Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow has paved paths through large grassy areas and sculptures spattered…read morethroughout the park. I liked one lioness/panther sculpture in particular that had been presented by a John S. Kennedy, not sure what the S stands for. The paths could be confusing on first attempt, though I found I could consult my phone to help me find which path to take. A number of critters were out in the greenery the few times I walked through in July 2019. The hotel where I was staying had a small parking lot that was first-come first-serve, so I did most of my exploring on foot. Kelvingrove Park was one option if I wanted to take in the nature of Glasgow and did not want to walk along the street.

I ended up here on a vacation when I needed an easy place to get to from downtown Glasgow; yet…read morewanted to feel like I "got away from the city". There is SO much here: wooded trails, skatepark, a playground, bandstand, monuments, duck pond, tennis courts, and the art museum. I spent 2 hours wandering around and covered 4 miles (with stops) and didn't quite see all of it.

This garden holds a place in the heart of any Glaswegian who was born in the old maternity hospital…read morethat used to occupy the site. Some of the foundations of the old buildings are still visible in the gardens, as are the front and side porticoes. The hospital was a jumble of interconnected old buildings that had been bodged together over the years, but by 2001 they had fallen into disrepair and the maternity unit moved into a custom extension to the Royal Infirmary. The site was sold to Strathclyde University who demolished the old buildings, but lacking enough funds to build on it instead created the gardens, which opened in 2004. George Wylie's sculpture of the stainless steel nappy pin 'Monument to Maternity' forms the centrepiece of the gardens. Rottenrow is generally held to be the city's oldest street, and the name derives from 'Rath-an-Righ' - 'Street of the Kings' or 'King's Road'. It was originally a ceremonial thoroughfare leading from Cowcaddens to the sacred hill of Dun Chattan that is now the Necropolis, and later became a route used by the Romans coming into the town from the east via the Drygait (so called as it was the only route to have a bridge over the Molendinar burn instead of a ford), which connected to Rottenrow. In early medieval times, Rottenrow contained several manses and lodging houses for the well-to-do attending at Glasgow Cathedral or the University in the High Street. Thomas de Quincy, David Livingston and Thomas Chalmers are among the famous people believed to have stayed there. But by the mid-19th century many of these houses had fallen into disrepair, although some survived into the mid-20th century. The maternity hospital opened in 1860. Now the gardens provide a great addition to Glasgow's many green spaces and are a welcome oasis in the heart of the city. Whether you're looking for a grassy area for a picnic on a sunny day, or a more secluded bench for some peace and quiet, it's worth taking a breather in here. But be warned - the site is very steep and you'll need a breather if you climb the stairs all the way to the top!

This is a little oasis from the hubbub of the city, set within the footprint of a former maternity…read morehospital and surrounded by myriad University of Strathclyde buildings (the site is now part of the Uni campus). It was tranquil when I visited on Friday, though I'm sure it's busy when it's term-time at the University and would make a great spot to sit and eat a packed or takeaway lunch on one of the benches or on the wide steps at the back corner. As the site is on a steep(ish) hill, the gardens are built into terraced levels linked by paths. It's a lovely green space with flashes of purple and yellow flowers. Architectural features from the former Victorian hospital building remain, contrasting with the contemporary feel of the gardens, providing visual interest, and making the gardens feel a bit like a ruin that nature has reclaimed. There's also a piece of modern public art in the form of a giant steel sculpture of a nappy pin with a little bird perched on top, by Scottish artist George Wyllie, commemorating the site's past.

Hogganfield Loch is situated on the outskirts of Stepps…read more There is a parking area at the entrance for those arriving by foot, with a food van resident in the car park when looking for refreshments or ice creams on hot Summer days. There are two little play park areas to keep little ones interested, and plenty of wildlife to take in. The swans, geese and ducks all congregate on the car park side of the Loch (along with pigeons and seagulls!!) hungry for food from passers by. It can be a bit like a scene from the birds, however, with this hungry gang of birds all vying for the crumbs of bread and scraps. So, I tend to find a quieter spot on the Loch, away from the car park if we want to feed the birds - much more civilised! ;) There is a path all the way round the Loch for walkers, runners, cyclists... The whole Loch takes maybe 20-30 minutes to get round, depending on your walking speed and size of walking companions (longer with 2-3 year olds!) Hogganfield Loch is a nice wee spot if looking for a relatively quick, but refreshing, walk not too far from the city centre!

Very nice park surrounding the loch. It is a shallow loch with a small island in the middle. There…read moreis a path around the loch that you could probably walk round in 30-40 minutes. There is a lot of birds, mainly swans and ducks that people feed. Dog walkers, joggers, cyclists use the park too. In summer there is sometimes boats you can hire.

Must visit spot. Very green and beautiful. You can also walk along the River Clyde from here.read more

Large park just east of downtown Glasgow along the river. There are many asphalt paths, open green…read morespace, landmarks, fountains, plaques, and benches. Beyond that, there's the People's Palace (gives the working class history), a playground, a suspension bridge over the river, and the winter gardens with exotic plants and a cafe. I spent 3 hours here just wandering and touring the People's Palace.

