GLASGOW
5. Around The Fruitmarket
There are 23 pub trails in Glasgow. There are eleven trails in the centre of the city, plus five in the West End, three 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 South side are PAISLEY ROAD WEST , SHAWLANDS and QUEEN’S PARK 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 two trails covering Great Western Road and Woodlands Road via St Georges Cross to
Kelvinbridge Undergrounds
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.
The Merchant City is an area of central Glasgow, west of the High St, which was renovated in the 1980s as a retail and leisure area. this has developed into a high-end shopping experience and an area full of popular and trendy restaurants, pubs and clubs.
A popular part of the area is around the old Fruitmarket. Many pubs and restaurants back onto the centre of the old market and have outside seating around it sheltered by the roof of Merchant Square. This allows a lot of movement between bars, restaurants and clubs hardly actually leaving the building.
This trail, follows pubs and bars around Merchant Square. The Grey Icons on map
From Glasgow Queen St train station exit to George's Square and walk down Queen St at the side of the Square. Walk a block down from The Square to turn left into Ingram St
From Glasgow Central, walk out the main exit and turn right along Gordon St to Buchanan St. Cross over here to the wide alleyway, Exchange Place, and walk onto Queen St. Ingram St is opposite the statue.
Now walk along Ingram St turning down Candleriggs, the sixth street on the right.
Glasgow pubs around The fruitmarket
GLASGOW: FRUITMARKET TRAIL
First pub on the right is Bar 91, across the road is Beer Cafe. Leave here by back door to enter the inside of Market Square and find The Metropolitan in front of you. Exit The Metroplitan by the front door and turn left to get to Marmalade Skies (formerly The Boudoir Wine Bar). Around the corner from here is Bar Square. Next door to Bar Square is The Tap Yard (formerly Steak , Cattle & Roll and before that Bar Espagnol Mercado). Next door to this is O'Neil's. From here turn around the corner and opposite is (Cafe) Bar Gandolfi. Next door to this is Bar Home. Continue upwards and turn right into Blackfriars St. On here are Babbity Bowster, Strathduie Bar (formerly Macgregors) and The Black Bull. Then turn right down the High St and across the road is McChuill's. At the corner turn right along Bell St to reach the corner of Merchant Square where Connolly’s (formerly The G-Lounge and LIQR) and Blackfriars on opposite corner to O'Neil's. Next door to Blackfrairs is Mharsanta.
A place this size is bound to have its own guides to illustrate the vast quantity, quality and styles of pubs.
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 good proportion of the pubs 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.
Practically every pub offers food at lunch or all day
Bar 91
Bar 91 is a one roomed bar diner. The windows to the street are actually doors which can open up in the summer to make the whole front al fresco. The servery is to the mid and back right. Both sides have padded seating along the walls. There are lots of four seat tables with very basic chairs. Prepare for a fight for the padded settles. There are stools along the bar and around a taller thin table/wide shelve in the centre of the room. Food at lunch time and after 6pm.
History
Have a pint here
Heavy: Seven Peaks; Gladeye; Innes & Gunn; Innes & Gunn Mango
Lager: Innes & Gunn Lager; Heverlee; ; Tennent’s; Manabrea; Corona; Mahou
Cider: Magners Guinness
Vodka Wodka (was Beer Cafe)
Beer Cafe concentrates on beers from around the world. There are 18 countries mentioned in their beer menu. The main room is dominated by a semi-circular servery on the left-hand wall, which is higher than usual and then has beer fonts set on small stages above this. There is a mirrored wall on the right-hand wall. There are some booths by the window and along the back wall. There is outside seating along pavement in suitable weather and a back door leads out to seating inside the Merchant Square courtyard. Pies served until late every day. The web site gives a beer menu – what a change from food, wine and cocktails.
History
Have a pint here
Heavy: Caledonia Best; Gladeye; Midway;
Lager: Heverlee; Tennent’s; Leffe; Menabrea; Weissebier; Weihenstephan Hefe; ; Budweisser ; Jubel Peach Lager
Cider: Magners Guinness
The Metropolitan
The Metropolitan is a large bar with restaurant upstairs. There is an extensive area of outside-inside seating through the back to the inside of the Merchant Square courtyard. There is also some outside seating on the pavement. The bar room has some booths, lots of standing area with wooden floors and an industrial look to the ceiling with lights on steel frames and ventilation shafts and tunnels. Pleasant staff.
