4 Incredible Parks, Nature Attractions and Gardens to Visit in Glasgow

UK city breaks don’t have to be exclusively limited to arts, culture and sampling city life; many offer some fantastic outdoor attractions and adventures too.  This guest post from Extra Mile Coaches explores what’s on offer in and around Glasgow to tempt you outdoors and into nature.  Enjoy!

In addition to incredible architecture and art galleries, Glasgow is gaining a reputation for the excellent quality of its parks, nature attractions and gardens. What truly sets these Scottish gems apart is that they’re located inside Glasgow and also act as connectors to the surrounding countryside.

The diverse selection of outdoor destinations truly offers something for everyone, with varying ranges of wilderness that’ll suit everyone’s desires and needs. They’re all very easily accessible by road, so you can hire a minibus in Glasgow and get to see them all! Let’s take a look at some of the stand-out places to check out in this beautiful part of the world.

Take a Stroll Through Kelvingrove Park

Kelvingrove Park is potentially the most famous park in Glasgow. The park lies in the heart of the city, surrounding the famed Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which hosts one of the best and most diverse art collections in the UK.

With it’s neat, lush swathes of grass, fountains, skatepark and bowling green, Kelvingrove offers enough laid-back activities to keep the whole family busy for the day. Even better, the Victorian-style park is located just a few minutes walk away from Byre’s Road, which features an incredible selection of restaurants, bars and pubs – so you can feast after your day of walking! Additionally, the park has excellent parking all around it, so it’s very easy to park, get out and explore.

Hire a Minibus in Glasgow and Explore Pollok Country Park

Like animals? Got kids who like animals? Then Pollok Country Park should be at the top of your hit-list. Just a short drive from the city centre and easily accessible by a minibus in Glasgow, Pollok Country Park greets its visitors with a herd of Highland cattle, which have been breeding on its grounds since the early 1800s. In addition to its beautiful grazing residents, Pollok Country Park boasts a National Trust For Scotland venue: Pollok House, the historical home of the Maxwell family.

Today, the house and grounds are open to the public, making a trip there both historical and active. Pollok country house lies not too far a drive from Darnley National Park. If you’ve hired a minibus for your friends and family, you can easily tie in a visit to both parks in one trip.

Image credit: Philippa McKinlay, flickr

Golf, Horseback Riding and Waterfalls: Linn Park

Linn Park is a cool 82 acres of greenery, making it one of the largest park spaces in the city. It’s open all year round, and offers excellent picnic opportunities for the warmer months, as well as great sledging in winter. The park features a stunning set of waterfalls, as well as a set of beautiful, historical bridges. It also has an 18-hole golf course and a range of child-friendly play parks, as well as an equestrian centre that offers a range of horse treks across the stunning park. So whether you’d like to practice your putting or take the kids out for an active afternoon, Linn Park has you covered.

Have an Adventure in Glasgow’s Necropolis

If you fancy a bit of a different adventure, head up Dennison Hill to Glasgow’s Necropolis. The cemetery, which doubles up as a park, is a gorgeous, wooded 37 acres of incredible sculptures, fascinating stories, and excellent views of the entire city. Originally a city park, the Necropolis first became a cemetery in 1832; since then it has continued to grow and is now the resting place of over 50,000 people. If you’re a history buff, there are some interesting dimensions to the Necropolis; the cemetery includes the graves of a number of World War I and II military personnel.

The Necropolis is actually the second-largest green space in the centre of Glasgow. It’s stunning wooded areas, rolling slopes, and ivy-covered sculptures provide a great range of habitats for wildlife. If you’re interested in learning more, the friends of Glasgow’s Necropolis will give you a free walking tour of the park.

With its diverse range of outdoor attractions, Glasgow truly has a park to suit everyone’s interests. The natural beauty of all the parks above means that they’re still wonderful attractions during the winter months, with organised sledding, winter festivals, and snowy nature walks. So hire a minibus, plan your trip, and whatever the time of year, you’ll have a wonderful day out.

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