West End Wellness

Continuing her quest for wellness in the West End, Louise Sylvester recently got on her bike and gained a deeper sense of belonging to the city she calls home…

I belong to Glasgow.

I could always rely on my Grandma for tales of old Glasgow, a Govan native but subsequent Westender, she had plenty tales to tell about our Dear Green Place. In fact the number of parks Glasgow has was one of her favourite stories, as was the ‘second city of the Empire’ line. She is no longer with us, but I think about her often, particularly when I visit the Botanic Gardens, Victoria Park, Kelvingrove – the memories of our time together in these places always makes me smile and I like to imagine her walking beside me. Just like old times.

Margaret Brown, to give her her Sunday name, was a formidable Glaswegian woman for many reasons, but this is a city that has produced plenty others of that ilk as I recently discovered on a cycle tour around the city with Martin Heaney of Gallus Pedals.

Gallus Pedals

Martin spent many years living abroad and on returning to Glasgow realised he was viewing the city through a tourist’s eyes, impressed with the way the remnants of a post industrial-past have paved the way for a city now known more for culture and the arts. Having taken cycle tours in many other cities around the world he felt this was by far the best way to showcase Glasgow to others and that was the start of the Gallus journey.

The various tours are led by experienced local guides who have a wealth of knowledge about the city’s history, culture and attractions and are suitable for everyone, as they’re designed to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace.

And it was certainly leisurely for me, as the tour I signed up for offered Ebikes as an option – count me in I thought! I know this column is concerned with wellness, and fitness as an extension of that, but on the sunny September day we lucked out with it was my mental wellness that was taken care of courtesy of a pleasant cycle that included a jaunt along the Clyde and finished up at the fantastic Clydeside Distillery.

The sunshine helped make me smile that day, but something else struck me and that was that it was a delight to once again be treated to stories from Glasgow’s past. There’s something special about taking the time to find out a little bit more about the place you call home, feeling a connection to your roots is an easy way to boost your mood and increase a sense of belonging. And who doesn’t want to belong somewhere?

History

Back to the formidable females though, as part of the tour I learned about Mary Barbour, another Govan girl, she was at the forefront of the famous rent strikes back in 1915, taking on the landlords of the day with gusto. We were also treated to tales of Isabella Elder and ‘Big Rachel’, but if you want to know more about them, you’ll need to book a spot on one of the Gallus tours!

Martin told me: “Glasgow is completely underrated as a place to live and a place to visit and we love digging out little stories and places that uncover its distinctive character. Often the stories which we love the most are from ordinary people who we feel aren’t celebrated enough.”

You may have lived in Glasgow for years, but that is irrelevant as Martin explains: “One thing that is true of everyone the world over is that you don’t explore what is on your doorstep and it becomes easy to take things for granted. Discovering more about why your surroundings are impressive to those who visit a city is a great way to reconnect yourself with your home. In fact, some of our best reviews actually come from locals looking for something new to do!”

So here’s another one Martin… I loved every minute of discovering a little bit more about what’s on my doorstep and I now know who to come to for more snippets of Glasgow’s colourful history in the future.

The Perfect Date

Calling all romantics… a cycle tour for two offers a unique date experience. Not in a relationship at the moment? Take your best mate instead!

The Perfect Team Building Day Out

Why not rope in your colleagues and enjoy a team building day cycling around Glasgow? It’s common these days to simply see your team via Zoom so something like this provides an opportunity to get to know one another better while enjoying a shared experience. It’s even better if you can grab a post cycle pint on the way home.

The Perfect Christmas Gift

If you are looking for a Christmas gift that’s a bit different then why not gift vouchers for a Gallus Pedals cycle tour? The Ebike Tour that concludes with a visit to Clydeside Distillery is particularly special and sure to impress your loved one on Christmas morning.

There’s something really special about taking the time to find out a little bit more about the place you call home, feeling a connection to your roots is an easy way to boost your mood and increase a sense of belonging. And who doesn’t want to belong somewhere?

Visit – Gallus Pedals

Clydeside Distillery

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