Bearsden
Bearsden is a town 6 miles northwest of Glasgow in East Dunbartonshire on Clydeside, with a population of 28,500 in 2022. The main reason to visit is the Roman bath house, built in the brief period when the Romans occupied the Antonine Wall.
Understand
[edit]The Romans built a military road north from the Clyde along the shore of Loch Lomond into the Highlands, as well as a coast-to-coast defence, the Antonine Wall, with an associated road. Here the two roads intersected, so there was a large fort, and probably a civilian settlement. But the Romans only stayed 20 years then retreated to Hadrian's Wall so the brambles reclaimed the site and it never became the nucleus of a town. Nothing much else happened for over 1000 years. In 1649 a new church was built, dividing the parish of Kilpatrick that had been almost the size of Dunbartonshire, with a huddle of buildings around it.
Milngavie a few miles north developed industry in this early modern period, but New or Easter Kilpatrick remained farmland until 1863 when the railway arrived. It suddenly became an attractive place for Glasgow businessmen to build their mansions, just far enough away from the malodorous source of their fortunes. Suddenly there was a prosperous new commuter suburb, with handsome Victorian red sandstone buildings, many of which still stand. The suburb took its name from Bearsden railway station, which in turn was from the nearby Bearsden House. No-one knows where that name originated, except that no bears were involved. The town adopted a coat of arms and motto "Bear the Gree" which means to take first place, to excel — "gree" indicates degree, status or pedigree.
Get in
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Trains run from Glasgow to Bearsden every 15 min, taking just under 20 min. They run both from Glasgow Queen Street (lower level) every 30 min originating in Edinburgh, and from Glasgow Central every 30 min originating in Motherwell. Both services run via Partick and Westerton so you can interchange, and they continue from Bearsden to Hillfoot (handier for the east side of town) and Milngavie. The service from Central has longer hours, with the last around midnight and the first after 6AM.
1 Bearsden railway station is at the south end of town along Drymen Road, with Hillfoot station half a mile east. Bearsden has a staffed ticket office and machines, a waiting room but no toilets. There is level access to Platform 1 (towards Glasgow) and a ramp to Platform 2.
By bus: West Coast Bus 15 runs from Glasgow Queen Street Station via Hillhead, Kelvinside and Anniesland to Bearsden (40 min) and Milngavie. It runs M-Sa every 30 min and hourly on Sunday.
Bus 17 runs every 15 min from Glasgow Central Station via Maryhill to Bearsden (30 min), Faifley and Duntocher.
By road exit M8 onto A81 and head north via Maryhill.
Get around
[edit]You can walk almost everywhere, Bearsden is a small place.
The most reliable taxi firm is Station Taxis (+44 141 942 4555).
See
[edit]- Lemond Gallery is a commercial art gallery at 4 Thorn Rd, quarter of a mile north of the railway station, open daily 11AM-5PM.
- 1 Roman Bath House, Roman Road G61 2HS. 24 hr. The Antonine Wall was built more simply than Hadrian's Wall, and the Romans only occupied it from 142 to 162 AD then again briefly after 208, so its remains are sparse. But building work here in the 1970s uncovered a Roman bathhouse, with seven rooms, plus hot and cold water systems, and latrines which showed traces of the military diet. So it's the most extensive Roman structure in Scotland. It was part of New Kilpatrick wall fort, with Bearsden wall fort a couple of miles west, but hardly anything remains of those. Free.
- 2 Kilmardinny Loch, Kilmardinny Ave G61 3NN. 24 hr. This small freshwater loch has a footpath dotted with wooden sculptures of the Gruffalo creations of Julia Donaldson, who lived locally 1989-2014. It'll take most of ten minutes to stroll around. No fishing. The Art Centre south side of the loch is run by the council and hired out for weddings and the like. Free.
Do
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- 1 Bearsden Ski & Board Club, The Mound, Stockiemuir Rd G61 3RS, ☏ +44 141 943-1500, info@skibearsden.co.uk. Su-F 9:30AM-6PM, Sa 1-10PM. Beginners and kids facility with main slope 100 m of Dendix, plus freestyle and nursery slopes made of less abrasive Snowflex. They hire regular skis and snowboards; they also have tubing parties. Hours vary considerably (eg when booked out for groups) so check ahead. One hour with kit hire adult £20, child £15.
- Golf: Bearsden Golf Club is at the west edge of town. This is a nine-hole course, but with alternate greens to make an 18-hole round of 5512 yards, par 68. Other nearby courses are Glasgow GC at Killermount, Douglas Park GC at Hillfoot, Windyhill near Baljaffray, and three around Milngavie.
- Allander Water flows south from the hills around Milngavie and along the east edge of Bearsden to join the River Kelvin. There's a firm walkway, which continues south along the Kelvin into Glasgow Maryhill.
- Bearsden & Milngavie Highland Games are held at the West of Scotland rugby ground, midway between Bearsden and Milngavie. The next are probably on Sa 7 June 2025, tbc.
Buy
[edit]- ASDA is at the junction of Boclair Rd and A81 Milngavie Rd, open daily 8AM-10PM.
- Co-op Food is by the railway station, and Marks & Spencer Food quarter of a mile north at 134 Drymen Rd.
Eat
[edit]- Bearsden Cross has a cluster in the block quarter of a mile north of the station, junction of Drymen Road and Roman Road. These include Scallop's Tale, Elements, 55 Bearsden Cross, Raja Rani, Massimo and Ashoka.
- Milngavie Rd by Hillfoot Station has Lucali and Malaga Tapas.
- Burnbrae, Milngavie Rd G61 3DQ (200 yards south of Premier Inn), ☏ +44 141 942-5951. M-Sa 9AM-11PM, Su 9AM-10PM. Greene-King traditional pub with open fires, good food and service.
- 1 The Tickled Trout, 878 Boclair Rd G62 6EP (next to Dobbies Garden Centre), ☏ +44 1360 621968. Daily noon-10:30PM. Reliable pub with good selection of food, child- & dog-friendly.
Drink
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- The Station, 2 Station Rd G61 4AN (at Bearsden railway station), ☏ +44 141 942-6752. Su-Th 11AM-midnight, F Sa 11AM-1AM. Pub with food, a handy refuge whenever Scotrail leaves you waiting in the drizzle.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Premier Inn Glasgow Bearsden, 279 Milngavie Rd G61 3DQ (A81 behind Burnbrae pub), ☏ +44 333 777 7282. Reliable budget chain hotel. Free parking. B&B double £120.
- Premier Inn Glasgow Milngavie is just 200 yards north, but across the town boundary so see Milngavie#Sleep.
- 2 Boclair House, 100 Milngavie Road G61 2TQ, ☏ +44 141 942-4278. In an 1890 mock-Tudor building, this is now an events venue with accommodation for weddings and the like, and no longer a stand-alone hotel.
Connect
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As of Nov 2024, Bearsden and its approach roads have 4G from O2, Three and Vodafone, and 5G from EE.
Go next
[edit]- You need to transit Glasgow to reach most other destinations, but don't just treat it as a transport hub — it's a great city that deserves several days to explore.
- From Milngavie the West Highland Way leads to Loch Lomond, and eventually all the way to Fort William.
- The Forth & Clyde Canal runs south of town from Glasgow via Kirkintilloch and Kilsyth then descends into West Lothian.
| Routes through Bearsden |
| Trossachs ← Milngavie ← | N  SE |
→ Glasgow |