Glasgow March 2006

Helen Rose Hill Diary

Photo: Penguin. I have been writing for the website for nearly six years but have never written about Glasgow, the dear, green, place. Honestly, that is the meaning of Glasgow. Due to my continuing incapacity with the ankle injury, I have not been on the hills this winter. Recovery from ligament damage is slow but I hope to be on the hills soon.

Meanwhile, I have been spending Sundays discovering Glasgow and it is just like being a tourist! I shall outline a few of the places I have visited over the last month. I would also have included Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum but it has been closed for some years during refurbishment and is not due to re-open until July 2006.

Photo: Glenlee. The Glenlee Tall Ship is moored on the Clyde near the centre of town. It was built in Glasgow in 1896 and transported cargo all over the world until 1922 returning in 1992 to be restored by the Clyde Maritime Trust. There is a trail on the ship visiting the Bell, the Deckhouse, the Yard, the Poop Deck and Cabin and downstairs the Tween Deck and the Cargo Hold. The Master, the Mates and the Bosun were cosy in the Poop Cabins but the Men slept, ate and spent their leisure time in the Deckhouse. It was not quite so comfortable here. They had straw mattresses known as Donkey Breakfasts. The Deckhouse was often flooded by great waves that rolled across the deck.

Photo: Doulton Fountain. I visited the Peoples Palace Museum in Glasgow Green. This is a local history museum full of information on the local history of Glasgow and an interesting place to visit. The Wintergardens is attached to the museum and is basically, a big conservatory with a good caf? in it. Recently, the Doulton Fountain has been restored and located at the front door of the Museum. It is the largest Terracotta Fountain in Britain and depicts scenes of the Glorious Empire. Glasgow Green is the oldest park in Glasgow and was famous at one time as a community drying green where people laid out their white washing to bleach in the sun. Near here is the building known as the Doge?s Palace as it was based on the design of this Palace in Venice. Also, the famous Barras are here. This is a weekend market where you can buy anything from antiques to cheap new goods and everything in between. The Barras is full of local atmosphere with interesting characters.

Photo: Highland Cow. The next trip was to Pollok Country Park and the Burrell Collection. The country park is about five miles from the City Centre and has pleasant short walks with Highland Cattle in the fields. The Burrell Collection is housed in a building specially built about twenty years ago. Sir William Burrell was a shipping magnate who donated his art collection to the city provided it was housed some distance from the city to avoid smoke pollution damage. It is a wonderful eclectic art collection and the building itself is interesting architecturally in a wooded setting. It contains the Warwick Vase and some excellent paintings by Manet and Degas.

Of course, there is much more to see in Glasgow and if I elaborate further, I will begin to sound like the Tourist Board. However, if you have not been to Glasgow yet, please come and be impressed.

Coming attractions; Spanish Sirellas, Cairngorms and Arran

Contact me at [email protected]

Thanks to Frances Rickus for the photos

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