GLASGOW
25. Govan
There are 25 pub trails in Glasgow. There are eleven trails in the centre of the city, plus five in the West End, five on The Southside across the river and three going East and of course the famous Subway Crawl
Three trails explore three of the main streets in the city centre HOPE St; RENFIELD St and WEST NILE St
Two trails are around Squares; GEORGE SQUARE and the OLD FRUIT MARKET in Merchant City.
Another five, trails take in : QUEEN St & GLASSFORD St, JAMAICA St/ST ENOCH, Around THE TRONGATE, BATH STREET
WATERLOO St & BOTTOM of HOPE St and CHARING CROSS .
Across the river Clyde, on the Southside are GOVAN, PAISLEY ROAD WEST , SHAWLANDS , QUEEN’S PARK , MOUNT FLORIDA+ CATHCART trails.
Going east are trails for up GALLOWGATE , DUKE STREET, Dennistoun and along to SHETTLESTON
In the West End there are more trails - GREAT WESTERN ROAD St Georges Cross to Kelvinbridge and beyond ,
BYRES ROAD - two trails one down Byres Road and the other using Ashton Lane ,
FINNESTON,
KELVINHALL TO PARTICK - two routes back and forward between Kelvinhall and Partick subway stations
and MARYHILL - two trails split into top and lower
Plus the SUBWAY CRAWL - subway stops and the closest bars.
A place the size of Glasgow size is bound to have its own guides to illustrate the vast quantity, quality and styles of pubs.
CAMRA in Glasgow
Glasgow guide illustrating top ten pubs in different styles of drinking (and dining) eg Style pubs or Live Music pubs.
Timeout listing of best pubs - controversial
A proportion of the pubs in the city centre and west End have real ale but many do not. The west coast still has a bit of a lager flavour - occasionally only lager. Real ale is not limited to trendy style pubs, and not even in many of these.
Glasgow does not have the tourist grouping of pubs as found in Edinburgh - they are mainly aimed at Glasgow folk.
Local pubs
Just the five pubs but all within easy distance. All pubs serve Tennent’s Lager.
Brechin’s Bar
Brechin's Bar, Glasgow - down left side
Brechin's Bar, Glasgow - down right side
Brechin's Bar, Glasgow - servery
Brechin's Bar, Glasgow - servery
Brechin's Bar, Glasgow - servery
Brechin's Bar, Glasgow - servery down left
Brechin's Bar, Glasgow - servery at top
Brechin's Bar, Glasgow - seating opposite top of servery
Brechin’s Bar is in a category B listed building with abar dating from the 1960s. As befitting a Y-junction the room widens out the further in to it you go. The long narrow horseshoe shape servery is at angle to big room and quite narow at top. There is a small lounge at far left end where room is widest. At top of room there is a small seating area with TV screen. Around the room is red banquette seating along walls with tables and chairs. Stools around counter
heavy/bitter: Tennent’s Special
lager: Tennent’s; Carling; Stella
cider: Strongbow Guinnes
Ouania
(was The Kracken)
Ouania, Glasgow
Ouania, Glasgow - corner door
Ouania, Glasgow - servery
Ouania, Glasgow - servery
Ouania, Glasgow - corner door from inside
Ouania, Glasgow - pool
Ouania, Glasgow - lounge
Ouania, Glasgow - seating to right of servery
Ouania was opened in 2024 replacing The Kraken. There is a corner door leading to a wooden floored seating area with grey banquette seating. Straight ahead is the worn wood counter with some stools. Round from front area is more banquette seating and a pool table. Beyond the pool area and the servery is a back room carpeted as a lounge with low lighting and banquette seating. Paint work and fabric mainly all shades of grey.
Heavy/bitter: Caledonia Best
Lager; Tennent’s
Cider: Strongbow
Pub Jukebox:
Alcohol themed music to listen to while you browse.
