20 litre backpack. Thus, I can carry my luggage easily and have enough adaptable gear to keep me dry and warm on the hills, but stylish enough to look reasonably cool in a cafe, or shop, museum or cinema.

Go ahead, take advantage of the autumn kaleidoscope in the woodlands, enjoy the hills and mountains before winter sets in.

Autumn Sunset

But check out the exhibitions, movies and best eats in nearby cities as well to ensure you  make the best of Britain this autumn.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/interactive/2011/jan/07/britain-best-budget-eats-restaurants-cafes has a really useful list of budget eats in towns and cities across the country: I haven’t tried them all, but those I have in Glasgow, Birmingham and Central London haven’t disappointed.

Some Boot and Bike recommendations for this autumn:

Edinburgh and the Fife coast:  check out some of the classic books set in Auld Reekie 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/oct/12/top-10-books-literary-edinburgh?INTCMP=SRCH  and the Guardian’s interactive guide to the city
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/series/edinburgh-city-guide

Head out by train over the Forth Bridge (or cycle out over path beside the road bridge)
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/sustrans-near-you/scotland/easy-rides-in-scotland/edinburgh-to-the-forth-road-bridge
towards Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy. Cycle, walk along the coastal path   http://www.fifecoastalpath.co.uk/
to  Anstruther – visit the award-winning fish restaurant 
http://anstrutherfishbar.co.uk/index.html  –  then on to St Andrews and its university and world-famous golf course   
http://www.saint-andrews.co.uk/staindex.html

Birmingham and Shropshire: you’ve still got time to sample some food and drink at the city’s 10 day Food Fest  http://whatson.visitbirmingham.com/food-fest-137426262
From the end of the month, try to catch the Lost in Lace exhibition 
http://whatson.visitbirmingham.com/lost-in-lace-588181948
Trains from the city’s New Street station take about an hour to Shrewsbury
http://tickets.londonmidland.com/lm/en/JourneyPlanning/MixingDeck  Arriva Trains Wales  http://www.buytickets.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/advancedsearch.aspx also travel to Shrewsbury and thence Church Stretton, Craven Arms and Ludlow. Marvel at the expansive views from the top of the Long Mynd, then restore your calories with a trip to the foodie heaven of Ludlow   
http://www.ludlow.org.uk/fooddrink.html

Glasgow and the Cowal Peninsular: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is currently rocking to the AC/DC exhibition.http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/our-museums/kelvingrove/whats-on/exhibitions/AC-DC-exhibition/Pages/default.aspx
Or check out how eminent writer/artist  Alasdair Gray, depicted life in the city in the 1970s in a major exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art http://whatson.seeglasgow.com/Event41951
From the city take the train to Gourock, then ferry to Dunoon 
http://www.western-ferries.co.uk/  Bike  through the beguiling Benmore Botanic Gardens   http://www.rbge.org.uk/the-gardens/benmore   and on to enjoy the autumn colours in Glenbranter Forest, where there is also the opportunity for some off-road biking http://www.forestry.gov.uk/website/recreation.nsf/LUWebDocsByKey/ScotlandArgyllandButeArgyllForestParkGlenbranterForest

Newcastle and the Northumberland coast: you’ll never short of somewhere to go, or see, in Newcastle.  This autumn, the city hosts an international print making exhibition, before the Baltic hosts the 2011 Turner Prize  http://www.newcastlegateshead.com/whats-on/baltic-presents-turner-prize-2011-p520731#productlist=/whats-on/baltic-presents-turner-prize-2011-p520731&proxprodtype=
The 100mile Northumberland Coast is a designated Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB)  http://www.northumberland-coast.co.uk/ with award-winning beaches, castles and wildlife. Walk the 64 mile coastal path and use     http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=6898 to help you get about without using a car.

