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10 Best Hikes In and Around Glasgow
Glasgow is a vibrant city with easy access to some of the most spectacular countryside views. As such, it’s considered an ideal location for you to hike from and around some exciting murals, green forests, stunning lakes, and idyllic villages.
Hiking in and around here will also allow you to experience the amazing landscape this area has to offer such as lakes or “lochs”, mountain peaks or “Bens”, and hillsides or “braes”. Read our list of the best hikes in and around Glasgow to know more!
Dams to Darnley Country Park
Address: 190 Carnwadric Road, Glasgow G46 8HT, United Kingdom
Contact details: +441415774053
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
Located along the Southern Border of Glasgow, Darnley Country Park is a sprawling 1,350-acre park that can offer you and other guests a varied ecosystem for you to experience. Here, there are farmlands, wetlands, grasslands, and woods to explore.
Don’t be surprised if you share the hiking trails with horseback riders, cyclists, and other walkers. To get around Darnley Country Park, you need to hike seven miles but you’ll be rewarded with some amazing locations such as a railway, waterfalls, and reservoirs.
| Pro tip: You can also bring some binoculars when hiking in this location as you might be fortunate enough to spot some of the fauna in the park. These include whooper swans, teals, coots, and herons. |
Pollok Country Park
Address: 2060 Pollokshaws Rd, Bellahouston, Glasgow G43 1AT, United Kingdom
Contact details: +44 141 287 5064
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Glasgow’s largest park is undoubtedly one of the best parks in Britain and in Europe. At 360 acres, this hiking trail is a stunning place for you to do various activities – just make sure you’ve got some comfortable hiking shoes!
Here, there’s no shortage of peaceful and tranquil gardens and riverside paths. Plus, you can walk along the woods of the park to bask in the lush greenery present here before trekking to the Woodland Garden.
| Pro tip: There’s also the Pollok House located inside the park where you can enjoy some unique Spanish Art. It also offers meals and drinks which is perfect if ever you get too hungry or parched while hiking around the park. |
Forth and Clyde Canal Pathway
Address: Glasgow G60 5AF, UK
Contact details: N/A
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
Forth and Clyde Canal Pathway isn’t just an important connecting path from Glasgow to Edinburg; it’s also one of the most scenic hiking trails in the area. Aside from its beauty, it offers a slice of history with construction dating back to 1768.
While it’s a popular destination for hikers, the pathway still provides a tranquil break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Some of the highlights of this trail include the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelvin Aqueduct, a boat lift that raises boats high up in the air!
| Pro tip: To get the most out of your trip, you can begin your hike at the base of the Falkirk Wheel to learn more about the engineering behind the structure. You can then take a trip through the canal by taking a short barge ride. |
Kelvin Walkway
Address: Glasgow, UK
Contact details: N/A
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
The Kelvin Walkway is one of those hiking trails that you shouldn’t miss when in Glasgow as it offers a ton of relaxing scenes and a number of informative attractions popular in the area.
You can begin your hike at the Riverside Museum, where you can learn more about the engineering behind the most common transport options known to man– cars, locomotives, and even skateboards.
| Pro tip: If you plan on taking it easy while hiking around this walkway, expect to complete the trail in an average of 2 hours and 15 minutes. |
West Highland Way
Address: W Highland Way, Milngavie, Glasgow G62 6PB, United Kingdom
Contact details: +441360771740
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
Considered one of the finest hiking trails in Glasgow and in fact, even in Scotland, West Highland Way should be on your bucket list of trails to try out at least once. It spans 96 miles and offers a great variety of ecosystems that you will surely enjoy.
As you go through the paths of West Highland Way, you’ll be treated to exquisite views featuring hills, lakeshores, fields, forests, and moorlands. This change in the views and terrains is a hiker’s dream come true – even if it can take seven days to complete!
| Pro tip: If you don’t want such a long stretch of trail to traverse, there’s also the option of taking a train to Milngavie. You can then begin hiking at the southern end of West Highland Way, which will be a much shorter hike. |
Gowan Hill Heritage Trail
Address: Stirling FK8 1EW, United Kingdom
Contact details: N/A
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
Gowan Hill Heritage Trail is the ideal hiking trail for you if you’re into beautiful countryside scenery and some history. This 25-acre public park is located just below the slopes of Stirling Castle, offering guests amazing paths to hike in.
You can take a step back in time as you walk through the cannons and ruins of an old fort on Mote Hill. Interestingly, this area has a macabre history associated with it as it was once called “Heiding Hill” or Beheading Hill owing to the executions done here.
| Pro tip: You might also spot some roe deer in the woods along the trail so be sure to have your cameras ready just in case. |
Dumgoyne Hill
Address: Dumgoyne, Glasgow G63 9LA, United Kingdom
Contact details: N/A
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
The rounded summit of Dumgoyne Hill is a special landmark in Glasgow. In certain parts of the city, this feature can be clearly seen and has even earned this place an endearing moniker – “wee hill”.
While most hikers consider this site more of a mound than a mountain, you should still expect some challenge especially if you attempt climbing it up through its steep front path. If you’re not that confident in your hiking skills, then you can take the easier route.
| Pro tip: Aside from steep paths, Dumgoyne Hill is also known for its slippery slopes and muddy bogs. Hence, it’s best if you wear good hiking shoes or boots just to make sure that you safely navigate the terrain here. |
Glasgow Mural Trail
Address: Around Glasgow City
Contact details: N/A
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
Glasgow Mural Trail is a series of quirky street art that depicts Glasgow in a new light. These murals around the city were sponsored by the City Council and offer enjoyable and often interesting larger-than-life graffiti showcasing the talents of local artists.
There are around 30 murals in the city so be prepared to tour around some charming street art as you hike this trail.
| Pro tip: The best thing about this mural trail is that it’s easy to take a break at one of the cafes here if you ever get too tired from walking around the city. |
Luss Heritage Trails
Address: Visitor Centre Car Park, Luss, Alexandria G83 8PA, United Kingdom
Contact details: N/A
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
Located inside the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, Luss Heritage Trails is worth a visit if you prefer an easy hike through an Instagram-worthy village. Most of the cottages here were built in the 18th-19th century, making you feel like a time traveller!
You can also walk through the River Path for some splendid views of the sheep in the meadows, or stroll down the Quarry and Heritage Path to enjoy the views of the old mills and some 8th-century gravestones that history buffs will surely appreciate.
| Pro tip: Combining all three paths (Heritage Path, Quarry Path, and River Path) will take you around an hour or two to complete depending on how easy or fast you want your hike to be. |
Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
Address: Balloch, Alexandria G83 8QX, United Kingdom
Contact details: +44 1389 722600
Operating hours:
- Monday to Sunday, Open 24 hours
Consider Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park as the ultimate when it comes to hiking trails near Glasgow. It covers an impressive land area of 720 square miles of hiking bliss filled with munros, forests, and lakes– fitting for Scotland’s first national park!
The great Trossachs Forest is an imposing forest, one of the largest woods in the UK, and a fantastic location to immerse yourself in. Then there’s Loch Lomond, Britain’s largest inland lake that features amazing scenery and a relaxing overall vibe to boot.
| Pro tip: You may want to start easily when hiking through this trail and if so, you can proceed to a relatively flat woodland walk before making your way to the more challenging trek up the hillside. |
