Glasgow - I'm moving!

[harrisey]

We are moving in about a month to Glasgow, we're going to be living on the Southside, quite close to Pollock park/shawlands etc, hopefully. We are moving from far NW Scotland, really remote and rural, so we are excited adn apprehensive in equal measure, as we have never lived in a city with kids, though we lived in Edinburgh for years before we had children.

I know there are quite a lot of Mumsnetters in the area, so I wondered if people would oblige with
(1) good places to do food shopping - including interesting little shops, not just supermarkets, and 'ethnic' ingredients, farmers markets, etc etc
(2) good places to eat with and without kids
(3) days out with children - 6, 4 and 2, things to do on a saturday etc .. our kids like outdoorsy things, forests, beaches, as well as indoor things
(4) where are good swimming pools/soft plays/leisure centres where we could join a gym, get activity classes for the children etc
(5) how laong does it take to get into Glasgow in the morning? - we're going to the Bible COllege which is just opposite the Royal Infirmary, and want to know how long this will take so we can work out start time for nanny etc ...

And anything else you can think of that will be useful for getting settled in!

Thanks!!

Hi I lived in Glasgow for a few years and always enjoyed the following. Mind u I lived in the West End so can't give u any info on the southside.

DELI'S -
Buchana & Hart - Byre's Road
Mellis Cheese's - Great Western Road
Peckhams Deli - Byre's Road & Glass Street

If you head along Great Western Road towards Byres road u will find heaps of ethnic grocers selling everything from Jamaican to indian ingrediants.

For eating out the following are a must -
ART House Hotel - Bath Street (i think)
Fratelli Sarti - West George Street
Wee Curry Shop - Just off Sauchiehall Street & Grovesner Street.
Thai Fountain - Charing Cross

For a coffee & muffin
Where The Monkey Sleeps - Bath Street
CCA - Sauchiehall Steet

I lived in Glasgow pre kids so not sure how children friend these all are. Glasgow is a fab city and I am sure u will all love living there. To be honest u are spoilt for choice with regards to eating and drinking out.

Hope ur move goes well.

Hi,

I'm a southsider! Hope I can help you - haven't lived in Glasgow for 3 years (dh is RAF) but we go back all the time. I lived there pre-kids too.
Where are you going to be living?

Living near Pollok Park will be great for you - it's a great area. The Burrell Collection is in the park (free entry) and is so worth repeated visits. It also has a pretty decent cafe/restuarant in it which is child friendly, if I remember correctly.

In Shawlands (Pollokshaws Road) there's a soft play centre called Whale of a Time - I've never been in but it's been there for donkeys so I'm guessing it's ok for a rainy day out. Shawlands itself has loads of pubs, bars and restaurants, lots of which are quite good. The best is Buongiorno - a wee Italian which does fab food, but is so small that you'd struggle with a buggy so it's best without the kids. You're best to take a wander up Kilmarnock Road - Shawland's main street to check out what's on offer. there's lots. Be warned though - the area is a bit run-down in parts but there's always new developments springing up.

Near Shawlands is also Queen's Park - a fantastic park with a big pond, kid's play areas etc - it's just lovely. Glasgow is FULL of parks so you won't struggle there. (Glasgow means 'dear green place').

Shopping in Glasgow rules, you cannot get better! Head to Buchannan St, it's lovely. There you'll find Prince's Square, gorgeous 'mall' with lots of fab wee boutique type shops, designer shops, Space NK, jewellry shops - great for pressie shopping. The courtyard on the bottom level is always full of kids running round while their parent's sit in one of the surrounding cafes watching them.

If you head north of the river to Partick, there's a farmer's market every Saturday (at least there used to be). While you're up in the west end you'll find lots of nice deli's on Byres Rd. Off Byres rd is a place called Ashton Lane- a cobbled lane with a number of cracking pubs, restaurants and even a funky cinema with double seats and a bar - this is the best place to head for a childless night out! For a magic curry go to the Ashoka on Ashton Lane, my God I'm drooling thinking about it! The pubs are laid back, with a proper mix of people. I love it. Try Brel, or Jinty McGinty's. You are totally spoilt for choice dining in Glasgow, it's fab. Also in the West End is the newly refurbished Kelvingrove Art Gallery - free entry too - which is amazing with or without kids. They used to have a natural history section with displays of stuffed animals, there's so much to see you'll go dozens of times. It's also the most beautiful building in the world.