Exeter and the Jurassic coast: the city’s beautiful St Peter’s Cathedral is well worth a visit http://www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk/ and the Bike Shed Theatre    http://www.exeterviews.co.uk/whats-on/event/74/henry-v.html   presents a critically-acclaimed production of Henry V on October 21st-22nd.
The city sits at the west end of the Jurassic coast: the Dorset and East Devon Coast World Heritage Site is England’s first natural World Heritage Site – it covers 95 miles of truly stunning coastline from East Devon to Dorset, with rocks recording 185 million years of the Earth’s history  http://www.jurassiccoastline.com/
Walk sections of the coastal path, visit the Swannery at Abbotsbury, marvel at Durdle Door rock arch, hunt for fossils on Charmouth beach, or take short detours to Bridport and Thomas Hardy’s Dorchester.   And, you don’t need a car; instead use the excellent X53 bus that links Exeter with Poole at the easterly end of the coast   
http://lulworthcovebedandbreakfast.com/lulworth-cove/buses-jurassic-coast.htm

A wealth of culture, some of the finest art and  architecture in Europe, a shopping mecca, vibrant nightlife: just some of Glasgow’s best known features.  But, alongside these attributes, its marvellous location for walking, cycling, sailing and numerous other outdoor activities is all too often overlooked.

A city infamous for poor health and housing and blighted by its planners in the mid 20th century, Glasgow, which means Dear Green Place, has, surprisingly, more green spaces per head of population than any other conurbation in Britain, with beautiful parks to be found all over the city. And, within an hour of its centre, you can be climbing a Munro, cycling along Loch Lomond,or sailing in some of the world’s most beautiful coastal waters. This fairly unique combination makes the city ideal to shop till you drop, enjoy many varied forms of culture, but equally easily escape to the great outdoors that are literally on your doorstep.

In addition, the city has an excellent public transport system; in terms of connecting areas and scope, second only to London.  And, given Glasgow’s location, its commuter lines actually reach some of the most scenic and iconic places; for example, Balloch, at the foot of Loch Lomond, is around 40 minutes out of the city on a twice-hourly service, whilst the legendary West Highland line, reaches Arrochar and the northern end of Loch Lomond at Ardlui in about an hour.

It is this mix of unique location, plus easy availability of public transport, that makes Glasgow such an ideal base for a boot and bike trip.

Get there and about: 

Virgin Trains www.virgintrains.co.uk travel to Glasgow from London, the Midlands and North West England on the west coast main line; journey times are about five hours from London and just under four from Birmingham.

Strathclyde Passenger Transport www.spt.co.uk is responsible for city and suburban trains, buses and subway.

Scottish Citylink coaches www.citylink.co.uk run out of the city along the A82 en route to Fort William, Portree and Oban.

Loch Lomond Cruises www.cruiselochlomondltd.com operate a ferry service from Tarbet across the loch to Rowardennan and Inversnaid, between April to October.

 Stay at:

Glasgow Guest House

Glasgow Guest House www.glasgow-guest-house.co.uk  enjoys a great location on bus routes, five minutes from Dumbreck rail station, within walking distance of the subway, virtually next door to Mackintosh’s House for an Art Lover and 20 minutes walk from the Burrell.  It’s clean, welcoming, serves brilliant breakfasts, has a residents’ kitchen and ample and secure storage for boots, bikes and equipment: Glasgow with hospitality, humour and style.

Make sure you see:

Merchant City

Architecture; Look out for Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s buildings and designs www.crmsociety.com Alexander”Greek” Thomson’s buildings www.greekthomson.org.uk  There is a wonderful Victorian legacy throughout the city and the magnificently-renovated 18th century Merchant City www.merchantcity.com is also a must-see.

Pollok House

Music; King Tut’s, O2 Academy, Royal Concert Halls, Theatre Royal, SECC

Film;  Glasgow Film Theatre and Grosvenor, numerous multi-screens

Theatres; King’s, Citizen’s, Tramway, Arches, Theatre Royal, Tron and many more

www.seeglasgow.co.uk

 Tuck in at:

Great ethnic restaurants in Merchant City and West End.

Bars and restaurants in Ashton Lane, near the university in the West End.

Good value food and drink at The Left Bank www.theleftbank.co.uk and The Two Figs www.thetwofigs.co.uk  in the West End.

Best coffee at Tapa in Denniston and Southside, www.tapabakehouse.com

Cute cafe and pastries at Cranberry’s in Merchant City.

