I was very impressed by this little shop/art gallery which sells a beautiful range of photo frames…read moreand greetings cards. The gallery at the back of the store displays the artwork. Now my knowledge of art basically extends to I know what I like and I know what I don't like. Some of the paintings in Rowan I liked, some I thought were a bit cheesy. The prices were not on the cheap side but I suppose you pay for good quality.

The Rowan Gallery is definitely hitting the upper crust of Helensburgh's card shop offerings…read more This is partly to do with the fact that it's not technically a gift shop - there is a large room towards the back of the store selling expensive original prints by local artists! The gift shop part is extremely diverse and sells some exquisite ornaments and housey bits and bobs to please someone on their birthday. A lot of the jewellery, prints and housewares are all on a Scottish theme, but would be an altogether higher class of souvenir should your purpose in the Rowan Gallery be to seek out one of those. They sell some unusual designs, including a Warhol esque print of a Tunnocks tea cake on bags and aprons. They look amazing and is a nice touch for locals and visitors alike. A lot of their jewellery displays are dedicated shrines to the local creative contingency and there are some nice, cheap prints of Scotland on offer amongst the scented candles and fancy piggy banks. But the real treat of the gallery is being able to wander unwatched through to the back room to have a look at the local artists. There are a number of them on display here and the names change frequently. You may be able to stumble upon some high profile stuff if you come in at an opportunistic time; or find a new artist to adore and potentially adorn your house with. The majority of the paintings are unaffordable for the average consumer but failing finding an affordable masterpiece, it's still refreshing to peruse the fresh, white washed gallery and maybe pick up a gift on your way out.

I was very surprised when I stumbled upon this gallery in the middle of Lintlithgow…read more The Line Gallery is an independent gallery exhibiting "fine and applied" art. They show a range of mediums, from basket makers to jewellers! They seemingly take pride in showing variety and at any one time you will be able to see a number of works from different artists, often themed. When I visited there were a few artists on display (the work that is, not the people). It was all okay, some of it interesting, some of it not really my thing. A significant portion was taken up by bronze and bronze resin sculptures by and artist named Sophie Howard. Technically they looked impressive at least. It's hard to review a place like this based solely on its temporary displays. All I can say is I was impressed by its variation. The staff there were really nice and generally enjoyed browsing around. It is a bit small but they make the most of their space. Definitely somewhere worth checking out again.

The Makers was such a pleasant surprise, and having visited twice now, I'm definitely a fan. You…read morecan have lunch, or just tea or coffee with cake. But what's really unique about Makers is the lovely art and designs which surround you, all handcrafted by locals. I also noticed that they had furniture up-cycling classes recently, so it's great that they're trying to establish a creative community in Alloa. The service is really quite relaxed, if a little slow. The Makers is definitely not a quick-stop; it's a sit and chill for a few hours spot, which is just perfect if you're looking for a space to work in or for a meeting. (They have wifi!) The food is made fresh to order and I definitely found it to be worth that little bit of extra wait time. I had the panini from the specials board which was an avocado, sundried tomato and chicken delight with lovely salad and coleslaw on the side. Delicious and filling! Everything that adorns the walls and tables is for sale and it's all lovely. I particularly lusted after the silver jewellery in one of the cabinets. I do hope I can come back soon for a little shopping local indulgence. Makers, keep on making!

Popped in here for a coffee as I was early to pick up a cake from next door. Was my first time in…read morethe bistro and it was a pleasant surprise, what a lovely find! We had the scone/coffee deal for £3.95 a head. Scone was lovely and fresh and you had the choice of jam and cream or lemon curd. Both very tasty indeed coffees were also lovely and nice and hot! Staff were friendly too and the local handmade crafts for sale is a lovely touch will definitely be back to try their lunch menu and I'm sure I will be upgrading my review to a 5* :-)

I always assumed this was a pop up art store and only here for a short period, on passing by…read morerecently noticed that this small art store was still here and that was a year ago. With nearly all the space in the wall there are a number of masterpieces on display from artists from Glasgow many if the artists who have work's displayed here studied at the Glasgow school of art. Some prices range from the lower thousands of pounds to over ten thousand. There are also prices of individual crafted furniture For sale in this shop, very nice items. Definitely a place to recommend if you want to own an original piece of Glasgow art.