Let me know where you're living and I can tell you more about gyms, swimming pools etc, and how long it would take you to get into town.

I'm homesick now!

Oh stop it. I So So would love a shoping spree n Glasgow. Should be heading back at some point later this year so will be sure 2 make my way 2 the bright lights of Princes Square.

Wrote thi slast night, but then my work's connection with the internet seemed to fail, so I saved it.

1. Albert Drive (in Pollokshields) is in the "Asian" area and full of great wee greengrocers and ethnic shops. There are farmers markets in Queens Park regularly (can't remember when though) and the "big" farmer?s market is in Partick, twice a month.

The Lidl is very close to the Newlands Safeway (from Crossmyloof, go out of town along the Kilmarnock Road and then turn second right after Pollokshaws East railways station and then right again at the traffic lights. Morrisons will be on your right and Lidl a little bit further on your left. The big Sainsbury?s is further out, in Darnley (only about 4 miles away) on the Barrhead Road.

There are a good couple of delis on Nithsdale Road, plus a good upmarket greengrocer called Zucchini - plus a couple of nice coffee shops/cafes.

Both Victoria Road and Shawlands (Kilmarnock Road) also have a selection of shops (in fact, there is a wee Sainsbury?s the Shawlands Arcade). I use a good butcher in Allison Street (Country Butchers I think it is called, just off Victoria Road).

2. IKafe on Nithsdale is good for light meals/coffee, but I have to admit that dh and I have got out of the habit of eating out, so am away behind the times! Can recommend Etain in the city centre, but that is for really special occasions!

Sarti's (Italian restaurant) (on Bath Street and Wellington Street) are great with kids, do nice lunches and dinners - and also the best value breakfast in Glasgow if you want a wee treat: glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, two slices of Italian bread toast (or a large warmed croissant) and a really good coffee for £2.60! (it's just gone up! )

Buzzy Wares downstairs in Princes Square is also good for both grown-up and with kids lunches. It's good to get seats in the "outside" section and then watch the kids run around like lunatics in the mosaic area.

3. Pollok Park has ranger activities, plus families often go cycling in there. The Family Fun Day will probably be on 6 August, if you are already down here - it's a good day out (but get there early, before it gets too busy (starts about 10 - free entry, but take change for the bouncy castles, roundabouts etc!)

Plenty of trees and green areas for kids to run around there!

GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art) do lots of things for kids.

There's also the Botanic Gardens, Kelvingrove Park - and of course, Kelvingrove Museum re-opens in a couple of weeks. (Trumpet fanfare! - but we won't be visiting ourselves for a wee while, as it will hoaching!

4. Closest council run leisure centre is probably Bellahouston, which does all sorts. However, things like gymnastics are apparently really difficult to get on to. The Gorbals Pool was good, and was where we took ds for his ducklings class, but just after managing to get the last place available in the swimming classes (by getting there when it opened, on the day that the list opened for those that hadn't been in the class before - which of course ds hadn't as he's been in the duckling class - for which you don't need to book), the pool was shut down while they repaired the tiling (seems to be a major piece of work)

Make sure to get a KidzCard for the Council for your eldest (and probably also for your 4 year old) - it gives access to free swimming for 5-16 year olds, plus loads of other benefits, including reductions into the Glasgow Science Centre, plus free Saturday morning cinema showings at the GFT and I think at the Forge.

5. The Royal is awkward to get to be train, although I am sure there will be buses that go that way. Train would be in to Central (10-15 minutes)and then quite a walk. Driving is a nightmare across the city - allow at least half an hour, but up to an hour You'd probably be quicker cycling (which is what I do, but I work on the other side of the motorway, at the end of Bath Street, so am able to avoid the traffic coming in by going across Bells Bridge and over the walkway that crosses the Expressway.