Willow tearooms in Buchanan and Sauchiehall Streets for some Mackintosh-inspired refreshments www.willowtearooms.co.uk

Shop till you drop: 

Buchanan Street; John Lewis, House of  Fraser and just about everything else

Italian Centre

Italian Centre in Merchant City, Princes Square and Royal Exchange Square; more upmarket labels

Byres Road, Ashton Lane in West End; small boutiques and more bohemian options

Out of town retail centres; include Braehead and The Forge

SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR DAY TRIPS OUT OF TOWN: Coast, Mountains, Lochs, Culture and History using boot, bike and boat and public transport. 

Coast:

Where? Ayrshire Coastal Path, Dunure to Ayr

How?  train from Glasgow Central to Ayr, www.firstscotrail.co.uk bus to Dunure, www.travelinescotland.co.uk walk back to Ayr

Why? fabulous coastal views of Arran and Argyle, cute little cafe and inn at Dunure, interesting, short diversion to Burns Cottage in Alloway

But; potentially dangerous tides in places, really do need guidebook and cannot rely on maps and signposting

Info; OS Explorer 326, www.ayrshirecoastalpath.org for details and guidebook

Directions; walk down to harbour from bus stop in Dunure, then follow route signs north. BEWARE of tides, particularly in Bracken Bay and do refer to guidebook as signposting is very obscure in places

Distance; 9 miles direct, about 11 with detour to Burns Cottage

Terrain; difficult in places, rocky outcrops, sandy beaches, field paths

Refreshments; Dunure Inn www.dunureinn.co.uk Dunure Harbour Coffeeshop www.harbourviewcoffeeshop.co.uk extensive selection of cafes and restaurants in Ayr

Hills:

i) Where? Beinn Dubh Horseshoe from Luss on western side of Loch Lomond 

How?  Citylink coaches from Buchanan Street bus station to stop on A82 next to start of route www.travelinescotland.co.uk

The Arrochar Alps

Why?  good workout for Munros, great views of Arrochar Alps, easy access, refreshments in pretty, conservation village of Luss

But; allow enough time to complete the horseshoe and plan carefully to synchronise with buses, particularly in summer when you need to book seats on specific services

Info; OS Explorers 364, 367, Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000  Glasgow Popular Hills www.harveymaps.c.uk  Glasgow, 40 Town and Country Walks, www.pocketmountains.com

Directions; walk from bus stop towards footbridge over A82, go past house on right, through metal gate into field, follow route from here

Distance; 7 miles

Terrain; hill paths, steep climb, boggy in places

Refreshments; Colquhoun’s, The Lodge on Loch Lomond Hotel www.loch-lomond.co.uk Farm Milk Bar, Car Park, Luss, The Coach House Coffeeshop www.lochlomondtrading.com

ii) Where? Conic Hill at southern end of Loch Lomond 

How?  train from Glasgow Queen Street to Balloch, bus to Balmaha  www.travelinescotland.co.uk

Loch Lomond from Conic Hill

Why?  wonderful views only usually enjoyed from much higher aspects, ideal to fit in for morning/afternoon, or for a winter walk

But; shares some of access route with West Highland Way and can be busy, especially in holiday periods and in spring dog-walkers cannot access the high moor behind the hill

Info; OS Explorer 347, Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000  Glasgow Popular Hills www.harveymaps.co.uk  Glasgow, 40 Town and Country Walks, www.pocketmountains.com

Directions; path starts from Visitor Centre in Balmaha where bus terminates, follow the well-signposted route and good path to the top of the hill

Distance; 3 miles

Terrain; woodland and hill paths, steep in places

Refreshments; Oak Tree Inn in Balmaha www.oak-tree-inn.co.uk village shop next door also sells hot drinks and sandwiches, as well as provisions

iii) Where? Dumgoyne Hill, Blanefield, north of Milngavie

How? bus (no10) from Buchanan Bus Station to Blanefield (hourly during most of the day)

Dumgoyne

Why? more fantastic views to southern aspects of Loch Lomond, Arrochar Alps, Ben Lomond and more, from a steep, but short, climb, within easy reach of city centre

