In the sunshine of Dunure last week Jimmy requested a shortish outing this week for he had instructions from his better half to be home around five. That’s when we decided to have a short walk in Glasgow and take in Peter’s art group’s exhibition in the Hidden Lane Gallery and the Glasgow Boys Exhibition in Glasgow Art Gallery. When the day dawned, dull, damp and dreich, we were glad that we made this choice. At least there would be somewhere in Glasgow to get out of the forecasted rain.
Eight of us gathered at our usual spot behind the Botanic Gardens to make the final decision on a walk. The damp air was now condensing into spits and spots of rain and the forecast wasn’t at all good so we opted for a very short walk down the Kelvin to the Art Gallery. This was new territory for some and despite the constant spit, a reasonable walk was anticipated. We were not disappointed.
We set off down river on the Kelvin walkway. The naturalist told us to keep our eyes and ears open for it’s surprising what wildlife can be found in the city now. But what surprised us most was the fisherman. When we asked him what he was after he replied trout or maybe a salmon. It is a compliment on how clean Glasgow rivers are now that the salmon and trout have returned after a couple of centuries of industrial pollution. We wished the angler well and walked on.
A hundred metres or so beyond the fisher, we came to the remains of North Woodside Flint Mill. Originally built as a barley mill sometime before 1650, it was converted to grind gunpowder for use in the Napoleonic wars. In 1846 it was bought by Robert Cochran, of Verreville Flint Crystal Glass and Pottery Works in Finnieston, who demolished the old barley mill and built the North Woodside Flint Mill, which processed flint and Cornish stone used by Verreville. The mill closed about 1955 and much of it was demolished around 1964. The process involved taking the raw material, burning it and reducing the result to powder which was sold to the ceramics industry for use in glazes. Their customers included the sanitary ware industry of Paisley and Kilmarnock and the makers of tiles for the posher tenement closes of the city. All that remains of such industry are a few preserved low walls and the base of the furnace. An information board provided us with the history of the place.
Another hundred metres or so downriver and we knew we were lost. How can you get lost following a riverside path? Quite easily when you are an Ooter walking on, deep in philosophical conversation (Blethers – Ed.) and not really watching where you are going. We knew we were lost when the path rose onto a street. While Ronnie knew where we were, Davie suggested we shouldn’t be here at all. The rest of us stood and just listened to the different points of view for we hadn’t a clue where we were or where we should have been. Nor did we care for the rain that threatened earlier had gone and we were in lighter mood now. Davie won the debate and we retraced our steps downhill to the river again. This time we crossed the river by a footbridge.
Ian took the naturalists words to heart. He was the one who heard the splash and saw the beast – a grey beast with a flat tail – swim towards the opposite bank. We all looked carefully and saw - nothing. Whatever the beast was, it was not there any longer. It shall remain another Ooters' mystery.
We came to another site of Glasgow’s industrial past, an open green space that used to be a railway marshalling yard. The wall on the far side, extending to around a hundred metres, was covered with a painted montage of railway scenes. This just had to be examined and admired. Peter admired the artistic technique, Jimmy and Davie admired the scenes depicted while the rest just admired the thing as a whole, a splendid piece of urban art-work and, as yet, graffiti free.
We came under a bridge and stopped again, this time as Davie pointed out the entrance to a tunnel, a tunnel which he said went all the way to the old station at the Botanic Gardens. (The Woodside Tunnel – Ed) That’s when we had our Dr. Who experience. As we stared into the tunnel, the brightness came, a bright light from inside the tunnel. Hypnotised by this light, we could only watch as it grew in intensity. Then we heard the noise – something like the roar of a car engine reverberating from the tunnel walls. And the light grew stronger. And it was coming towards us. Then, as we stood transfixed, like a dragon emerging from its subterranean lair the Glasgow Corporation van came into the daylight and its headlights were switched off. The guys in the van had been checking the integrity of the tunnel walls and had driven all the way back from the Botanic Gardens station. Phew!
By comparison, the rest of the walk was uneventful. Or was it!
We wandered through Kelvingrove Park examining Cyprus-shaped ponds, lions attacking peacocks and splendid Victorian fountains.
