Glasgow Botanic Garden
Famed for glass houses such as Kibble Palace which has international importance, the Glasgow Botanic Garden is a fascinating visit. Contained within the glass houses are ferns, begonias and orchids taken from countries such as South Africa, China and South America. Outside there is even more to look at such as a herb garden and Rose garden. Come rain or shine Glasgow Botanic Garden is a great day out for all ages with disabled access and refreshments available.
Glasgow Botanic Garden,
730 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 0UE
Tel: 0141 3342422
Bothwell Castle
Located on the River Clyde, in a man-made gorge, is the castle of Bothwell. Renowned for its stunning masonry work and deep red sandstone walls, the castle sits in a strategic location that you would come to expect from a building of this magnitude. It is assumed that the castle was instrumental in the England/Scotland wars, as it is known that it changed hands many times between the two sides.
Bothwell Castle was constructed around 1200-1250 by either Walter of Moray or his son William 'The Rich'. The finest masons were brought in from Europe, and this breathtaking work can still be seen today.
Unfortunately the greatest mystery is why the castle was never completed. There are two theories that could explain this and it is a mystery that surrounds an iconic showpiece of the Scottish countryside. Visit the castle and make up your own mind, it is a day out not to be missed.
Bothwell Castle,
Castle Ave,
Bothwell,
Glasgow,
South Lanarkshire,
G71 8BL
Tel. 01698 816894
Summer (1 April - 30 September), Monday to Sunday, 9.30 am to 5.30 pm
Winter (1 October - 31 March), Saturday to Wednesday (closed Thursday and Friday), 9.30 am to 4.30 pm
2007 Admission Prices
Adult £3.50 Child £1.75 Concessions £2.80
Please note: the castle has STB category 3 disabled access for the courtyard and most areas of the castle, and STB category 1 disabled access for the castle shop
Approximate distance/time from Glasgow Prestwick Airport: 22.5 miles, 33 minutes
Glasgow Science Centre
The Glasgow Science Centre is an essential attraction for anyone visiting the city. The main attractions include the science mall which is located on three floors, the first floor houses many 'hands-on' exhibits from a live science show to a planetarium-style night sky showing the way the stars should be seen, free from light and other pollution. There are also various workshops making the whole experience interactive.
Floor 2 contains more workshops including 3D modelling allowing you to morph your own face and compare it with celebrities, often giving hilarious results.
Floor 3 is very exciting. The incredible bubble wall awaits you as well as the plasma globe allowing visitors to create indoor lightning, and old favourites such as the Bernoulli Blower, indoor tornado and whirlpool plus many more are all to be found here.
The fun does not end here however as one of the centres main attractions is the incredible IMAX theatre. IMAX is very different from any cinema you have been to before, firstly the screen is the size of a 5-a-side football pitch and both 2D and 3D are shown, IMAX brings a whole new dimension to cinema-going and is not to be missed.
Also included in your visit is the opportunity to travel up Glasgow Tower. The second tallest free standing building in Scotland is a sight to behold with its unique design allowing the entire structure to rotate 360 degrees, this allows it to change direction to always face into the wind to minimise wind resistance.
Glasgow Science Centre,
50 Pacific Quay,
Glasgow,
G51 1EA
Tel. 0871 540 1000
Approximate distance/time from Glasgow Prestwick Airport: 7.5 miles, 15 minutes