But; very boggy in places, have to jump across a couple of burns en route

Info; OS Explorer 348, Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000 Glasgow Popular Hills www.harveymaps.co.uk

Directions; start from war memorial in Blanefield, carry on up Campsie Dene Road to Cantywherry Cottage, then take path to the right up the hill

Distance; about 6 miles

Terrain; hill paths, boggy and muddy, steep in places

Refreshments; nice deli with lovely little coffeeshop www.pestleandmortar.com across from bus stop in Blanefield

iv) Where? Loch Humphrey and Duncolm, Kilpatrick Hills, west of the city

How? train to Kilpatrick from Glasgow Queen Street or Central 

Erskine Bridge from Loch Humphrey

Why? extensive views over the city from a surprisingly remote, heather-clad range of hills very easily accessible from the city

But? bleak and isolated on the hilltops, steepish climb to the Loch

Info; OS Explorer 347, Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000 Glasgow Popular Hills, www.harveymaps.co.uk Glasgow 40 town and Country Walks, www.pocketmountains.co.uk

Directions; from the railway station head along the road under the A82 road bridge to Kilpatrick Gasworks, then follow the track signposted Loch Humphrey. At the loch keep on the obvious path, passing Little and Middle Duncolm before climbing to the summit of Duncolm

Distance; about 8 miles

Terrain; tarmac stretch at start, then rough heather and bracken, boggy in places on hillside

Refreshments; none on direct route, pubs and shops in Kilpatrick

 

Munro:

Where? Ben Lomond

How? train from Glasgow Queen Street to Arrochar/Tarbet,  Cruise Loch Lomond www.cruiselochlomondltd.com from Tarbet Pier across loch to Rowardennan (April-October), leaving Tarbet at 10am, returning from Rowardennan at 16:45

Ben Lomond

Why? great way to climb Scotland’s most southerly Munro on day trip from city without having to drive

 But; absolutely vital that you have sufficient hill-walking experience/fitness to complete the climb and descent before return sailing

Info;  Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000  Glasgow Popular Hills www.harveymaps.co.uk OS Explorer 364, 347

Directions; follow clear route to the mountain from car park in Rowardennan

Distance; around 7 miles

Terrain; tough mountain climb, remote and exposed in places

Refreshments; Rowardennan Hotel www.rowardennanhotel.co.uk

 

Corbett:

Where? Ben Arthur (The Cobbler), overlooking Arrochar

Why? One of Scotland’s iconic mountains, yet within easy access of the city, stupendous views of Ben Lomond and other peaks in the Trossachs, lochs Lomond and Long
How? Train from Queen Street, or bus from Buchanan Bus Station www.citylink.co.uk to Arrochar
But: very steep last section to exposed summit where slabs can be very slippery; liable to be cold,  windy at higher levels irrespective of conditions at start; proper equipment, clothing and adequate fitness essential; limited train service and seats on return bus journey often need to be booked in peak months, so check timetable carefully to avoid a long wait in an area with few places to shelter
Info: Harvey Maps: Glasgow Popular Hills, OS Explorer 364
Directions: turn right out of station, head into Arrochar, then follow road round head of the loch to the start of forest path opposite car park at Succoth
Distance: 6 miles
Terrain: excellent, easy-to-follow stone path for majority of route, steepish climb at start, then reasonably gentle gradients, apart from final stretch to the summit which is very steep and involves a short section of scrambling
Refreshments: fish and chips and some daytime cafes  in Arrochar but few options in the evening, Tarbet, perhaps better bet

 

Cycle Tour; 

Where? Loch Katrine by western access from Inversnaid 

How? train from Glasgow Queen Street to Arrochar/Tarbet,  Cruise Loch Lomond www.cruiselochlomondltd.com  from Tarbet Pier across loch to Inversnaid (April-October), then cycle from Inversnaid  along Loch Arklet to Loch Katrine, with option of using paddle steamer, Sir Walter Scott  http://www.incallander.co.uk/steam.htm on outward or return journey across the loch

Loch Katrine

Why? quieter, better way to enjoy wonderful scenery and the iconic loch, without having to drive or having a long cycle in from Stirling

