Wellhouse

Cuningar Loop

Westthorn · 3.1 miles

The former water-supply meander on the River Clyde has been reshaped into a woodland park that offers a range of outdoor pursuits. Situated on the boundary between Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire and the Glasgow City area, the site lies directly east of Dalmarnock and is closest to the town of Westthorn. In the early nineteenth century the Glasgow Water Company secured an act to draw water from the Clyde, and a series of reservoirs—designed under the direction of Thomas Telford and James Watt—were built to lift water to a secondary store on Sydney Street. After the Victorian Loch Katrine aqueduct took over supply in the 1850s, the area fell into disuse until a mid-2010s regeneration turned the derelict land into a public park, overseen by South Lanarkshire Council. Visitors can follow riverside boardwalks, climb on purpose-placed boulders, or ride the BMX track that runs alongside the water. A children’s play area includes a zip-line “flying fox”, while several public-art installations, including a 23-metre sculpture by Steuart Padwick, add visual interest. The footbridge completed in 2016 links the western side of the park with the Legacy Village in Dalmarnock and joins the Clyde Walkway and National Cycle Route 75, providing easy access for walkers and cyclists. A common green space accommodates events, and a weekly parkrun has been held since March 2025. Admission is free and facilities are maintained by the council.

Balgray Tower

Balgrayhill · 3.7 miles

A striking example of early-nineteenth-century Gothic Revival architecture stands at 50 Broomfield Road in the Springburn district of Glasgow. Commissioned around 1820 by ironfounder Moses McCulloch and designed by the city’s leading architect David Hamilton, the villa incorporates a castellated tower that originally dominated an open countryside setting. The structure, now surrounded by residential streets, retains its U-plan layout of rubble stone with harled finishes, ashlar dressings and a central tower capped by crenellated parapets, round-headed bipartite windows and decorative arrow slits. A rear circular staircase turret rises above the parapet, its interior spiral stair providing panoramic 360-degree views over the neighbourhood. Designated a Category B listed building on 15 December 1979, the tower is recognised for its regional architectural and historic importance. Over the nineteenth century it acquired local names such as Breeze’s Tower and Springburn Castle, reflecting ownership by the Breeze family. Although the building now forms part of a suburban streetscape, its elevated position keeps it visible across the area, and local folklore sometimes mentions it as a haunted site. The tower can be seen from Broomfield Road; no specific admission or visitor facilities are recorded, and access is limited to external observation from the public thoroughfare.

Sir Walter Scott column

City Centre · 4.3 miles

1771 - 1832 Designed by Greenshields, the statue was completed in 1837

National Piping Centre

Cowcaddens · 4.3 miles

Glasgow's Cowcaddens district houses a dedicated centre for the playing of bagpipes, encompassing the Great Highland Bagpipes, Scottish smallpipes, Irish uileann pipes and other traditional instruments. The institution comprises practice rooms, an auditorium and the Museum of Piping, providing both educational and performance facilities under one roof. The museum presents a collection that spans three centuries of piping heritage, including 18th-century Scottish bagpipes, examples of European pipes and artefacts linked to noted pipers such as John MacColl and Robert Reid. Exhibits also illustrate the competitive tradition that has shaped Highland bagpiping. Housed in the former Cowcaddens Free Church, the building holds a Category B listing, reflecting its architectural significance. In 2018 the centre formally merged with the College of Piping, subsequently acquiring the college’s premises on Otago Street in Glasgow’s West End, thereby extending its role as a central hub for piping education and heritage. Visitors reach the centre within the Cowcaddens area of Glasgow; the nearest recognised locality is listed as Cowcaddens. The site offers practice spaces and an auditorium for public use, alongside the museum displays. Specific admission charges or opening hours are not detailed in the available material, so prospective guests should consult the official website for the latest visitor information.

Cathkin Park

Hangingshaw · 5 miles

The municipal park occupies the former football ground that hosted the second Hampden Park, a venue that saw organised matches from 1884. Situated in Glasgow, Scotland, the site lies close to the town identified by OpenStreetMap as Hangingshaw. Historically it served Queen’s Park between 1884 and 1903, after which Third Lanark took the lease and renamed it New Cathkin Park, using the ground until 1967. While it was known as Hampden Park it staged seven Scottish Cup finals, several Glasgow Cup finals and nine Scotland internationals between 1885 and 1890, as well as a rugby union international in 1896. After the demolition of most structures, the remaining terraces on three sides of the oval-shaped pitch are still visible, and the park is now maintained by Glasgow City Council’s parks department. Today the area functions as a public park where football continues to be played on the central pitch; the ground is freely accessible and does not charge admission. Amateur sides such as a re-formed Third Lanark team, Hampden AFC and the Jimmy Johnstone Academy have used the field, and volunteer projects have carried out basic renovations of the surviving terracing. In September 2025 the site was designated a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. Visitors can reach the park via local road networks in Glasgow, and basic facilities are provided by the council as part of the municipal park setting.

Cathkin Braes Country Park

Castlemilk · 5.6 miles

Rising to more than 200 m, the Cathkin Braes form the highest ground within the Glasgow City area and give a sweeping outlook over the city, the Campsie Fells and, on clear days, the summit of Ben Lomond. The hills lie to the south-east of Glasgow, bounded by Castlemilk and Rutherglen to the north, Carmunnock to the west and Cambuslang to the north-east; the nearest settlement identified on mapping data is Castlemilk. The landscape is a patchwork of mature beech, sycamore and oak woodland, interspersed with grassland, heath, hedgerows and wetland, creating foraging habitat for birds such as kestrels and owls. Historically the Braes served as a rallying point during the Radical War, and the summit’s vista was later used for the title card of the television series *Taggart*. The area has been developed for recreation, notably for mountain biking. A network of trails – one orange, two red and one blue – was employed for the 2013 British National Mountain Biking Championships and formed the mountain-bike venue at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. At the foot of the hill a skills park and pump track allow riders to practise drops, jumps and rock-roll manoeuvres. Since 2013 a single 3 MW wind turbine, 125 m tall including its blades, stands on the brow of the Braes within the Glasgow boundary, a prominent landmark visible across the city. The park also forms part of the ‘Magnificent 11’ varied-terrain walking route introduced in 2022, linking it with Linn Park, King’s Park, Castlemilk Park and Fernbrae Meadows. Access is via the surrounding neighbourhoods, and the site is managed by Glasgow City Council.