Post Punk Kitchen Forum

so i'm finally going to Scotland! the in-laws invited us to stay with them for a week (22-28 July) near Loch Lomond. they've been a bit vague about where exactly we're going to be, but apparently it's reasonably easy to get the train to Glasgow.

what are some good things to do in that area? i know Glasgow has a bunch of vegan eateries, and it looks like there's a good amount of hiking near the loch, but i don't really know what specific things there are around there.

Edinburgh isn't out of the question, either. basically anywhere that's public transit accessible and day-trip distance from Balloch/Dumbarton or thereabouts.

What kind of things are you interested in doing?

There is a new sealife centre in Loch Lomond and a lot walks you can do in that area. And you can go on a boat cruise on the Loch! It will probably be raining though...

Glasgow has plenty of things to do. If the weather is poor I recommend Kelvingrove museum and gallery - one of the best museums I have ever been to! The museum has it all from Scottish art history to natural history and you can easily spend an entire day there (or at least I can) or you can just walk through. If the weather is on your side the Botanic Gardens and Kelvingrove park are amazing. If you go to the Botanic Gardens and then walk through Kelvingrove park you will end up near a vegan bar called 78. These are all in the West End. In the East there is the Glasgow cathedral and the necropolis, which is like a massive old cemetery on a hill. It is beautiful in itself and at the top you get a nice view of the city.

If you have more time than just a day or two I would also recommend the People's Palace and the winter gardens.

When it comes to vegan dining in Glasgow the best place to go to is Mono.

also, can i recommend...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Necropolis

...which is as cool as the name suggests.

Get a scone ;-)

Ooooh, yes, the Necropolis is great- I work across the road and go there often at lunch. I'd have to disagree about Mono, however... it's a great space and has an awesome record store and performance area, but the 78 and Stereo (just by Central Station) are much better for food in my experience. Kelvingrove (both the park and the museum) are awesome. And if you are over in the evening at the Botanics you can see some wonderful Shakespeare performances while you're there.

I have to admit, I have never eaten at Stereo! I am not a great fan of the 78 and prefer it for drinks rather than for food. I have eaten there twice and have not had good experiences but I may have just been unlucky! It's still the nicest vegan place in the west end.... ;)

Also there is a nightclub called the Flyingduck in Glasgow, which does decent vegan lunch and offers a nice atmosphere.

yay, thanks to everyone for the advice!

Shakespeare in the botanical gardens sounds amazing! as does the People's Palace! i've been compiling a list of good vegan-friendly places in Glasgow, so the reviews really help.

are there any nice places to buy tea? how about good places to get vegan skahns? and is there a good place to stalk accidentally bump into Stuart Murdoch?

So the first day and a half were rainy and we just sorta took it easy, but we made it out to Glasgow yesterday! My mother-in-law gave us a mini-tour of Cathcart (where her mother & stepmother both grew up) and then Tim & i went off on our own. We had lunch at Stereo after passing it about 4 times (i ordered a scone for dessert which i almost pronounced "s-cone"), and we walked along the Clyde (with all the gorgeous bridges!) to Glasgow Green and the People's Palace. We went up the necropolis, then back to the centre and had dinner at Wagamama (i forgot where all the other vegan places were supposed to be), then just barely caught the train back to Balloch. A really nice day, on the whole.

Now Tim's dad is spending the day in Edinburgh tomorrow doing family history research at the records office, and neither Tim nor his mum want to go. Any good things that i can do on my own?

double-posting is even easier when you're using a tablet and unresponsive wifi.