But; watch timings carefully to catch return sailings and take bike spares and emergency kit

Info; OS Landrangers 56,57 Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000  Glasgow Popular Hills www.harveymaps.co.uk

Directions; only one road out of Inversnaid, so cycle (or push!) up the hill out of the village and follow road along Loch Arklet to Stronachlachar, then either take the steamer to Trossachs Pier and cycle back, or cycle to Trossachs Pier and return on ferry

Distance; depends on what route you select, but with a full circuit of loch total distance will be in region of 30 miles

Terrain; quiet, mostly well-surfaced tarmac roads, steep climb out of Inversnaid,  undulating round the loch

Refreshments; Inversnaid Hotel www.lochsandglens.com/HotelInversnaid.asp

Cafes at Stronachlachar and Trossachs Pier www.lochkatrine.com meals and refreshments at Inversnaid Bunkhouse www.inversnaid.com

 

West Highland Way Walk: 

Where? stretch between Rowardennan and Inversnaid (or reverse) on eastern side of Loch Lomond 

How?  train from Glasgow Queen Street to Arrochar/Tarbet, then Cruise Loch Lomond www.cruiselochlomondltd.com  from Tarbet Pier across loch to Rowardennan (April-October) and back from Inversnaid, or route can be done in reverse from Inversnaid to Rowardennan

Looking Towards Arrochar

Why? fairly easy stretch of WHW on eastern side of Loch Lomond, within easy travelling distance of the city

But? can be busy, some of the route is in forest, so restricted views in places

Info; OS Explorer 364, 347, Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000  Glasgow Popular Hills www.harveymaps.co.uk

Directions; follow the obvious and plentiful route signs for the WHW

Distance; 8 miles

Terrain; good path with some gentle gradients

Refreshments; Rowardennan Hotel www.rowardennanhotel.co.uk Inversnaid Hotel www.lochsandglens.com/HotelInversnaid.asp

 

Walk with Culture: 

Where? Hill House, Helensburgh 

How? train from Glasgow Queen Street to Helensburgh, walk to marina at Rhu, then back through woodlands to the Rennie Mackintosh-designed Hill House in Helensburgh www.crmsociety.com

Why? opportunity to combine good little walk and great views of Clyde estuary, with visit to one of Mackintosh’s masterpieces, with plenty of interest and refreshments en route

But? check times in advance as Hill House opens on a seasonal basis and it can be busy in holiday periods

Info;  OS Landranger 56, Glasgow, 40 Town and Country Walks, www.pocketmountains.com

Directions; from Helensburgh station, head towards the shore and walk along the promenade to Rhu Marina, then turn right into Pier Road, right into Station Road and then up the hill till a large metal gate, before following the track through fields and woodlands to the Hill House

Distance; 7 miles

Terrain; tarmac roads and woodland paths, steep in places

Refreshments; selection of restaurants and cafes in Helensburgh, tea room at Hill House

 

Walk into History: 

Where? New Lanark Mills and Falls of Clyde 

How? train from Glasgow Central to Lanark, then take shuttle bus, or 20 minutes walk to New Lanark

New Lanark MIll Village

Why? see Robert Owen’s 18th century mill village, often regarded as the birthplace of socialism and now a World Heritage Site and combine with a walk along the Clyde valley past the spectacular Falls of Clyde, taking in a wildlife reserve along the way

But? train takes over an hour and the site can be very busy during holidays and in the summer

Info; www.newlanark.org Glasgow 40 Town and Country Walks, www.pocketmountains.com

Directions; walk or take the bus from station to the Visitor Centre at the village, then follow the signs for the Clyde Walkway

Falls of Clyde

Distance; 6 miles

Terrain; duckboards along parts of track, woodland paths, can be muddy and steep in places

Refreshments; cafe at New Lanark village, shops, cafes pubs in Lanark 

 

City Chambers

This is not designed as a definitive guide to Glasgow. The city has many and varied attractions – art, shopping, music, sport, architecture, history, to name but a few – and this points a few guidelines towards some of them. Use it to dip into some, or all, of your own particular interests, or to whet your appetite for a more detailed tour.

