Glasgow's Nightlife

Scottish people are world renowned for enjoying a good night out with a few (or a few too many!) drinks so with this in mind I decided a little post on some of Glasgow's best bars and clubs would be perfect. As a 21 year old student who's lived just outside of the city for all my life I think I'm more than qualified to write about Glasgow's buzzing nightlife.

The West End

This is the area of the city which houses Glasgow University and because of the number of students around it has so many great bars and clubs. The West End is where you will find more independent places to indulge rather than the chain bars and clubs which can be found in the city centre.

A rather blurry but bustling Ashton Lane at hogmanay
(Thanks to my friend Rich for this pic) 

Ashton Lane is a cobbled sidestreet in the west end with a canopy of fairy lights illuminating the bars, pubs and restaurants which are situated on either side of the street. One bar which I love there is Nude, which can be found on the top floor at the end of the street. It's a really nice bar which specialises in cocktails and if you do decide to go there make sure you ask for a Raspberry Cheescake shot, I don't know what's in it but it tastes amazing!

Lovely cocktails in Nude

Directly underneath Nude is quirky Radio. The walls are decorated with band and artist posters from all eras and with couches and all sorts of nick nack's dotted around the place it has a great, lived-in vibe. With free wi-fi and reasonably priced drinks what's not to love?

Milkshakes in Ketchup
(thanks to my lovely friend Kirsten for this pic)

The City Centre

If you're looking for a big night out in Glasgow then the city centre is definitely the place to be. There are so many bars, pubs and clubs here that sometimes it's just too hard to choose. November is a great place to have a nice meal or just a few drinks to start off the night. It is situated on the top floor of Princess Square, a very small indoor shopping centre with high-end shops and a few lovely restaurants. November does some great cocktails, both traditional and a little different and is normally pretty busy no matter what night of the week it is.

Another perfect place to begin your night is Hummingbird, a deceptively large venue with 4 different floors, numerous bars, a dancefloor and lots of little booths and pods to relax in. This is an ultra-modern venue with lovely decor and pretty mood lighting. They also do food and the cocktails are absolutely delicious- I think I've sampled most of the cocktail list at one time or another!

Another of my favourite bars in Glasgow is Blue Dog, a charming little cocktail (are you starting to see a theme here?!) and piano bar that in my opinion is the best spot for a relaxing drink and a catch up with friends.

Yummy cocktail in Blue Dog

If you find yourself looking for a club to go to after sampling some of Glasgow's bars then there are so many to choose from. Kushion in the city centre is a great club with lots of comfy seats, booths and even a swing that hangs from the roof- perfect for a photo opportunity, just don't fall off! There are three different rooms in the club and some great music, plus there's never long to wait to be served at the bar, bonus!

My best friend Gill and I getting friendly with the wall decorations in Kushion

Just round the corner from Kushion is another great club, ABC. It's housed in an a massive old cinema building and the main floor of the club has a great mezzanine level to chill out on. Abc is also used for gigs and I've seen some great bands here and due to the high ceiling the acoustics are absolutely amazing.

A great night in ABC

If you're ever in Glasgow why not try out some of these places- I'd love to know what you think of them! Or if you've been to Glasgow and found some places you enjoyed I'd love to hear about them...



Glasgow Christmas Markets

Nothing gets me in the mood for Christmas more than a walk through the Christmas market at the St. Enoch’s Square in Glasgow. Traders from all over the world gather here for the month of December from 10am-7pm everyday (11am-6pm on Sunday). The traders come from places such as Germany, France, Holland, and Russia which makes it a very international and cultural market. The few flakes of snow falling around us made for a very atmospheric visit and left me feeling suitably ready for Christmas.

There are lots of stalls selling gorgeous scarves, gloves and hats to keep you warm in the harsh Scottish weather. There are also traders selling miniature Christmas trees and reindeers of varying sizes which I think would look great in a snowy garden.

There is a covered bar at the centre of this market which is open till 7pm every night and specialises in German beers, ciders and mulled wine. Perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit!

Santa guarding the bar!

However, it is the food that is the real attraction of this market. There are traders selling an amazing variety of food such as macaroons, crepes, German sausage, ostrich, crocodile and kangaroo burgers, paella, French delicacies, pastries and a huge selection of sweets. Of course it would have been rude of us not to sample something so a crepe and a hot chocolate to heat us up on a freezing cold December day!

If you're in the area and looking to get into the mood for Christmas, (or you're just in the mood for some amazing food!) then you should definitely visit these markets.

Now I guess I better start writing my list for Santa...!

Glasgow University and the West End

As a fourth year student at Glasgow University I felt somewhat guilty that I had never been to properly explore my university and the culture and history which surrounds it. Glasgow University is the fourth oldest university in the English speaking world and was first established in 1451.

West Quadrangle of Glasgow University

The University's initial accommodation was in the centre of the city but due to numerous expansions as it became more and more established and esteemed it moved to its current position in the West End of Glasgow in 1870. The campus was designed in Gothic revival style and after the Palace of Westminister it remains the second largest example of the Gothic revival style in the United Kingdom.

The tower

The Cloisters of Glasgow University connect the East and West quadrangles and lead into inside of the building to the famous Bute Hall and The Hunterian Museum. Glasgow University's Cloisters are very famous and much photographed (look on google for some photos that are better than mine taken below on a dull November day!!).

The Cloisters

Inside Glasgow University is The Hunterian- Scotland's oldest public museum. Dr. William Hunter (1718-1783) played a major role in Britains 18th Century scientific, cultural and social scenes and it is after him that the museum is named. The Hunterian museum contains displays about Dr. William Hunter, dinosaurs, fossils, world culture, medicine and Lord Kelvin. Admission is free and it can be found by entering the door (shown in the picture above) in the cloisters and following the stairs which lead to the entrance.

Image copyright 2011 Photographic Unit, University of Glasgow

Across the road from the main building of Glasgow University is the Hunterian Art Gallery and The Mackintosh House. Entry to the Art Gallery is free and Mackintosh House is just £5. The Art Gallery contains work by Rembrandt and Chardin as well as art by the Scottish Colourists. Mackintosh house features the reassembled interiors of the home of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Ashton Lane

Ashton Lane is a pretty little cobbled lane just off Byres road. It contains many cafes, restaurants and cool bars. The atmosphere here is great for a night out and fairy lights serve as a canopy lighting up the lane all year round. One of my favourite places for lunch on Ashton Lane is Ketchup, a great place which serves every type of burger imaginable- from buffalo to salmon!

Ketchup milkshakes

Cresswell Lane

 

The next lane along from Ashtone Lane is Cresswell Lane, another pretty little cobbled street. Cresswell Lane contains a few quirky shops as well as yet more cafes and restaurants. My favourite on this lane is Cafe Andaluz which serves amazing Spanish tapas dishes in an atmospheric and inviting Spanish style restaurant.