Heading to Scotland’s hip second city this year? When you’re not admiring magnificent art in the Kelvingrove Gallery or learning something new at the exhilarating Glasgow Science Centre, why not consider getting back to nature with a wonderful walk?
From country parks near Glasgow to green pockets within the city centre perfect for a relaxing stroll, here our pick of the best six walks around Glasgow to consider on a sunny day.
If you’re not driving during your trip, you’ll be glad to know that there are plenty of great gardens and parks in Glasgow City Centre itself – including the free Glasgow Botanical Gardens in the West End. Designed during Victorian times, the gorgeous gardens contain several glasshouses filled with all manner of tropical flora and fauna, as well as a world-class rose garden and fragrant herb patch.
Located an hour north of the city, Loch Lomond is definitely one of the top destinations for a walk near Glasgow. Meaning ‘Lake of the Elms’ in Gaelic, the loch is surrounded by beautiful woodland and home to over 30 islands. You’ll also find plenty of munros (mountains) to climb like Ben Lomond, the most famous munro in the area which offers up spectacular views from its summit.
You’ll discover many elegant country parks in Glasgow, including Pollock Park. It’s made up of over 360 acres of forest, meadows and open grasslands that surround Pollock House, a stunning Edwardian manor house that’s open to the public for tours. Don’t miss viewing the impressive Burrell Collection of art and antiques that’s also located in the park.
While Glasgow Necropolis may seem like a slightly morbid location for a walk, it actually offers up some of the best views of the city. Found on a hill just east of Glasgow Cathedral, it’s the final resting place of many of the city’s most prominent figures from the Victorian era. Peaceful yet eerie, the Necropolis makes for the ideal walk in Glasgow for history buffs and fans of Gothic architecture.
If glimpsing stunning waterfalls (or even swimming in them!) sounds dreamy, you can’t miss the Campsie Fells. The area of rolling hills and glittering cascades is just 12 miles from the city centre and also where you’ll find the Glengoyne single malt whisky distillery.
Stretching all the way from Glasgow to Edinburgh, this walk is definitely one for more experienced ramblers. The canal path is over 60 miles long and passes through both urban and rural scenery. Traverse it on foot or by bike and make sure you look out for the Kelvin Aqueduct which dates back to the 1790s.
Glasgow Green is widely considered one of the best parks in Glasgow thanks to its size and the glasshouse at its centre that’s home to the People’s Palace Museum and Gardens. It’s the oldest public park in Britain and has a pretty fascinating past, from being used as a grazing area for livestock to becoming the site of public executions in the 19th century.
Glasgow Green is also supposedly where James Watt came up with the idea for the steam engine, putting into motion the Industrial Revolution.
Check into our Leonardo Hotel Glasgow that’s found in the popular West End neighbourhood and within easy walking distance of some the city’s key indoor and outdoor attractions.
You’ll also find the Leonardo Hotel Glasgow a stone’s throw from the city’s two main train stations.
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