But whatever, enjoy your visit to the city. Glaswegians are noted for their friendly hospitality and most love to show off their knowledge of the city to visitors. So, if you do get lost, or need any information, ask bar or shop staff, or even someone in the street – although they might well be a  fellow tourist too!

BASE: GLASGOW GUEST HOUSE, 56 DUMBRECK ROAD, SOUTHSIDE 

www.glasgow-guest-house.co.uk

Glasow Guest House

Southside Tour: the House for an Art Lover, the Burrell, Pollok House and the Scotland Street School

Staying here in the Southside also enables you to combine four of Glasgow’s key attractions in one day.  The guest house is virtually next door to Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s House for an Art Lover in Bellahouston Park  www.houseforanartlover.co.uk   Don’t be put off by the approach as the interior is fantastic.  The house was created in the early 1990s from Mackintosh’s original, but unused, plans and it makes an interesting comparison with the Hill House in Helensburgh.

Route to the Burrell Collection through Pollok Park

In addition, the guesthouse is only a 20 minute walk (10 minute drive, the traffic is bad!) from the world famous Burrell Collection in Pollok Park

Pollok House

Also in the park is the 18th mansion Pollok House http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/48  now owned by the National Trust  for Scotland and home to more art treasures (Goya, Blake), an extensive library and beautiful gardens.

Not far away, also in the Southside, is another key Mackintosh building: the Scotland Street School http://www.scotcities.com/ mackintosh/scotlandst.htm This is a stunning example of Mackintosh’s architecture and also has some great reconstructions of classrooms through the 20th century.  It’s free and just across the road from Shields Road subway station. (Glasgow has a cheap and efficient underground system, known as the subway, or underground, but never the tube!)

 Charles Rennie Mackintosh Legacy: 

There are numerous other examples of CRM’s legacy in and around the city- have a look at: www.crmsociety.com  You can buy an all-in-one ticket to cover entry to the main Mackintosh attractions in and around Glasgow and the bus travel between them: https://kiosk.iristickets.co.uk/k?spt&MACKINTOSH  But you may not have time to visit them all, so if you are at all interested in Mackintosh, start with The School of Art; this is his masterpiece.

The School of Art www.gsa.ac.uk is right in the city centre, just off Sauchiehall Street. You will be shown round by a Mackintosh expert and provided with a wonderful introduction to CRM’s work.

As you are in the Garnethill area, try to fit in a visit to the Tenement House http://www.gnws.co.uk/glasgow/galleries  It’s just round the corner from the Art School, in Buccleuch Street. Now owned by the National Trust for Scotland, this wonderfully preserved interior of a typical Glasgow tenement provides an unforgettable social history of the city and is well worth a visit.

NB: although it’s tempting to spend all the time on the Mackintosh Trail, he was only one, if the most famous, of the adherents of the so-called Glasgow Style.  This emerged in the late 19th/early 20th centuries when crafts and tradespeople were given grants to study design to ensure that Glasgow retained its cutting edge in manufacture and production.  At that time, Glasgow was known as the Second City of the Empire and was the world’s leading centre for shipbuilding, as well as locomotive and other engineering. 

It had grown prosperous as a trading city and the influence of other parts of the world can be seen in design all over the city.  The exhibitions in Kelvingrove  http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/our-museums/kelvingrove/Pages/home.aspx on Glasgow and the World and Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style explain this really well (as does a general look at buildings in the city) and are important in appreciating the wider context of Mackintosh and his work.

Start with the Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Glasgow Style Gallery at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.  This is the largest collection of the Glasgow Style’s media and techniques; eg, stained glass, textiles etc.

Any visit to Glasgow has to include a trip to Kelvingrove – the most visited museum outside London has everything from a Spitfire to a Dali, housed in a marvellous Victorian building and it’s free – so take some time to look around the rest of the museum while you’re  here.

Now make the short walk up Kelvin Way to the Mackintosh House at the University’s Hunterian  Art Gallery  http://www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk/collections/art_gallery/mac_house/machouse_index.shtml   Here the interior of 6 Florentine Terrace, Charles and Margaret Mackintosh’s home between 1906-14, has been recreated. (The gallery is free, but there is a small entrance charge for the Mackintosh House.)