Have a pint here
Heavy: Caledonia Best
Lager: Tennent’s; St Mungo ; Estrella; Peroni; Heineken; Budweiser
Cider: Magners 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
Marmalade Skies closed ★
(formerly Boudoir Wine Bar)
Marmalade Skies (formerly Boudoir Wine Bar) is a small corner room with seating along the windows using stools and barrels as tables. The small servery does not cater for a big rush and the feeling is one of relaxation. The Piano, which was on a small stage above the entrance door has now gone, as has the purple decor and draped material. It seems much more relaxed now and more of an all day bar with a cafe layout rather than an evening wine bar. Beer and wooden seating have come in and it has less of a couples vibe. There is outside seating on the large pavement corner but no outside-inside seating towards the Merchant Square courtyard. Staff are still friendly. Small hiding place to back of this purple themed wine bar.
Have a pint here
Lager; Heverlee; Tennent’s; Fork lift; Revellers
Guinness
Bar Square closed
Bar Square has a large windowed room looking over the corner. There is also a lot of outside-inside seating. The main room has a couple of booths and shelves around the windows. The rest of the room has basic tables and chairs. There are a few steps up to the servery and then through to the Merchant Square courtyard tables. Food is a big part of the trade.
Have a half pint here
Lager: Stella; Tennent’s; Peroni ; Budweisser
Cider: Magners Guinness
The Tap Room
(formerly Steak, Cattle and Roll and before that Bar Espagnol Mercado)
Becoming The Tap Yard (despite connotations of the name) has not changed the layout. Servery on right hand wall, tall tables in main room, some seating upstairs and lots of tables outside in the courtyard inside the Fruitmarket.
The changes are that the decoration has lost the fake greenery. The lights and most of the back bar shelves have been boarded over and replaced by TVs as befits a move to a sports and food bar.
Steak, Cattle and Roll (formerly Bar Espagnol Mercado) is a large room with servery on the right hand wall withy the kitchen opposite it. Lots of tall tables and chairs in area between kitchen and servery Stairs to right of kitchen take you to seating set above the kitchen in a mezzanine floor. There is seating outside and through the bar area, there are a variety of dining tables for different party sizes in the inside-outside seating in the Fruitmarket.
have a pint
Pale Ale: Jubel Beer cut with Peach; Gladeye IPA ; Blue Moon
Lager: Tennent’s; Staroperamen; Madri; Tap Room Lager; Heineken
Guinness
O’Neil’s
O’Neil’s is a large Irish bar-food place in one corner of the Square and has a lot of inside-outside seating in towards the Merchant Square courtyard. Some beer pumps to help age the place but not serving. Even a lot of the keg handles had stickers over their names as not in use. The main room has a high decorative ceiling. There is a lot of standing room and a variety of tables heights. There is a comfortable back room to search out.
A half pint here
Heavy: Belhaven best; Smithwicks Superior Irish ale
Lager: Tennent’s; Coors; Carlsberg; Heineken
Cider: Magners Guinness
Bar Soba
Bar Soba has an entrance to the bar area from the road and in alley way to the fruit market. from the road the area has tall tables and stools with servery against the back wall. Following the counter along to the left brings another area with five low booths. This can lead to the fruitmarket or around to the right to a large dining area, with more dining upstairs. There is outside inside seating within the fruitmarket square.
History
An expensive cold lager and restaurant establishment.
Lager: Estrella; Asahi; Kirin; San Miguel; Staroperamen
Bar Gandolfi
Bar Gandolfi is the upstairs bar of Cafe Gandolfi. Up to flights of stairs there is a small room with a sloping ceiling and large rectangular bar taking up more space than required. The counter, stools and tables are a light wood. The tables are designed to look roughly cut out. Food is offered.
Have a pint here.
Heavy: St Andrew’s Ale
Lager: Peroni; Heineken; St Mungo
Cider: Addlestones Belhaven Black
Home Bar ★
Home Bar has a large window frontage with an entrance at the left-hand side. This takes you to a large room with bookcase wallpaper at the far wall now replaced by distressed wood . The curved servery is on the left-hand wall. There is a variety of sizes and shapes of tables on the wooden floor, with couches and low tables are at the windows. There are curved booths against back and right wall. Stairs on right wall take you to seating at rear and above bar overlooking the main area. There is a high ceiling with decorative lighting.
Have a half pint here
Bitter: Lunar Haze; Neck Oil; Light Wave Session IPA (71 Brewing Co); Fierce Rhubarb Fruit Pale Ale
Lager: Staroperamen; St Mungo; Feierabend Pilsner; Tennent’s
Cider: Orchard Thieves Guinness
The Babbity Bowster ★
The Babbity Bowster is a one roomed bar. The square servery, serving two sides, is straight ahead. There is seating to the right and left of the door. Seating, dark brown tables and chairs on a light wood floor, and decor are a bit stark. Through from the right of servery is an equally large outside seating area.