I've lived less than 10 minutes away from Newlands Park for 6 years now, and I only visited for the…read morefirst time last week. And what a park I've been missing all these years! I guess I'm spoiled by Rouken Glen, but Newlands is just as lovely and well worth a visit. It's quite small but really lovely, a bit of a hidden oasis off Kilmarnock Road. I was there to visit the new Dandelion Cafe at the tennis court pavilion (check out my review for that separately) but took the chance after eating to have a bit of a wander. This park is a lovely spot for dog walking, running, walking, cycling and general meandering. There's a small pond, a kids playground and generally, seems like a really lovely place to spend some time. I'll definitely be back again soon.

For shame, I've lived on the southside all of my life, and I've never been here. Having a puppy…read moreobviously changes this - in search of a wee park for his first weekend of being allowed to roam free, this was our first choice. Luckily, we weren't disappointed. For a park that small, there is a lot going for it: it's got a great cafe in the Dandelion Cafe, a good amount of open space for letting your wee dog run free, a couple of tennis courts, a play park, and a small pond. It's a dog walkers paradise, and is great if you want to chill out from the hustle and bustle of Shawlands. While it definitely isn't as big as Rouken Glen, it has a hell of a lot going for it. The Dandelion Cafe is well worth a visit in itself (another review hopefully on the way!), and you'll really enjoy a wander to walk off your cake!

A hidden gem which your Julia Donaldson loving little ones will love to visit!…read moreWe call this Gruffalo Wood because of the Gruffalo-themed carvings dotted near the entrance of the Loch. The Loch itself is fairly small, taking only 15-20 mins to walk around. There is lots of nature and wildlife to explore here from toadstools to frogs to wild raspberries to dragonflies... We met a particularly large, and bold, swan today whilst feeding the ducks! On our last visit we stumbled across hundreds and hundreds of baby frogs migrating across the pathway to the Loch. This has become a regular location for us to visit with our little Julia Donaldson fan. There is a play park at the far end of the Loch from the little car park off Kilmardinny Avenue and if you need something to eat or liquid refreshments after your walk there is a recently opened Waitrose with a lovely cafe minutes away by car or foot!

We visited here after discovering Gruffalo Wood through Ali's review :)…read more My friend was visiting with her 6 and 3yr old girls and we took A in his pram. We really enjoyed walking round the loch in the sunshine, the path is pretty easy going for littles and the pram alike, and there are a few places to stop along the way and see the ducks or discover the awesome carvings. We couldn't find the play park, perhaps a little sign would help, but we asked someone and soon found the little path leading up to it. There were some different play areas to explore including an awesome rope swing that the adults enjoyed too! We had a great, free day out and it worked well to tire out the kids. Would highly recommend.

Great park to watch and pet Highland Cows (hairy coos). And not crowded. Yay…read more Came here during a Cruise. From Greenock Cruise Terminal you only have to take 2 trains: Greenock to Glasgow Central, then transfer to train that goes to Pollokshaws West. Costs about 10 pounds (taxi costs 60). There is a nice, free museum there. Restrooms and cafe are very modern and super clean. There is a tram that takes you around the park, and even stops at the train station. Kids loved this park. Very open and not busy.

Clean park with highland cows that you can pet. Small walk to the Burrell collection. A great way…read moreto spend the day in Glasgow.

The Glasgow Botanic Gardens were a highlight during my short time in the city. Best of all, it was…read morefree! I wouldn't say I have a green thumb, but I'm usually drawn to botanical gardens. We explored the two greenhouses- Kibble Palace and Long Pit. It's amazing how many species of plants there were within the two greenhouses. There is also a spacious outdoor green space.

They close at like 4pm and they mean 4pm sharp! But super cutesy area, has lots of benches if you…read morejust wanna chill for a bit. Would be so beautiful in spring/summer when everything is in bloom. The inside gardens are lovely regardless tho

A perfect park to take kids to! Not only is the circular…read morelandscaping of the park user-friendly but also very pleasing to the eye. There's two circles to it - an inner and an outer. The outer is a hilly grass area with benches, and the inner is a well-equipped and fenced in large kids playground - such a set-up is perfect for adults to sit back and watch the kids whilst allowing them the independence to run around freely. And because of the fencing, the worry of them running off too far is eliminated. Another bonus is that it's never as busy as the Kelvingrove or Botanics. The grassy area is also perfect to let dogs have a nice sniff around - though probably only suitable for smaller dogs. All in all, it's a perfect escape from the city buzz on Byres Road, and a great way to entertain the wee-uns.

This is my local park, although I confess that I don't visit it that often. But it's a nice place…read moreon a sunny day and it has a great swings area that is very child-safe. Since the old pavilion was converted into a nursery there's always a lot of child activity in the park, so consequently it is very popular with parents who have small children. It's a bit too close to Highburgh Road to be very peaceful, but it's a nice place to sit and get some sun in the summer months.