Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Seaforce
(
0141-221 1070;
www.seaforce.co.uk
; Riverside Museum)
Departing from the River-
side Museum, Seaforce offers speedy all-weather powerboat jaunts along the Clyde.
There's a variety of trips, including a half-hour ride around central Glasgow (adult/child
£12/6), an hour-long trip to the Erskine Bridge (£15/10) or four-hour rides to local wild-
life hot spots (£50/35).
BOAT TRIPS
THE GENIUS OF CHARLES RENNIE MACKINTOSH
Great cities have great artists, designers and architects contributing to the cultural and historical roots of their urb-
an environment while expressing its soul and individuality. Charles Rennie Mackintosh was all of these. His
quirky, linear and geometric designs have had almost as much influence on the city as have Gaudí's on Barcelona.
Many of the buildings Mackintosh designed in Glasgow are open to the public, and you'll see his tall, thin, art
nouveau typeface repeatedly reproduced.
Born in 1868, Mackintosh studied at the Glasgow School of Art. It was there that he met the also influential
artist and designer Margaret Macdonald, whom he married; they collaborated on many projects and were major
influences on each other's work. In 1896, when he was aged only 27, he won a competition for his design of the
School of Art's new building, Mackintosh's supreme architectural achievement. The first section was opened in
1899 and is considered to be the earliest example of art nouveau in Britain. This building demonstrates his skill in
combining function and style.
Although Mackintosh's genius was quickly recognised on the Continent, he did not receive the same encour-
agement in Scotland. His architectural career here lasted only until 1914, when he moved to England to concen-
trate on furniture design. He died in 1928, and it is only since the last decades of the 20th century that Mackin-
tosh's genius has been widely recognised. For more about the man and his work, contact the
Charles Rennie
Mackintosh Society
(
0141-946 6600;
www.crmsociety.com
; 870 Garscube Rd, Mackintosh Church)
. Check
its website for special events.
If you're planning to go CRM crazy, the
Mackintosh Trail ticket
(£16), available at the tourist office or any
Mackintosh building, gives you a day's admission to all his creations as well as unlimited bus and subway travel.
To see another of Mackintosh's finest works, check out Hill House (
Click here
)
, in Helensburgh.
Waverley
(
www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk
;
Clyde River, near Glasgow Science Centre; tickets
£15-40; Apr-Sep)
The world's last ocean-going paddle steamer (built in 1947), cruises
the Firth of Clyde from April to September; the website details days of departure. It serves
several towns and the islands of Bute, Great Cumbrae and Arran. It departs from Glasgow
Science Centre, among other places near Glasgow.
BOAT TRIPS