what shall we do with a drunken sailor - The Fisherman’s Friends
The Amethyst
The Amethyst, Glasgow
The Amethyst, Glasgow - seating opposite servery along window
The Amethyst, Glasgow - servery
The Amethyst, Glasgow - servery
The Amethyst, Glasgow - seating opposite servery
The Amethyst, Glasgow - seating opposite servery and left route to room beyond
The Amethyst, Glasgow - second room beyond servery
The Amethyst, Glasgow - second room beyond servery
The Amethyst has a door on the corner leading into long thin bar with the long side having windows from two large rooms. At entrance their is banquette seating on either side with tables and chairs. A little in to the room is the servery against the left wall and going half way along it. Opposite the wooden counter and under the window are three booths with banquette seating and some tables in middle of room before the stools around the counter. A pillar neatly separates the servery and seating area from a larger square room with black and white striped walls and grey ceiling lined with banquette seating around the walls and with tables and chairs. Some tables are in the middle of room. Wooden floor through out
Heavy/Bitter: Caledonia best
Lager: Estrella; Menabrea; Tennent’s
Cider: Magners Dark Fruit; Ye Old english cider Guinness
The Old Govan Arms
The Old Govan Arms, Glasgow
The Old Govan Arms, Glasgow
The Old Govan Arms, Glasgow
The Old Govan Arms, Glasgow
The Old Govan Arms, Glasgow
The Old Govan Arms, Glasgow
The Old Govan Arms is a corner bar decorated in green, orange and white triangular flags and some Celtic memorablia. From the Govan Road entrance banquestte seating , tables and chairs are to either side of the door. The servery is then straight ahead. Dark painted wood counter with brass arm and foot rests. the bar stretches down the right hand side with a side entrance and pool table.
history
Heavy/bitter:
Lager: Tennent’s
Cider: Magners Guinness
The Old Harmony Inn
The Old Harmony Inn, Glasgow - side
The Old Harmony Inn, Glasgow - front
The Old Harmony Inn, Glasgow - servery
The Old Harmony Inn, Glasgow- servery
The Old Harmony Inn, Glasgow - servery
The Old Harmony Inn, Glasgow - seating to right of door
The Old Harmony Inn, Glasgow - seating to left of door
The Old Harmony Bar is a corner pub with main entrance from Govan Road. This entrance has some baquette seating to the right and to the left is an opened out bright room withsmall armchairs and tables. The servery starts about a third of the way along bthe right wall. opposite the counter is some seating. Beyond the servery there is a pool tables and the side entrance. Beyond this is more seating and tables. The counter is varnished light wood floor is a light laminate adding to the overall brightness of the bar enhanced by fairy lights hanging down througout. A very friendly wee bar.
history
Have a pint here
Heavy: John Smiths; Caledonia Best
Lager: Madri; Stella; Carling; Tennent’s
Cider: Strongbow Dark Fruits Guinness
PLACES TO VISIT WITH PUBTRAILS
The towns and villages highlighted on this web site have a wide variety of pubs and beers in them. All of the places are great to visit, whether for a day or longer, and most have tourist attractions for all of the family.
There is a large variety of pubs throughout the different towns shown below. Some you may wish never to visit again but even discovering these can be interesting. There are pubs that you would not take your wife into. While some you could not take your girlfriend into. A few you would not take either into. However, most of the pubs are very pleasant.
HOME MAP of places visited
Alnwick Ambleside Anstruther Bakewell Bamburgh Barnard Castle Bath Berwick upon Tweed Birnam & Dunkeld Bourton on the Water Bowness on Windermere Bridge of Allan Chester Chichester Dunblane Dunoon Edinburgh Ely Fort William Glasgow Gourock Greenock Helensburgh Inverness Kelso Keswick Knaresborough Largs Linlithgow Lyme Regis Melrose Montrose Newton Stewart North Berwick Norwich Oban Pebbles Penzance Portree Pitlochry Quorn Richmond Rothesay St Andrews Seahouses Seend Shrewsbury Skipton Stirling Stratford-upon-Avon Stockton Heath Whitby Windemere Whitstable York
PUB QUIZ
What singer was the film Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll about?
Answer at foot of page
Links for Glasgow city centre Pubtrails
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Trail 1 - Around George Square
(blue with black dot icon)
Waxy O’ Connors
Dow’s
The Vale (now closed)
Camperdown Place (closed)
Millenium Hotel
The Alchemist
Flight Club
The Ark
The Press Bar
Committee Room No 9
Katie’s Bar
The Piper
Assaggin i(was Doppio Malto)
Drouthys
The Counting House
The Anchor Line
The Citizen (was The Trading House)
The Auctioneers
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Trail 2 -Hope Street
(light blue icon)
Stereo
The Old Hairdressers
The Society Room
The Pot Still.
Molly Malone's.
MacConnell's
Ardnamurchan (was Trader Joe's)
Rufus T Firefly
NYC Bar
The Last Book Store
Hope & Vincent
Ad Lib (closed)
The Toby Jug
The Smokin' Fox (formerly The Hope)
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Trail 3 -renfield St
(green icon)
The Merchant
The Maltman
The Raven
Lauders.
