Glasgow Gallivanting: October 2025

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Climbing Schiehallion

For some unaccountable reason we seem to know a lot of people turning 70 at the moment. One friend chose to celebrate his birthday by climbing Schiehallion with a small group including John. Sadly (or not so sadly given the state of my arthritic feet) I was unavailable as I was on jury duty that week, though I didn’t have to serve. A good time was had by all, although it seemed at the summit that they weren’t going to get a good view – then suddenly it all cleared.

Where’s the view?
Summit view

John has also been cycling many times of course, though sometimes it was more hike a bike.

Hike a bike
Hike a bike

Sometimes it was less than scenic. One ride went through both the picturesque remains of Preston Island Salt Pans – and a working quarry! Hmm, I wouldn’t trust that person’s navigational skills again …

Preston Island Salt Pans
Route error!

I have less photographic evidence of my own activities, though apart from the week I cleared for the jury that never happened I had a busy schedule. Here’s a few things I spotted around the city.

It’s a long time since I came across any of Louise McVey’s ceramic graffiti but in October we found two hearts.

Ceramic heart
Ceramic heart

I also found a utility box painted by my friends at Protests & Suffragettes. It’s one of three they have decorated so I’ll need to look out for the others.

Suffragette utility box (front)
Suffragette utility box (back)

In the world of quirky signs an advert for a lost quadropus intrigued me, and I thought John would like the cycling notice at WEST Brewery.

Nipsy is missing!
Cycling sign

I see that the penguins must have moved out because their wall is now being used as a garage for a variety of mini-vehicles.

Where are the penguins?

I did my last guided walk for the season in October, but I have two talks coming up in November which I have been busy preparing for. This is one of them, with my friends Beverly and Anna.

Meet the History Detectives

Of course, October ends with Halloween. Every year, Glasgow Botanic Gardens celebrates with an evening light show, GlasGLOW, which this year runs from 24th October – 9th November. We’ve been once or twice, but not for a while – I think the last time was 2020 when it was one of the few events you could go to at night because of COVID. However, this year’s theme celebrates Glasgow’s 850th birthday and as I walked through the park in daylight some of the installations made me feel nostalgic.

When we arrived in Glasgow in 1986 the city’s marketing campaign featured Mr Happy and the slogan Glasgow’s miles better, or sometimes Glasgow smiles better. (Better than what? you might ask. With apologies to any East Coast readers, I suspect the answer was Edinburgh.) I was delighted to meet Mr Happy again.

Glasgow’s Miles Better
Mr Happy

The Glasgow Garden Festival of 1988 makes an appearance (what a summer that was) and they’ve also set up a mock Subway station which is intriguing.

GlasGLOW Garden Festival
Botanics Subway

The Necropolis looks fun! They always come up with topical grave stones. I’ve booked tickets for an evening later this week so in November I can show you what they were like lit up.

Necropolis
RIP Fast Fashion. Now at peace in a charity shop
RIO Your Job. Love Open AI
Spider-Man Summer 2025
Necropolis

We have already been on another spooky trip, a Canal Ghost Boat Tour in which the ghostly Captain McTavish and his friends related (not very) scary stories. It was a different and enjoyable way to spend the early part of an autumn evening.

Captain McTavish
A medium tells us of the ghosts we will meet. Allegedly.

And that’s it for October – have a good November!

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  11. The Necropolis looks fabulous and the gravestones are very clever. I look forward to seeing them at night. Weird about the penguins. Maybe they are taking a bit of a holiday?

    My 70th is coming up next year… I don’t think I’ll be climbing Schiehallion but I need to come up with something special.

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  12. If ever I make it to Glasgow I’ll definitely sign up for one of your walks/talks! History detectives sounds amazing…every town should try to discover their histories!
    Spooky nights ahead …look forward to seeing the photos and reading more.
    Happy November!

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  16. Hi Anabel – lots going on … I should imagine you’d be grateful for the week off when jury duty didn’t materialise. The Suffragette boxes look amazing … and I’d love to see the Necropolis … looking forward to your light-show with them. Blogging is great!!! Cheers to you both – John’s pictures are always excellent … lucky clear viewing. Take care of the spooks – Hilary

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  17. All that cycling must be keeping John very fit as I’d struggle to do a munro these days, or over 50 miles on a bike, the recovery anyway, afterwards. It’s supposed to be random but I’ve known loads of Glasgow folk that have never been picked yet I’ve done loads. Interesting the first time…. not so good after six times. Bob. BSS.

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    • He is definitely very fit! Leaves me in the dust. Re juries, I have had 7 letters in 5 years which feels like persecution. For four I had a genuine reason for excusal, for one I went down with covid two days before, and the other two I’ve served but not been picked which only gets you two years off. So I’ll be waiting for that letter in 2027! Can’t believe it’s random.

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  18. John appears to have been up for some serious adventuring last month! I’m so impressed with all the presenting you do. I had a couple presentations in October and for some reason I got overly stressed about them—one in person, one on Zoom that booted everyone just before I was to start. That really tossed me.
    Loved the utility box. Sad to see the penguins gone missing. Very odd missing pet poster! I suppose it’s some sort of promotion.

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  24. As usual, your post contains a great dose of quirkiness: though I make an exception for Hallowe’en, for which I seem to have more and more sense-of-humour failure every year. The best thing about November is that it’s over! Oooh, WP won’t let me comment. Let’s try the Reader.

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  25. You had a busy October! That walk to Schiehallion looks amazing. Sorry about your arthritic feet and that you couldn’t go. John was so lucky the sky cleared for that view. I love the painted utility boxes and the grave stones at the Necropolis. 🙂

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  26. I love the painted utility box and like the penguins more than the vehicles. I look forward to seeing your photos of the Necropolis and GlasGLOW light shows. Have a wonderful November!

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  27. Maybe the penguins are renovating and that’s why they need heavy equipment? Love the graves and skeletons. So well done! Also who loses a pet like that? Wait – who has that as a pet?? And the bike a hike means John eats and drinks well deserved at the end of that!!

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  30. I don’t think I’d consider climbing a mountain as a way to celebrate – my trip to Florence was much more up my street! The views look great though, I have to admit 🙂 I love the painted utility box, but I miss the penguins – vehicles just don’t have the same appeal!

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    • Me neither – I shall be looking to do something much less vigorous when it’s my turn. I miss the penguins too – I don’t know whether their minder has completely given up or not. I don’t know either whether the vehicles were planned or just arose spontaneously, for example if someone put one lost car in the wall and that started it. Always something weird going on!

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  32. what a good month, loved how the clouds cleared although I think it was probably a good thing you missed that walk given some of the sections!

    Have a great November xx

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