I think that's enough to be going on with!

harrisey - i am on the southside too! i am just a bit further out from shawlansd. i'll write more later (and agree with all prettybirds suggestions) but initial thoughts are -

alison street for asian grocery shops
new giant Tesco's opening in a couple of weeks in pollok for big shop
2 southside beanscenes (ons in shawlands one in battlefield) for coffee, snacks, music
the glasshouse in queen's park for coffee, small soft play, reptiles, plants and dog shit free grass area at front (be warned do not go inside on a sunny day as it is basically a big greenhouse - it also closes at 4pm and 3pm on a friday! - that's the glesga cooncil for you!)
for longer days out the southside is great for access to ayrshire - culzean castle and various beaches

anyway, will try and think of more. take it you know about scottish meet up by the way?

don't forget Rouken Glen near Giffnock.

great park with swings etc. and duck pond as well as lots of walks. has Boaters restaurant and cafe in the garden centre.

worth visiting!

ooooh thanks everyone!
Wsssssssssssssssss3333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr (dd2)
Whens the meetup?22222222222222222222222222222222222222

Sunday August 13th, picnic lunch at Stirling Uni.

sorry for dd2's post!

Oh yeah, Roukenglen is a super park. Kids love the boating pond and there's lots of nice walks, little waterfalls etc.

Sign up to www.5pm.co.uk - this is a restaurant website which does fantastic deals with many of the Glasgow restaurants, like special offers for pre-theatre, free bottles of wine, stuff like that. Well worth it. Agree with other posters about Sarti's - fantastic food. For Mexican with or without the kids try Salsa in Carlton Place - they do fabulous fajitas and frozen margaritas...

You can get the number 38 bus from Giffnock (Fenwick Rd) right through town, up to the Royal Infirmary (or at least pretty close to it, as I remember). Contact SPT for details of bus routes and times etc. Do avoid driving into the city, it is a feckin nightmare, especially at rush hour. The motorways in and out are also hell. Glasgow does have an underground too - it's just the one route! Very handy for getting from town to the West End (ask SPT about it too). It gets called the Clockwork Orange - the kids would enjoy it too!

A cracking place for all the kids is Glasgow Science Centre - it's pretty new and does a ton of things for the kids to get stuck into - all hands-on science-y stuff. Brilliant for a day out. My 2 year old loved it! Avoid on weekends and bank holidays though, it gets pretty busy especially when it's raining.

The Transport Museum opposite Kelvin Art Gallery is also great (and free!).

The Carnival at the SECC at Xmas was always great too.

Loch Lomond short train ride away.

Get train to Largs and ferry over to Milport on Isle of Cumbrae also a really good day out if you want away from the city.

GOMA do a free kids club on a Saturday morning drop in between 10.30 & 1 IIRC it's good for parents & kids. Saves them making a mess at home. Also there's a little bit on the main floor with building stuff & odd bits of plastic to do 'sculptures'.
Can't wait to see the dinosaurs at Kelvingrove it's been shut since DD was tiny & she won't even remember being there in her buggy.

harrisey

Everyone has gave you LOADS of info already. All I can add is that the rush hour traffic from the southside is very, very, very busy. If travelling by road, that is. I used to give myself 45mins, at the very least (travelling by car) to get in to work for 9am. There is bus lanes all the way in to town so 45mins will be plenty of time. Have a trial run. You will also have a short walk from bus or longer walk from train to the college.

Plus, no one has mentioned Irvine beach. Lovely and clean. Roughly 40mins straight up the Ayr Road. Always tons of families there in summer having picnics & playing in sea.

Good Luck. x

Thankyou so much.
I am going down to Glasgow tomorrow (for the day!) to have a look about and view properties including one I am very excited about. So hopefully we will have somewhere to stay and will be able to plan our move a little more definitely when we knwo where we are going to be.

Let us know where you end up living...if it's southside I can recommend loads of places...

Have a nice time. I'm very jealous!