Glasgow University

 This area was designed during Glasgow’s period of prosperity in the nineteenth century. So while you are in the West End, take a look round the Victorian spires of Glasgow University http://www.gla.ac.uk/about/history (designed by George Gilbert Scott of Albert Memorial, St Pancras Station fame) or if it’s not raining,  walk through Kelvingrove Park (designed by Joseph Paxton, best known for the original Crystal Palace); the Stewart Memorial Fountain, commemorating the establishment of the Loch Katrine water system is well worth a look, as is the statue to the renowned physicist, William Thomson, Lord Kelvin.

Riverside museum and Tall Ship

A short walk from Kelvingrove will take you to the city’s most recent must-see attraction,’ the new Riverside Transport Museum, at Pointhouse Place on the banks of the Clyde.  Designed by the award-winning architect, Zaha Hadid, this stunning building shares its waterfront location with the iconic Tall Ship, the “Greenlee”.

Trains and boats and trams in Riverside

Both building and ship testify to the city’s world-renowned industrial heritage and the museum contains over 3,000 exhibits, including locomotives, trams and models of famous ships built in Glasgow.

Byres Road/Ashton Lane, the student hub of the West End, is nearby, with some of the city’s best bars, restaurants and cafes and the independent Grosvenor cinema. You’ll find the Ubiquitous Chip and the Wee Curry House here, as well as some less crowded and less expensive places to eat and drink (see below, Eating, Drinking, Shopping).

Centre (East) and Merchant City, 

There’s much more to Glasgow than Mackintosh, so before you go, check out the other end of the city, to the east of the centre.

Glasgow Cathedral http://www.glasgowcathedral.org.uk/  is built on the site where St Kentigern, or Mungo, the first bishop within the ancient British kingdom of Strathclyde, was thought to have been buried in AD 612. The present cathedral was built between the 13th and 15th centuries and is the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the 1560 Reformation virtually intact. 

Just across from the Cathedral is Provand’s Lordship,   http://www.glasgowguide.co.uk/ta_provands.html   the oldest house in Glasgow (1471)  and the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life http://www.glasgowguide.co.uk/ta_st_mungos.html

Try to make time to visit the Necropolis, Glasgow’s unique hilltop cemetery, just south of the Cathedral.  Here an array of monuments,  many designed by leading architects, mark the graves of Glaswegians from a past age.

From here, head down High Street, past Glasgow Cross and the Tolbooth Steeple to Glasgow Green. This is the city’s oldest park; the green space where the original teams from both Celtic and Rangers played their first matches in the late 19th century.  Look for the needle-shaped Nelson’s Monument and you will see the Winter Gardens, a huge Victorian conservatory at the back of the People’s Palace, Glasgow’s social history museum http://www.glasgowguide.co.uk/ta_peoples

Here you will see the story of the people and city of Glasgow through words, music, pictures and film and the tropical plants in the Winter Garden make an ideal backdrop for a relaxing refreshment after your tour.  As you step outside you’ll see the wonderfully-restored Doulton Fountain, while to the side is the amazing architecture of the former Templeton’s Carpet Factory.

Merchant City

Head towards the river and walk back along the Clyde Walkway, under St Andrew’s suspension bridge towards the city centre.  This brings you into the Merchant City.  This is the historic heart of Glasgow, now transformed by a massive regeneration over recent years. The grandiose townhouses of the merchants who built up the wealth of the city in the 18th century have now metamorphosed  into luxurious shops and trendy bars, restaurants and.cafes.  Read more about Merchant City at http://www.glasgowmerchantcity.net/merchant_city.html

GLASGOW: Eating, Drinking, Shopping: 

 Bars, Restaurants, Cafes: 

The Italian Centre

Believe it or not, Glasgow has always been known for its  cafe society – even if the pavement umbrellas are mostly used to deflect the rain, not the sun – and there is a strong Italian tradition of providing good coffee, cafes and ice cream. One of Mackintosh’s most famous commissions was for Miss Cranston’s tea rooms.