The Atholl Arms
Walkabout
The Renfield Bar
Revolution
Missoula
Revolucion De Cuba
The Drum and Monkey
The Horseshoe.
Dury Lane Bar & Kitchen
Yes Bar - closed
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Trail 4 - West Nile St
(red icon)
Vroni's Wine Bar
The Shilling Brewing Co.
The Iron Horse - closed
The Station Bar
The Intermezzo
Alfie’s (was Alfredo's)
Cul Cuil (was The Courtyard)
All Bar One
Innes & Gunn Talroom
Los Iguanas
Revolution
Ross's Original Bar
Tabac
August House
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Trail 5 - around the Fruitmarket
(grey icons)
Bar 91
Beer Cafe
The Metropolitan
Marmalade Skies (was Boudoir Wine Bar) - closed
Bar Square (closed)
The Tap Room (was Steak, Rattle and Roll which was Bar Espagnol Mercado)
O'Neil's
Bar Soba
Bar Gandolfi.
Bar Home
Babbity Bowster,
Strathduie (was Macgregor's Pie & Ale Howf and before that Strathduie !)
The Black Bull
McChuills
Connolly’s LIQR (was LIQR and before that The G-Lounge)
Blackfriars of Bell St
Mharsanta
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Trail 6 - Waterloo St and bottom of Hope St
(yellow icon)
The Smokin’ Fox (was The Hope)
Kitty O'Shea's (downstairs)
Kitty O'Shea's (was El Camino and was The Drop)
Rhoderick Dhu
The Woods
The Waterloo
The Duke’s Umbrella
Sir John Muir
Oswald’s (was Kellys ;was Quarter Gill)
Lafferty's (was No 16 Bar & Kitchen was Sotto; was The Two Heided Man)
Denholms
Solid Rock Cafe
The Alpen Lodge
The Park Lane
26 Hope St
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Trail 7 - Queen St and Glassford St
(purple icon)
Biere Halle
The Lab
Wonderbar
Sloans
Rocky O' Sullivans CLOSED
Strata CLOSED
Max's Bar & Grill
Thundercat
The Spiritualist
Cairns
Steps Bar
Blane Valley
Bacchus
Rab Ha's
Poco Loco (was The Pavement )
BrewDog
The Gallery Bar
The Amsterdam
The Oriental (closed)
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Trail 8 - Jamaica St- St Enoch
(brown icon)
O'Neil's (was The Royal Scott)
The Grant Arms
The Crystal Palace
Macsorley's
The Imperial
The Mint & Lime - closed
Lauristons
Gallagher’s (was Kelly’s and was Coyote)
Hootenanny
Times Square
Crafty Joe's (taken over by Times Square)
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Trail 9 - Around The Trongate
(orange with large square icon)
Grace’s Irish Sports Bar
Buck’s Bar
Boteco do Brazil
Maggie’s Rock n Rodeo
Avant Garde
13th Note -(closed)
Mono
Whistler on the Green
The Old Ship Bank Bar
The Winds
The Victoria & Clutha
The Scotia
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Trail 10 - Bath St
(red with small square)
Golf Lounge
Buck’s Bar
Bloc+
The Butterfly and The Pig
Palomino
Slouch
The Griffin
Tiki Bar and Kitsch Inn
St Judes
Howlin’ Wolf
Malones
The Bay Horse
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Trail 16 - Charing Cross
(yellow with small square)
Bavaria Baurhaus
Slug & Lettuce (closed)
Bon Accord
Chinaski’s
The Locale
Driftwood
The Hall
Nico’s
Kilt & Kocktails
Berlinky’s
The Hengler’s Circus
The State
East End links (3) and Sounthside links (5)
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Trail 17 - up the Gallowgate
Chrystal Bell & Co
MacKinnon’s (closed)
The Gate (check opening)
Bar ‘67 (check opening)
226 Gallowgate
Hielan Jessie
The Wee Man’s Bar
The Drover
Van Winkle (check opening)
St Luke & The Flying Ox
Traders Lounge
The Old Burnt Barns (check opening)
Braemar
Tollbooth Bar
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Trail 18 - Dennistoun
The Bristol bar
The Louden tavern
The Duke Bar
the Crown Creighton
The Alexandra Bar
The Snug
The Palais
Redmond’s of Dennistoun
The Drover
The Wee Man’s Bar
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Trail 21 -Shettleston
Snedden’s Inn
The Palaceum
The Town Tavern
The Cottage Bar
The Marquis
The Drum
The Portland Arms
The Railway tavern
The Kirkhouse
Miller’s
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Trail 19 - Paisley Rd West
(dark blue teardrop)
Lauriston Bar
The Quayside bar
The Union Bar
The Old Toll Bar
The Viceroy
The Bellrock
Grapes
