Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Egyptian, Assyrian, and even Indian-looking motifs and designs. A similar
Thomson church stands in inexcusable disrepair on Caledonian Road on the
city's Southside, although there are promises to restore it.
Turn right (west) on St. Vincent Street to:
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Elmbank Street
Looking west from the windswept corner of Elmbank and St. Vincent streets,
visitors might begin to appreciate the impact of the M8 motorway, which passes
noisily nearby. In the near but seemingly unreachable distance across the motor-
way, the prow of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church pokes up above the con-
crete infrastructure. Going up Elmbank Street, admire the figures of Cicero,
Homer, Galileo, and Watt on the facade of the old Glasgow High School. At the
corner of Elmbank Crescent, offices of the Scottish Opera occupy the hand-
some former Institute of Engineers and Shipbuilders. If you go left here and
cross the street, you'll be at an entrance to the Charing Cross station and can
catch a train back one stop to Queen Street station and George Square.
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Otherwise proceed up Elmbank Street to the:
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King's Theatre
Over a century old, the red sandstone King's Theatre regularly stages comedy
and light drama that appeals to a range of generations. On the opposite north-
east corner is the Griffin pub (originally the King's Arms), whose exterior dis-
plays some recently repaired Glasgow-style Art Nouveau design.
Continue up Elmbank Street to Sauchiehall Street and:
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Charing Cross
The boldly Art Deco Beresford, built in the 1930s as a hotel, faces back down
Elmbank Street. This stretch of Sauchiehall Street is the one loaded with bars,
nightclubs, and eateries. On the northern side of the street at the intersection
with St. Georges Road (technically a motorway off-ramp) is the curving red
sandstone Charing Cross Mansions by J. J. Burnet in 1889. Across Sauchiehall
Street, Tay House is a rather brutal modern office building that bridges the
freeway. The edifice was built on stilts originally designed for another flyover
with high-speed traffic.
WALKING TOUR 3:
THE WEST END
START:
Charing Cross.
FINISH:
Botanic Gardens.
TIME:
About 2 to 3 hours.
BEST TIME:
Daytime.
WORST TIME:
Late at night.
This walk will give visitors a sense of Glasgow's salubrious and trendy West End,
while hitting some of its landmarks as well. The stroll begins in Charing Cross on
Sauchiehall Street, but on the western side of the M8 motorway, which is set in a