Highest point reached on the Glasgow visit - lion gorging peacocks.
When we arrived at the Glasgow Art Gallery the time was approaching eleven, coffee time. ‘There’s a coffee shop on the bottom floor of the Art Gallery’, said one of our number. That’s where we headed. A sign by the door put some of us off. ‘Wait here to be seated’, it said. We were not prepared to wait anywhere. By the time Ian had asked for a table for eight, the rest of us were off. The poor lassie trying to organise two tables together must be wondering where we went.
The cafe area on the next floor was busy. ‘There’s another through here’, said Davie. We believed him - well this seems to be a second home to him - and followed on. Wrong, there was only the busy one. So we didn’t have coffee in the Art Gallery. We crossed the street and took a much needed coffee in the Coffee Bean.
Peter’s art group’s exhibition in the Hidden Lane Gallery, Argyle Street was the next destination. The exhibits were a mix of genre and style and elicited the usual comments from the Ooters, comments ranging from ‘Superb’ to ‘Loadashite’. Peter had already shown us some of his pictures but he kept the best one from us. In a corner of the gallery, hung on its own, was one of his River Ayr series. The general agreement was that this the best picture in the exhibition. We look forward to seeing more of this series, Peter.
By the time we left the hidden Lane Gallery, it was past lunch time and a place was sought for eating. Where? The Isle of Islay had a menu but no prices. Assuming that no prices meant high prices, we walked on. Mother India Cafe was suggested, as were a few other places we passed. But none could make a decision. Where was Robert when we needed him? Eventually we decided on the Tennents Bar on Byres Road. Past the Art Gallery again, over the Kelvin Bridge, past the Western Infirmary, up Church Street and Byres Road we marched. Around one o’clock we were seated in the Tennents enjoying a hot meal and a cold pint.
After lunch we returned to the Art Gallery by the reverse of the above route. While some took in The Glasgow Boys Exhibition, others contented themselves to explore other sections of the Gallery. The Glasgow Boys Exhibition is superb and is well worth more than one visit while the Art Gallery itself is always worth a going to. The hour spent here was not enough and some promised themselves another visit soon. But time was not on our side today so we left the gallery earlier than we should.
Up University Avenue we went. Then by a series of turns, found ourselves on Great Western Road. A casual wander along here and through the Botanics brought us to our transport around four.
This was an interesting, educational and cultural outing and one which will be repeated.
Photos by Johnnie
Eight of us gathered at our usual spot behind the Botanic Gardens to make the final decision on a walk. The damp air was now condensing into spits and spots of rain and the forecast wasn’t at all good so we opted for a very short walk down the Kelvin to the Art Gallery. This was new territory for some and despite the constant spit, a reasonable walk was anticipated. We were not disappointed.
We set off down river on the Kelvin walkway. The naturalist told us to keep our eyes and ears open for it’s surprising what wildlife can be found in the city now. But what surprised us most was the fisherman. When we asked him what he was after he replied trout or maybe a salmon. It is a compliment on how clean Glasgow rivers are now that the salmon and trout have returned after a couple of centuries of industrial pollution. We wished the angler well and walked on.
A hundred metres or so beyond the fisher, we came to the remains of North Woodside Flint Mill. Originally built as a barley mill sometime before 1650, it was converted to grind gunpowder for use in the Napoleonic wars. In 1846 it was bought by Robert Cochran, of Verreville Flint Crystal Glass and Pottery Works in Finnieston, who demolished the old barley mill and built the North Woodside Flint Mill, which processed flint and Cornish stone used by Verreville. The mill closed about 1955 and much of it was demolished around 1964. The process involved taking the raw material, burning it and reducing the result to powder which was sold to the ceramics industry for use in glazes. Their customers included the sanitary ware industry of Paisley and Kilmarnock and the makers of tiles for the posher tenement closes of the city. All that remains of such industry are a few preserved low walls and the base of the furnace. An information board provided us with the history of the place.