The Willow Tearooms in Sauchiehall and Buchanan Streets attempt to recreate this with copies of original furniture and fittings.  But although understandably popular with visitors, they are not among the best cafes in the city.

Rogano www.roganoglasgow.com in Royal Exchange Square is a Glasgow institution. Opened in the 1930s, it was fitted in the same Art Deco style as the most famous Clyde-built ship of the age, the Queen Mary.  Popular with all sorts of Glaswegians, you are quite likely to run into well-known faces from stage, screen and media amongst the clientele.

The West End, particularly around Byres Road and Ashton Lane has a wealth of acclaimed cafes, bars and restaurants, including the Wee Curry House and Ubiquitous Chip. And you don’t have to pay the earth to find good food and coffee, even in the West End. The Left Bank   http://www.theleftbank.co.uk/ 33-35 Gibson Street and its sister cafe/bar, The Two Figs http://www.thetwofigs.co.uk 5&9 Byres Road (the Kelvinhall end) are renowned for their good value food (and cocktails) and are both pleasant places to hang out.

But don’t  overlook the less fashionable areas of the city.Tucked away just off the Paisley Road West in Ibrox,  is Cherry and Heatherhttp://www.cherryandheather.co.uk 7 North Gower Street, Ibrox +44 0141 427 0272, a tiny gem of a deli/cafe, right across the road from the Glasgow Climbing Centre.

Merchant City is the place in the city centre to sample the best in food and drink that Glasgow has to offer.  Several Indian restaurants in Candleriggs are particularly well regarded and do visit the Corinthian Club in Ingram Street, www.thecorinthianclub.co.uk even if  just for a coffee and the opportunity to gaze at the ceilings and chandeliers of this beautifully revamped 18th century tobacco merchant’s townhouse.

Many consider the Tapa Bakehouse in Dennistoun and its outlet in the Southside www.tapabakehouse.co.uk serve the city’s best coffee.  Cranberry’s  is a cute little cafe in Merchant City, seen occasionally as a backdrop in episodes of Taggart, that sells good homemade soup and delicious cakes. And there are many more cafes across the city: but beware, the west of Scotland is traditionally renowned for its sweet tooth and favourites like millionaire’s shortbread and empire biscuits.

Shop Till You Drop: 

Glaswegians love to shop and the city centre is generally considered to offer the UK’s best shopping, outside London. 

Buchanan Street

The central shopping area takes the form of a large Z, with Buchanan Street in the middle and Argyle and Sauchiehall Streets running off at right angles at either end.

Buchanan Street has the flagship House of Fraser (including the original Wylie and Lochhead store, one of Glasgow’s landmark buildings) at one end and John Lewis, in the Buchanan Galleries, at the other. Princes Square, Royal Exchange Square, the Italian Centre and Merchant City, off Buchanan Street to the east, offer more upmarket options.

Royal Exchange Square

In general, the further away from the Buchanan Street apex on both Argyle and Sauchiehall, Streets, the more tacky the shops.

One real highlight of shopping in the city is to sit back and enjoy afternoon tea in the aforementioned Corinthian Club, after your retail expedition.

 GLASGOW: Theatres, Cinemas, Music 

 Theatres; 

Glasgow enjoys more theatres than anywhere else outside London’s West End.  They include:

Tron,

Pavilion

Theatre Royal

King’s

Citizen

Arches

and more…….

Cinemas;

The city claims to have the tallest cinema in the world, Cineworld at the top of Renfield street; you can’t miss it!

There are two good independents, the Grosvenor and the Glasgow Film Theatre.

 Music; 

You’ll find every type of live music from small bands playing in pubs, to top stars at the SECC, Royal Concert Halls and Theatre Royal.  Oasis were reputedly discovered at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and there are numerous other musical venues.

Karaoke abounds, particularly a Glaswegian version known as Curry Karaoke.  If you fancy a tikka masala while you listen to the next SuBo, the most scenic venue (can’t vouch for its tunefulness) is by the Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour.

 For all entertainment, check out: www.seeglasgow.co.uk 

ENJOY!

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