Glasgow and Scotland
 

My son will be spending the fall semester at the University of Scotland, and my husband and I plan to visit him. In the past, we have had good luck renting an apartment in a foreign city, and using it as a home base. Since I have never been to Scotland, I am unsure how much time we should plan to spend in Glasgow, and how much time we should spend elsewhere. My husband and I enjoy hiking, but as our trip will most likely be in October or November, I don't know if the weather will cooperate. Also, we do not know what his class schedule will be, so we don't know if and when he will be able to join us when we travel away from Glasgow. Does it make sense to rent a car? Is ten days in late fall too much time, or not enough?

As you can tell, I am just getting started with planning, more questions will follow.

There isn't a University of Scotland. There are several universities in Glasgow plus a University of West Scotland not too far away

http://www.universities-scotland.ac....p?page=members

<i>our trip will most likely be in October or November, I don't know if the weather will cooperate.</i>

Neither do we and we won't know until December. Bear in mind the later you leave it the shorter the daylight hours will be - also after the end of October many out of town sights will close for the winter.

If it's raining/snowing, I am not sure that traveling in the Highlands would be that enjoyable. Glasgow itself is worth a visit.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...46603583/show/

Glasgow and Edinburgh are linked by a good train service and these might be the likely places you will stay some time. Lots to do in both cities. Generally (and everyone in the know will tell me that is a terrible thing to say) the days will be short and it will be grey, a bit chilly and wet.

Renting an appartment is a great idea unless you decide to wizz off to Belfast/London/Dublin/Oslo etc

Class schedule in a first year will be weekends only, unless he is wasting his time, I'd assume he will need half the weekend to keep up, chat up girls etc.

Well, there is likely to be a long break around the end of October before a generous Christmas break. If you look at the academic calendar on the website of the University he is attending, you will be able to determine that. We can't help because we don't know which university.

As alanRow says, the days are very short in Glesgie in the winter. My daughter was studying to be a Chartered Accountant in Glasgow (please down't make it rhyme with "cow", it is something like 'glez-go')and working in an accountancy firm in the city center. It did not get light until after she was at work and it was dark before she left, and she did not work hugely long hours.

If he is going to the University of Glasgow, you will not go wrong in the West End.

Sorry, I was thinking University of Glasgow, but my hand was typing Scotland. Also, the Study Abroad calendar is a bit different than the Academic Calendar for a resident student. My son will be returning home to the United States December 15, and due to other commitments, we cannot travel in September.

If you do decide to stay in Glasgow ( not my idea of the ideal place to stay) look at taking a trip to the Isle of Arran. A morning train from Central Station takes 50 minutes and meets a boat at Ardrossan and the boat trip is 55 minutes. If you get a nice day( not guaranteed) this would give you a taste of Scotland without having to rent a car.

Maybe not ideal, but given that her son's there, lots to see and do, especially if the weather's not so good. I would leave your plans fluid. Rent a car and see something of the countryside if the weather's good; stay in the cities if not.

Here's the very nice and well-located apartment where we stayed: http://dowanhill.tripod.com/queensgateapartment/. It's in the West End, near the university and the Byres Road shopping/restaurant area.

I like Glasgow a lot. There is a great deal of art, architecture and engineering to view and the people are very upfront and witty, sort of like people in Brooklyn were thought to be before Brooklyn became trendy. The Glaswegian accent is very hard for many people to understand, and the city is dark -- lots of granite and people in dark clothing, but there is a great spirit there.

Glasgow is a fab and vibrant city. The University is in the West End which is full of bars, restaurants etc. and also the home of the Botanic Gardens. There are many 'indoor' things to do in Glasgow, which is also the home of Scottish Ballet, the National Theatre of Scotland, the Royal Scottish Nation Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
This website gives you info on the many museums http://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/Pages/home.aspx.

Glasgow's nickname is 'The Dear Green Place' because it has so many parks and green spaces.