Another hundred metres or so downriver and we knew we were lost. How can you get lost following a riverside path? Quite easily when you are an Ooter walking on, deep in philosophical conversation (Blethers – Ed.) and not really watching where you are going. We knew we were lost when the path rose onto a street. While Ronnie knew where we were, Davie suggested we shouldn’t be here at all. The rest of us stood and just listened to the different points of view for we hadn’t a clue where we were or where we should have been. Nor did we care for the rain that threatened earlier had gone and we were in lighter mood now. Davie won the debate and we retraced our steps downhill to the river again. This time we crossed the river by a footbridge.
Ian took the naturalists words to heart. He was the one who heard the splash and saw the beast – a grey beast with a flat tail – swim towards the opposite bank. We all looked carefully and saw - nothing. Whatever the beast was, it was not there any longer. It shall remain another Ooters' mystery.
We came to another site of Glasgow’s industrial past, an open green space that used to be a railway marshalling yard. The wall on the far side, extending to around a hundred metres, was covered with a painted montage of railway scenes. This just had to be examined and admired. Peter admired the artistic technique, Jimmy and Davie admired the scenes depicted while the rest just admired the thing as a whole, a splendid piece of urban art-work and, as yet, graffiti free.
Ronnie seeking information from our own artist - Peter
A great display in the making
A great display in the making
We came under a bridge and stopped again, this time as Davie pointed out the entrance to a tunnel, a tunnel which he said went all the way to the old station at the Botanic Gardens. (The Woodside Tunnel – Ed) That’s when we had our Dr. Who experience. As we stared into the tunnel, the brightness came, a bright light from inside the tunnel. Hypnotised by this light, we could only watch as it grew in intensity. Then we heard the noise – something like the roar of a car engine reverberating from the tunnel walls. And the light grew stronger. And it was coming towards us. Then, as we stood transfixed, like a dragon emerging from its subterranean lair the Glasgow Corporation van came into the daylight and its headlights were switched off. The guys in the van had been checking the integrity of the tunnel walls and had driven all the way back from the Botanic Gardens station. Phew!
By comparison, the rest of the walk was uneventful. Or was it!
We wandered through Kelvingrove Park examining Cyprus-shaped ponds, lions attacking peacocks and splendid Victorian fountains.
Highest point reached on the Glasgow visit - lion gorging peacocks.
The cafe area on the next floor was busy. ‘There’s another through here’, said Davie. We believed him - well this seems to be a second home to him - and followed on. Wrong, there was only the busy one. So we didn’t have coffee in the Art Gallery. We crossed the street and took a much needed coffee in the Coffee Bean.
Peter’s art group’s exhibition in the Hidden Lane Gallery, Argyle Street was the next destination. The exhibits were a mix of genre and style and elicited the usual comments from the Ooters, comments ranging from ‘Superb’ to ‘Loadashite’. Peter had already shown us some of his pictures but he kept the best one from us. In a corner of the gallery, hung on its own, was one of his River Ayr series. The general agreement was that this the best picture in the exhibition. We look forward to seeing more of this series, Peter.
By the time we left the hidden Lane Gallery, it was past lunch time and a place was sought for eating. Where? The Isle of Islay had a menu but no prices. Assuming that no prices meant high prices, we walked on. Mother India Cafe was suggested, as were a few other places we passed. But none could make a decision. Where was Robert when we needed him? Eventually we decided on the Tennents Bar on Byres Road. Past the Art Gallery again, over the Kelvin Bridge, past the Western Infirmary, up Church Street and Byres Road we marched. Around one o’clock we were seated in the Tennents enjoying a hot meal and a cold pint.
After lunch we returned to the Art Gallery by the reverse of the above route. While some took in The Glasgow Boys Exhibition, others contented themselves to explore other sections of the Gallery. The Glasgow Boys Exhibition is superb and is well worth more than one visit while the Art Gallery itself is always worth a going to. The hour spent here was not enough and some promised themselves another visit soon. But time was not on our side today so we left the gallery earlier than we should.
Up University Avenue we went. Then by a series of turns, found ourselves on Great Western Road. A casual wander along here and through the Botanics brought us to our transport around four.
This was an interesting, educational and cultural outing and one which will be repeated.
Photos by Johnnie
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