The District bar
Kensington Bar
Park Bar
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trail 22 -Queen's Park
McNeil’s
The Regent
Titwood Bar
TheBbungo
Allison Arms
MJ Heraghty
Victoria Bar
Ryan’s bar
The Bell Jar
The Rose Reilly
Queen’s Park Cafe
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Trail 23 - Shawlands
Trail 23 - Shawlands
Old Stag Inn
Quaich
Loc's
The Millwood
James Tassie
Phillies of Shawlands
The Granary
Georgic
The Corona
Sweeney's on the Park
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Trail 24 - Govan
Brechin’s Bar
Ouania
The Amethyst
the Old Govan Arms
The Old harmony InnDescription goes here
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Trail 25 - Cathcart + Mount Florida
the Old Smiddy
Beeching’s Bar
Clockwork
Florida Park
Armstrong’s
The Ivory Hotel
Church on the Hill
Buck’s bar
Number 10 Hotel
The Penny Farthing
Links for Glasgow West End & Subway Pubtrails
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Trail 11 a nd b - St George's to Kelvinbridge
(lime green with tick icon)
The Castle Vaults
The Hug and Pint
The Scallion (was Munro's then The Bull and now ..)
Wintersgills
The Lansdowne - closed
Webster's
fork a fork b
Inn Deep Old Schoolhouse
Cooper’s Dram
Bakehouse FF West End
The Left bank Arlington
Stravaigin The Drake
T he Doublet Camerons
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Trail 12- Byres Rd (a) & (b)
(light blue icon)
Trail (a) Ashton Lane
Curler's Rest
the Wee Pub/The Pub
Innes & Gunn Brewery Tap
Brel
Vodka Wodka
Jinty McGinty’s
Hillhead Book Club
The Parlour
Oran Mor
BeGin
Trail (b) Byres Road
Curler’s Rest
Tennent's Bar
Corriers
The Rock
Topolabamba (was Bar Soba)
The Aragon
The Hill - closed
Gumbo - closed
The Record Factory
The Three Judges
Bag O'Nails
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Trail 13 - Kelvingrove
(red with tick)
Dirty Duchess
Lebowskis
Taphouse
The Grove
The Big Slide
The Snaffle Bit
The Butchershop
BrewDog
Dukes Bar
The Islay Inn
The Park Bar
No 78
Kelvingrove Cafe
The Ben Nevis
Finnieston
Brass Monkey
Strip Joint
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trail 15 - Kelvinhall to Partick and back
(maroon circle with square or tic)
To To
Kelvinhall Patrick
Stumps Bar Three Judges
The Fiddlers The Dolphin
Victoria Bar Bag O’Nails
Quarter Gill Storm Queen
The Linsmor Smiddy Bar
Sparkle Horse Tenement Bar
Bauhaus Windsor Tav.
Record Factory Rosevale Tav.
Gallus Deoch An Dorus
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trail 20 - Maryhill
LOWER
The Castle Vaults
The Tower
the Star & Garter
Munn’s
The BrewHaus
The Botany Bar CLOSED
The Woodside Inn
The Royalty Bar
UPPER
The First & Last
Kelvin Dock CLOSED
The Punch Bow;
The Viking Bar
The Lockhouse
Harvey’s Bar
The Ram’s Head
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Trail 14 - Glasgow Subway
Waxy O'Connors
Jackson’s
Castle Vaults
The Hug
The Doublet
Curler’s Rest
The Bag O' Nails
Deoch and Doris
Brechin's
The Louden Tavern
Kensington
The Bellrock
Stanley Bar - closed
The Old Toll Bar
The Lord Nelson - closed
Laurieston
Times Square
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Who owns your pubs?
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Interesting articles to read
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Who owns your beer?
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Comparing pubs in Scotland with England
Links to pages and sites
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Books on Beer
A variety of recommended books to improve your knowledge of beer and brewing
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Stevenson & MacKay
Craig Stevenson and John MacKay use their bus passes to visit pubs the length and breadth of Scotland.
They have recorded their adventures in seven books.
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Books on Pubs
A veriety of recommended books that describe the history and development of the public house.
“Beer, making you see double and making you think your single.”
—
ANSWER: Ian Dury