History
Have a pint here
CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2024, 2025
Real ale; Glasgow Cross; Jaguar (Kelkburn); Deuchers; Old Golden hen;
Bitter: Belhaven Best; Chieftan
Lager: Menabrea; Estrella Galicia; Weihenstephan; Tennent’s; Budvar
Cider: Magners; Aspall
Strathduie Bar
Strathduie Bar has replaced Macgregors Pie and Ale Howff (opened March 2016) which replaced an earlier Strathduie Bar. There is a large selection of bottled beers and pies. The lounge is still served via a hatch from the bar but the linking door remains open. Both rooms have a red and tartan design for seating and stools. The bar has wooded flooring and tiles near counter. Real ale has gone and beer selection become very basic.
Dogs welcome and dog treats available.
The door for the gents in the bar still challenges the overweight. OLD GLASGOW PUBS
Have a pint
Real ale; has gone
Bitter: Belhaven Best; Cold Town Baltic IPA
Lager: Strathduie house Lager; Madri
Cider: Rekorderlig Guinness
The Black Bull
The Black Bull is a traditional corner bar. Small one roomed bar with a chunk taken out of the longer side for close access to floors above. Floor is wooden and tiled near the counter. There are four poles supporting the ceiling which reduce movement. Lots of drinking room in basic bar on outskirts of The Fruitmarket area. HISTORY - OLD GLASGOW PUBS
Have a half pint here
Heavy: Caledonia best
Lager: Carling; Tennent’s;
Cider: Strongbow Guinness
McChuills
McChuill’s is a bar with a famous entertainment venue. Inside the door the servery is along the left wall finishing half way down room. Then round from servery to the left is pool table. Further down from servery is dining style seating. Opposite servery and all down the right hand side are stools with a shelve. Tiled floor with wooden furniture and counter. A really nice wee bar even if not going to the entertainment.
History
Have a pint here
Pale Ale: Neck Oil; Gamma Ray
Lager: Amstel; Birra Moretti; 1664; Red Stripe; Staroperamen
Cider: Strongbow ; Strongbow Dark Fruit Guinness
Connolly’s (formerly G-Town Lounge)
Connolly’s (formerly G-Town Lounge formerly Libertine formerly LIQR - inside pics are of The G Lounge) was an old corner pub which has an imposing gantry with a moose’s head above it. The moose has been removed as it changed to Connolly’s, an Irish Bar, and the decor is now predominately green. The walls are mainly clear glass windows. It is mainly tables, banquetee seating and stools on a wooden floor now. TVs are dotted around the room. Food is offered
NEWS
Have a pint here.
Heavy: Caffrey’s; Chieftain IPA; Rebel Red
Lager: Carling; Coors; Staroperaman; Madri Exceptional; Manabrea;
Cider: Magners; Magners Dark Fruit Guinness
Blackfriars of Bell St ★
(was Blackfriars)
Blackfriars is a traditional pub, an oasis, in the Merchant City part of Glasgow. A worn wood dominated bar - seats, floor, tables, stools, serving area and barrels - some raised areas. The servery runs along the right-hand side wall. Outside seating by pavement. Basement area used for comedy shows and club nights.
Good Beer Guide 2013 (CAMRA) …. and on
History
Have one here
real ale : Cart Noir , Red Smiddy (both Keburn)
Heavy: John Smiths
Craft: Neck Oil ; Gamma Ray;
lager: Heineken, Heineken Silver; Birra Moretti, Bones Lager; Fustenburg , Red Stripe; 1664; Cruzcompo
Cider: Inches Cider Guinness
Non-alcohol: Heinekin 0.0%
Mharsanta
Mharsanta is a Scottish restaurant with a small attractive bar with food prices not expensive and beer prices not restaurant cost.
On entry the main restaurant is to the right and back while going left takes you to coffee tables area along the window and then back to the servery. Plenty of outside seating available
Lager: Menabrea; Tennent’s; Heverlee
Continue along Bell St and take a small angel to the right to enter Wilson St. Go along two blocks and turn right up Hutcheson St and find Rab Ha's which is part of the Glassford St & Queen St crawl
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
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
The Hengler’s Circus
The State
East End and Southside links
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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
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
Webster's
FORK A
Inn Deep
Cooper’s
The Belle
The French Horn (was Bakehouse)
Bank Street Bar Kitchen
The Left Bank
Stravaigin
The Doublet
or FORK B
Schoolhouse
Dram
FF West End
Arlington
The Drake
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
Cottiers
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
El Jefe's
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)
Partick to Kelvinhall
Stumps Bar
The Fiddlers
Victoria Bar
Quarter Gill
The Linsmor
Sparkle Horse
West End Tavern
Record Factory
Gallus
Kelvinhall to Partick
Three Judges
The Dolphin
Bag O’Nails
Storm Queen
Smiddy Bar
Tenement Bar
Windsor Tav.
Rosevale Tav.
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
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.
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CAMRA
The Campaign for Real Ale
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Places visited by Pubtrails
Villages, towns and cities which appear on this website.
ANSWER: emerald