Morningside Gallery is a lovely art gallery in Morningside Road in Edinburgh, just a short walk…read morefrom the city centre. It would be very easy to walk straight past this shop, but it is definitely worth a look. Morningside Gallery has a fantastic display of eclectic art from a wide range of artists. They showcase original paintings as well as some limited edition pieces too. Morningside Gallery offer a wide selection of different paintings including places in Edinburgh, life drawings, nature scenes as well as some more abstract pieces of art. 3-D works are also available, as are sculptures. The paintings are truly beautiful and you are able to view the pieces of work available for sale on their website. Ceramics and jewellery are also available to buy at the Gallery. I cannot wait until I am able to afford some to the beautiful pieces of art for sale in the Morningside Gallery.

Almost four years in Stirling and I've only just visited this place. Thoroughly ashamed! Whilst I'd…read moreheard a little about the museum, it seemed a little out of the way from the city centre. (It's not, it's a five minute walk from the Albert Halls and ten from the castle!) Today was a fleeting but entertaining day at the museum, with a quick caffeine stop at the cafe and a whisk around the museum. The building itself is large and historical. It's certainly nice to look at and has a traditional museum feel without seeming out-dated. We were headed straight for the cafe to start when we were welcomed by a friendly cat. - Yes, a cat! Not just any cat but Oswald, the museum's resident cat! Yes, he actually lives there! He would often pop in to the museum when he lived nearby and when his owner's moved, Oswald got so sad that they brought him back to where he truly belonged. - The museum! Talk about a welcome! Purr! The cafe makes for a pleasant stop for tea and coffee and service was fast and friendly. I can't comment on the food since I didn't eat but the cakes looked lovely and they even had a few gluten free options available. There's also some small replica war-time recipe/ration/sewing guide books for sale by the cafe which are cheap and kitsch. They certainly caught my eye! Whilst we didn't have a great deal of time to wander round the museum itself on this occasion, everything we laid eyes on was interesting. I particularly liked the old Stirling cinema chairs and posters. I'd definitely like to spend some more time in here and soak it all in a bit more. I especially love the fact that they feature local artists! Staff were so welcoming and knowledgeable, telling us the history of the museum and the story of Oswald the cat. With free admission, it's definitely worth a visit if you're in Stirling. If only to meet Oswald!

Although the Museum is quite messy (there's lot of pieces everywhere), you end up undestanding the…read morewhole history Stirling, its most important people and the legends. The best thing of the Museum is its staff. They are very helpful and friendly. Even one of them offered himself to guide us through the exhibition. I will return to the Museum to visit it again, even though it doesn't have Free Wifi....

I bought my elderly mother a bracelet for Christmas from this gallery, she lives in Fife so we were…read moreup visiting. She couldn't manage the clasp on her own so she went in to ask if anything could be done. The staff very lovely to her and changed the clasp to a bigger easier one without charge and posted it straight back to my mothers house. It's nice to know that good customer service still exists out there!

From the owner: Artery Gallery is a leading Scottish art gallery based in St Andrews, Fife. We are aiming to make…read moreart more affordable by offering you the best in contemporary local and international art. We have our complete collection of paintings, jewellery, glass, pottery, metalwork and mixed media for sale on our website. Everything is hand-made and shipping is available to the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, and Australia and beyond!

After a walk in the Campsies we trod our muddy feet in to this place. My first impression was that…read moreit was just what a cafe in a walking area should be; light and vaguely homely. Good things: - The staff were very friendly and eager to help. - They had some lovely jewellery for sale. - The home-made soup and sandwiches that I had were just what I needed after my first post-Christmas hill. - There was a nice mix of young families, older couples and other 20/30 somethings. - The toilets were clean (pretty impressive with all the muddy boots). - When my friend, A, poured vinegar instead of milk in to her tea (they came in exactly the same jug!) they brought her a new cuppa without quibble. Bad things: - My friend, B, and I asked for ginger beers. The waitress went away, then came back. No ginger beers. So we asked for raspberry milkshakes. The waitress went away, then came back. No raspberry milkshakes. So we settled for strawberry milkshakes. - A asked for terrine. No terrine. So she settled for chips. When the chips came she asked for red sauce. No red sauce. I am willing to put the bad points down to the fact that it was the start of the year and that it was an unexpectedly lovely day, so there were probably more people in the cafe than expected. I will hold off complete judgement until next time. Aside from the ridiculousness of not having what we asked for it was a very pleasant cafe and, for me, there will definitely be a next time... whenever I'm next up there for a walk. ~ Update: went for another good walk and at 4.30 come down and was very pleased to see that the cafe was open until 5. But when we went in the place was already being packed up; the cakes were put away, the blinds were down and we were made to feel rushed and like we were keeping them back despite only wanting take away teas to have outside in the sun. Not impressed. They obviously haven't got the memo that reminds them that if you say you shut at 5 then you do the clearing up and pulling of blinds AFTER 5. Having said that - the cake that was brought out of the kitchens for us was very yummy.