We appreciate that Scotland being as nice as it is,
you will want to go out and explore the mountains and lochs for yourself.
So that is why we will help you with your onward journeys and daytrips
from Glasgow whether its to the country's capital Edinburgh - just 50
minutes away to the East, or up towards Loch Lomond and the Highlands
to the North.
When travelling by Bus around Scotland it is a good
idea to check out the Citylink
and Megabus
websites to book tickets - you will probably get them quite a lot cheaper!
Megabus is usually the cheapest of the two but usually arent as "direct"
as Citylink.
Glasgow to Loch Lomond
A trip to the bonny banks of Loch Lomond is very easy and only
half an hour away from Glasgow along the A82. At the foot of
Ben Lomond, this very scenic and very large loch is bursting
with stunning views and activity centres. The "bonny banks"
stretch for 24 miles and at its widest point are 5 miles apart,
making it the largest fresh water loch in the UK. What instantly
makes this loch look different from others in Scotland is it's
islands. Around 40 islands can be seen down the whole stretch
of water, some of them are even big enough to be inhabited,
one of them even contains a hotel! Some of the islands are also
protected wildlife reserves with a large number of bird and
plant species. This gives the opportunity for boat
tours around them giving you a better way to take in the
beautiful scenery.
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While in the area, you may want to check out Loch Lomond Shores
in Balloch for a great mix of leisure activities and shopping
opportunities. Or if you prefer to see the countryside, behind
the centre there are many routes through the parkland for walking,
hiking and cycling. For golf fans, you might be interested to
know that Loch Lomond Golf Course, home to the "Loch Lomond
World Invitational" competition is located just a few minutes
up the A82 road on the banks of the Loch. This lovely course
was built by former open champion Tom Weiskopf and is ranked
as 44th in the top 100 golf courses of the world!
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However, if you are thinking about throwing in a quick round
of golf up here, we would suggest that you go elsewhere. Only
members can invite others to play here, and even the members
aren't allowed to play to often! Every year though, the course
opens itself to the public for the Loch Lomond World Invitational
where you can see all your favourite professional golfers compete
for the top prize.
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Bus - Probably the easiest and most flexible
method of getting to Loch Lomond via public transport is by
bus from Buchanan Bus Station. The buses to Skye depart from
Buchanan Street Station at 7am, 10am, 3pm and 6pm and stop at
the layby outside Balloch or further up at the Loch Lomond Youth
Hostel. For more information on bus times and destinations please
go to the Citylink website.
Train - You can get to Balloch by train
from Queen Street Station of Central Station, though from Central
you have to change train at Partick. For more information on
train times and status please go to the Scotrail
website.
Car - Definitely the best way
to see Loch Lomond without being bound to Bus or Train stops.
If travelling from the centre of Glasgow, aim towards Great
Western Road (the A82) and simply stay on this road all the
way! If in doubt, follow the signs for Crianlarich, Fort William
or the Isle of Skye.
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Glasgow to Fort William
Fort William is the second biggest town in the Highlands (apart
from Inverness) and enroute to the Isle of Skye. Located right
on the banks of Loch Linnhe, Fort William has wonderful mountainous
scenery containing the biggest mountain in the UK - Ben Nevis.
During the summer months, Fort William becomes alive with visitors
and turns into quite a busy wee town. For more information on
Fort William please go here.
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Getting There
Bus - The quickest way to Fort William
is via the Bus which departs from Buchanan Bus Station at 7am,
10am, 3pm and 6pm. The journey normally takes as long as 3 hours
which wouldn't give you much time there if you are planning
a day trip, but it is definitely worth it for a view of the
world famous "Scottish Highlands". The scenery you
experience on the way there is also more than enough to keep
your mind occupied on the journey! Especially when driving through
Glencoe.
For more information on Bus times, check out the Citylink
website.
Train - Slightly longer but just as scenic,
the train is a great way to see some of the more remote locations
on the way to Fort William. Great if you can stand 4 hours in
a train! For more information on train times please go to the
Scotrail
website.
Car - Simply follow the A82 (or Great
Western Road) from Glasgow's west end all the way! It's as simple
as that.
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Glasgow
to Edinburgh
Probably the easiest major location to reach
outwith Glasgow. Scotland's capital city is full of history and
has everything to keep you occupied for weeks let alone a day.
Scotland's second largest city is overlooked by the magnificent
Edinburgh Castle with the much photographed Forth Road and Rail
Bridges in the background. Though the castle is quite expensive
(around £9 per person) student discounts are available and
literally the whole day can be spent inside the castle grounds.
We also recommend one of the many "witchery" tours that
take you under the city round the old dungeons. For more information
please go here. |
Getting There
Bus - Probably the quickest
way, a bus from Buchanan Street Station will take just under an
hour to take you right into the centre, 1 minute from the main
street - Princes Street. Normally, buses depart every half an
hour so you don't even have to worry about planning times etc.
Train - The train is more
expensive than the bus and also usually takes slightly longer
due to the number of stops it makes. Trains can be caught from
either Queen St or Central Station. For more information on times
please go to the Scotrail
website.
Car - The M8 road links
Glasgow and Edinburgh and is extremely easy to get on to as it
literally "cuts" Glasgow in half right down the middle!
Being Glasgow's busiest road, it is sign posted very well and
once you are on it, it is simply a matter of following it directly
into the heart of Edinburgh. However, if you are travelling at
rush hour (before 9am and after 5pm) be prepared for some traffic
jams. |
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