Glasgow Leisure

Apart from the incredible football scene that captivates the city, Glasgow isn't much of a sporting town. There are some decent bike paths that criss-cross the town and run along the river, and of course, plenty of beautiful golf courses in the area. But don't come here expecting to hit the great outdoors.

Biking

The terrain surrounding Glasgow is rather hilly offering excellent biking opportunities, although there are some good cycle paths running through the actual city. In theory, you can cycle all the way from eastern Glasgow to Edinburgh, west towards the Clyde coast, and north to Loch Lomond and Inverness by travelling along the national cycle routes. This vast network of trails and roads combine dirt paths and paved country lanes, although the paved sections are often poorly marked. The citys tourist office provides excellent maps that have overviews and details of all the trails, and bike rentals can be found at a number of city shops.

Golf

When many sportsmen think of Scotland, the game of golf instantly comes to mind. The city of Glasgow runs five municipal golf courses, all of which are of a decent quality and an incredibly affordable cost. The best-maintained 18-hole public courses are Linn Park on the Southside of town, and Littlehill, which is north of the city. There are also a couple of 9-hole courses in town. None of the public courses have dress codes, which keeps the game fun and relaxed. After all, golf was invented in Scotland. Of course, there are also private clubs in and around Glasgow for a more exclusive golfing experience. Just to the southwest of Glasgow, Ayrshire has the greatest concentration of links-style golf courses in the country.

Football

Glasgow is home to two of the worlds greatest professional football clubs, Celtic and Rangers, which are collectively known as the Old Firm. Both teams have absolutely fanatical followers, which has traditionally resulted in a passionate rivalry not just for the winner of the local derby, but also for control of the Scottish League title. Given the long and dramatic history of these two clubs, fans are often drawn into sectarian disputes which have nothing to do with the game. The safest thing for a visiting football fan to do is avoid any discussion involving the Old Firm unless you are very familiar with the background and history of the clubs.

However, if you get the chance to see either of these teams play, youll be in for a treat. The Southside of Glasgow is the site of Scotlands national football stadium, which holds over 52,000 spectators. Celtic play their homes games in the East End at their Parkhead stadium, while Rangers do battle at the Ibrox Stadium south of the Clyde River.