Glasgow / Edinburgh / Stirling

[RogerB]

After yesterday's Europa draw I have taken the plunge and will be off to bonnie Scotland, hopefully with a Hearts v Spurs ticket in my hand. Because of the fringe festival, hotels in Edinburgh are about £20,000 a night and that's just Travelodge so I have booked up 6 days in a cheap(er) Glasgow hotel (free headbutt before bed included in the price) and do a couple of days commuting to Edinburgh. If all goes well I will take in Hibs v St Mirren on the Saturday and Celtic v St Johnstone on the Sunday + I want to do Stirling Castle and Doune Castle, the legendary location for Monty Python & The Holy Grail where I will no doubt be galloping around banging coconuts together and talking in a ridulous French accent.

Needless to say, I would expect there may be a pub or 2 involved along the way. I am more familiar with Edinburgh than Glasgow at all (the photo's I posted of Glasgow pubs were all taken by my ex during her travels) and the pubs are looking a bit threadbare where reviews are concerned so if anyone knows of anywhere that looks remotely interesting, please let me know and I will endeavour to find it. Any tourist tips may also be of use.

[gillhalfpint]

Portcullis is a pub close to the entrance of Stirling Castle.Great views across to Wallace Monument, worth a visit.

GBG Glasgow pubs I've done are Babbity Bowster, Blackfriars, Bon Accord, Horseshoe bar, Sir John Moore, State bar, Station bar, Tennents, and Three Judges. One other to get to is the Brewpub Clockwork Orange.

[RogerB]

Thanks Gill. I've now filtered my way through most of central Glasgow and come with a pretty miserable list of just 18 that are worth a look (and half a dozen of them will be Wetherspoons breakfasts!). There are a couple in your suggestions I will add. I thought there would be more in Stirling - just the 4 for my list. I have 6 days to explore so I am hoping there are a few hidden surprises tucked away.

[gillhalfpint]

Others we went into in Stirling were: Birds and Bees, No 2 Baker Street, and Settle, but I cannot remember how good they were now. We were there 2008/9.

Another not far away was Mansfield Arms in Sauchie. It is the Devon Ales brewpub and still in GBG.

[Al 10000]

Hi Roger,

No 2 Baker Street is a decent pub but on our visit everbody in Stirling was in the pub,you might enjoy it more if it is a bit quieter,we visited two other pubs Claymores was a proper old pub but there were no real ales on here,the other pub we went in Quigleys Point is not really worth going in.

Regarding Glasgow when i went there with my wife we were struggeling to find any pubs in the city centre and the ones we did find were too posh for us,so we went to Partick which is a short train journey from central Glasgow,there were plenty of proper old pubs here and the Hayburn vaults looked really nice both outside and in but this was a while back so i car'nt comment on what beers were on here.
All the pubs in Partick were on the main road from the station.

[ETA]

Portcullis is a pub close to the entrance of Stirling Castle.Great views across to Wallace Monument, worth a visit.

GBG Glasgow pubs I've done are Babbity Bowster, Blackfriars, Bon Accord, Horseshoe bar, Sir John Moore, State bar, Station bar, Tennents, and Three Judges. One other to get to is the Brewpub Clockwork Orange.

Agreed - most of these are, or have been, GBG pubs. Everyone has their own faves, of course - mine are Babbity Bowster and Tennents.

[RogerB]

One other to get to is the Brewpub Clockwork Orange.

Didn't have that one on the list but just noticed that it is virtually next to Hamden Park where I was planning to visit the football museum and do a stadium tour (unfortunately Queens Park aren't at home that weekend or I would go to a game there) so looks like that pub will come in handy.

[RogerB]

Right, all booked up. Train to Glasgow on Wednesday. Have a ticket for Hearts v Spurs in Edinburgh on Thursday. Stirling & Doune Castles on Friday. Back to Edinburgh for Hibs v St Mirren on Saturday. Ibrox tour Sunday morning. Celtic v St Johnstone Sunday afternoon. Hamden Park tour Monday morning. Hopefully find Man Utd v Spurs on box Monday evening and then back home Tuesday. Any free time will of course be used to check out the 70'ish pubs I have now highlighted in the various cities. It's gonna be busy but someone's gotta do it!

[hondo]

"Parts of the city will be turned into charred ruins" any difference

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/sc...6908-23348168/

[RogerB]

I detect a walk on part as a drunken English tourist coming up.