Here are a couple of lovely places around Glasgow for a wander with the family.
The weather’s been getting much nicer (I feel like we went straight from needing-the-fire-on-winter into sandals-and-shorts-summer…) and we’re excited about getting out for some lovely walks, enjoying nature and the outdoors. Seeing a waterfall here and there, and a wee highland cow or two.
This is part 1 of a little series in the works. More lovely walks, family friendly hikes and all sorts of lovely outdoors and nature inspired days out incoming.
Pollok Park, Glasgow South
Pollok Park is an absolute oasis in the city. It has woodland walks, ponds, walled gardens, dinosaur bones and fairy houses. You can visit the highland cattle and there’s a playpark outside the Burrell Collection, plus the Burrell Collection itself which you can visit for free. There’s a cafe inside the Burrell too.
Our favourite walk here starts at Pollok House, heading round to the walled gardens passing the little bridge at the river on the way to find the dinosaur bones and fairy houses. Then you head out the back of
- Toilets available in Burrell.
- Most of the paths are well paved, so mostly good for wheels.
- Good for dogs.
- Paid parking available in car parks.
- Food available in Burrell Collection cafe.
Dawsholm Park, Glasgow West
Personally, I think Dawsholm is such an underrated park. It has a field of highland cattle, woodland walks, paths along the River Kelvin, a pond & there’s just loads of space for kids to explore in here. The kids love a splash when the river is low as well.
Our favourite walk starts up at the cattle field, head down to the river, across the bridge and along the Kelvin Walkway until you get to the rugby pitches. Then cross the bridge there and head back along the other side of the Kelvin back into Dawsholm. It takes about an hour and a half with the kids, with time to play at the various bits they find to play at along the way.
- Not many of the paths are paved but you could get a buggy with tyres around it.
- Good for dogs. (It’s full of dogs on weekdays because there are tons of dog walkers there).
- No toilets available.
- Parking available at each entrance.
- No cafe, but there’s a wee food van usually there along the end of Dalsholm Rd.
Kelvin Walkway, Glasgow West
There are 10 miles of paths along the Kelvin, all the way from the Riverside Museum all the way along to Milngavie. As the name suggests the walkway follows the River Kelvin, with the river right next to you the whole way.
My favourite walk here is from Kelvingrove along to the Botanic Gardens Arboretum, round that loop and then back again. If we have the time, then a visit to the botanics for an ice cream is a lovely wee addition.
- It’s all well paved. Good for wheels.
- Good for dogs.
- No public toilets available but you are near a lot of eateries walking along here.
- Parking available all over the place throughout the west end. Most of it is metered.
- You are near loads of cafes and food places along a lot of the walkway.
Glennifer Braes, Paisley
Glennifer Braes is a massive park out in Paisley. There a huge amount of open space here to explore, with walks across grassland, woodland walks, Craigie Linn – a waterfall you can pretty much get right under, and a herd of highland cattle that you might come across. It’s so near the city, but it feels like you’re miles away!
Our favourite walk at Glennifer Braes is up the top of the park, around the grassy fields. The highland cattle tend to be up here, and there are views out over Paisley and beyond.
- Not good for wheels.
- Good for dogs.
- No toilets available.
- Car parks available at each entrance.
- No cafe.
Rouken Glen, Newton Mearns
Rouken Glen is a brilliant park for families. It has one of the best playparks around, and flat open space with lots of well paved trails around the top half of the park, plus a swan pond and a waterfall. The waterfall leads down into the glen, which has woodland walks and lots of great play ops for kids.
The Gorge Walk in Rouken Glen is our favourite walk here. It’s not a huge walk, but there are plenty of paths alongside the river and through the woods to keep everyone happy. The waterfall is really pretty, and if you’re lucky you’ll spot the heron who’s often fishing in the river below.
- Not great for buggies but probably doable if you avoid the stairs.
- Good for dogs.
- Toilets available at the playpark, in the garden centre & in the restaurant.
- Multiple car parks available.
- Food available in the garden centre & in The Boathouse.
Chatelherault Country Park, Hamilton
I go on about Chatelherault all the time but it is a beautiful park with miles of trails for walking. There’s a great playpark here, a visitor centre with a cafe, a ruined castle, an incredibly high bridge that you can walk over to get to the Old Oaks or that you can walk under to have a more shaded walk down by the river. No matter which walk you take, you’ll love the woodland walks through this place.
Our favourite walk at Chatelherault is the Green Bridge loop. It’s well signposted from the visitor centre, and it takes you over the Dukes Bridge, past the old oaks following the path all the way out to the Green Bridge where the path dips down into the glen and takes you over the bridge. You then head back up the other side and back along the path to the visitor centre. This trail usually takes us about 3 hours with the kids, including stops for lunch and playing in the river.
- Not many of the paths are paved but you can get a buggy with good tyres around it. There are steps at one side of the green bridge trail though.
- Good for dogs.
- Toilets available at visitor centre.
- Big car park available.
- Food available in cafe at visitor centre.