Love is a battlefield...

After my break for the Glasgow Fair weekend it was back to "work" today. Job hunting and blogging about Glasgow.

Today decided to do something different again. I normally don't follow any guidebook on my tours. I just walk and see what I see and check up on the details later. But I had picked up a wee leaflet on the Langside Heritage Trail from the tourist information office. It's funny being a tourist in your own city! :)

So drove down there today to see how much I could cover in a couple of hours.

It was of course raining as this is the Glasgow Fair Fortnight holiday and therefore it always rains! Wasn't actually too bad for walking about but wasn't great for taking photos and my poor wee camera was getting waterlogged before the end!

But if you forgive the poor photography here is what I saw "The Day".




Suppose as always should start with a few introductions. This area is called Langside. I've been round here lots of times. Know people who stay or stayed here. Parked around here when going to Hampden to see Scotland play. But never pondered the name until today.

The name Langside means Long Hill and is a reference to the two hills in this area. One with it's summit in Queen's Park(Camp Hill) and the other in Mansionhouse Road.

Above is the first building of note I saw after leaving the car. It's the Battlefield Rest building. This used to be a shelter for people waiting on the trams and was built in 1915. The tram service ended here in 1962 and it fell into disrepair. But it has now been restored as a restaurant. Really is a fantastic building.

I'll get back to why it's called Battlefield Rest in a minute...





Next building I went looking for is down Lochleven Road. This is the former Queen's Park Synagogue. It really is a striking building built out of artificial red sandstone that gives it that unusual colour. It was completed in 1927 however it is now being converted into an apartment complex appropriately called the Ark.

Now up the hill.This is Battlefield Road, previously known as Lang Loan before being renamed.

The battle in question is of course the Battle of Langside which took place on 13th May 1568 between the forces of Mary, Queen of Scots and The Regent, Earl of Moray. Mary was defeated here and fled to England where she was imprisoned and eventually executed in 1587.

Above is a photo of the monument to the battle which was built in 1887. I love this monument at the top of the hill where the main part of the battle took place. The lion on the top with his foot resting on a cannon ball. The column is decorated with thistles, roses and fleurs-de-lis. One of my favourite monuments in Glasgow.

The building pictured behind the monument and closer up above is the Langside Hill Church dating from 1896. It is now the Church on the Hill restaurant and bar.

As I was looking at it I was reminded of the work of Alexander "Greek" Thomson and his church in St. Vincent Street. Looking at the guidebook this is not surprising as it was designed by Alexander Skirving who was Thomson's principal assistant. Skirving also designed the battlefield monument.

This other distinctive building next to the monument is the Agenda restaurant / bar. But it was built in 1939 as a control station for the Glasgow Corporation Lighting Department.

Just along from the monument is the Victoria Infirmary. This was opened in 1890. The guide book told me to look out for the puma on the roof. That bit worrying. But here it is here above the Royal coat of arms on the administration block. There doesn't seem to be any explanation for why there is a puma on the building but it has become the symbol for the hospital.

Now round into Queen's Park itself. This is a classic Victorian era park dating from 1857. And being Victorian and being next to the Victoria hospital I had always presumed that the Queen in the name was for Queen Victoria. Makes sense ?

But Queen's Park is actually in honour of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Above is the trees leading up to the Glasshouse.

And here is a closer view of the dome of the glasshouse which dates from 1905. This seems to be having some major rennovation work in progress at the moment but you can still get inside. And today that was good because as I got here the rain came on hard. You could hear it pattering on the roof from inside. Where have those summer days earlier in this blog gone?

There is one wing of the Glasshouse that has a reptile and amphibian house. Not sure what this toad's problem was but he doesn't look like he is having a good day. You think the rain would have cheered him up!!

And actually found these ducks in the pond inside. Now you can tell how bad the rain is when even the ducks come inside for shelter!!

Actually I think these wee guys actually live in here.

Back outside and took a wee walk up to the top of the hill where the flagpole is. And what a view you get from up there. Really will need to come back here on a sunny day when visibility bit better. This photo is from slightly down the hill but even on this rainy day could see the University Tower, the top of the Armadillo, the Finnieston Crane, the Squinty bridge, the Park Circus towers and right through to the dark outline of the Campsies in the distance.

Further down the hill on the other side and you come to two ponds. The first one is a boating pond. No model boats out there today but the seagulls were having a ball.

They say the British do queues better than anyone and it seems even the gulls have got the trick!

The second pond is a nature pond and is a lovely tranquil little water feature with little ducks feeding amongs the reeds. You can see the rain splashing on the surface!

Just along from the nature pond is this grand old house. This is Camphill House and dates from 1798. It was once at the heart of the Camphill estate which dominated the lands west of Langside village.

It was seemingly once a museum with relics relating the the battle but the museum closed in the 1980's and it is now converted into flats. And there seems to be one on the ground floor for sale if you are interested!! What a great place to live!!

On the way out of the park now but cut through the Scottish poetry rose garden. This commemorates many of the great Scottish poets. Above is one of the stone momuments. This one is in the centre and is for Hugh McDiarmid. It praises the "little white rose of Scotland"

And here in fact are some little white roses of Scotland in the poetry garden.
Really is an ideal tribute to these great poets.

And just about readable through the rain soaked pavement is the tribute to Robert Burns. Once again with a rose theme.

At the edge of the park now and this is the impressive Langside Halls. Now if this looks similair to a number of the buildings that I have posted up here over last few weeks then that may not be a surprise when I tell you it's original address.

57 Queen Street.

I didn't know this until today but this building used to be the National Bank of Scotland building in Queen Street dating from 1847. It was purchased and then moved here stone by stone in 1891 by the City of Glasgow to provide a public hall when this area was taken over by the city. Was meant to be cheaper than designing and building one from scratch.

Across the road is another landmark on Pollokshaws road. This is the Corona bar dating from 1913.

And may not have spotted this if not for the guidebook. Above each door of the bar is a hand with a cross in it. Seemingly this comes from a story that the name for the nearby area of Crossmyloof comes from a statement from Queen Mary as she passed here on the way to Dumbarton, "By the cross in my loof (palm), I will be there tonight in spite of yon traitors."

Interesting little detail even if unlikely story.

What's the story in Balamory?

Heading back up the hill again and you pass this lovely row of different coloured terraced houses in Blairhall Avenue.

And then back down onto Sinclair Drive.

Pictured above is Langside Library dating from 1915. This is one of the libraries funded by Andrew Carnegie and was also the first in the city to let your browse for books on shelves instead of having to request boooks from a counter.

There are lots of interesting features about this library but my eye kept coming back to these wee angels on the gate posts. Now that's one for the sketch book.

And then it was time for lunch. Heading back down onto Lochleven Road and into Cafe Ludovic which had been recommended by a friend.

Great home made burger and a latte later and was ready to head back into the city centre and Cadogan Street again.

I actually enjoyed this wee walk in the rain. Once again some old familiar sights and learned some new things. Need to come back another day and see more of what this area has to offer. And will definitely come back for the view from Camphill when the rain stops. If the rain ever stops!! :)

Be well, be happy!!