Bishopbriggs the town with a village for its town centre and a famous wall running through it. Well if that doesn’t pique your interest nothing will. Anyway, let’s get on with our brief overview.
Although it might have a name straight out of the Catholic Church – Bishopbriggs is about as non-religious as it gets. Legend is that the name actually comes from the pre-county days, back when Scotland was divided into different kingdoms. One of these kingdoms belonged to Bishops, ergo the name. It may also be that the northern territory of Glasgow where the town is situated was traditionally the lands belonging to the Bishop of Glasgow.
Whatever the reason, the Romans passed through here a few times when they built their second wall. The Antonine wall is much smaller than Hadrian’s, and it was only ever built out of earth. The fact that they built it at all kind of baffles the Scots a little. It marked the limits of the territory that the Romans were tempted to explore. Beyond the wall was regarded as ‘not worth it’. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the world lies north of that wall… but the Romans knew a bum cause when they saw one.
So… What’s in Bishopbriggs?
Well, it sits on the river Kelvin, on which canal boats sometimes go by. It is unlikely that you will see these in winter because the occupants would be frozen stiff in horribly macabre tableaus when you opened the door. Also, the canal is generally frozen after October. You also have the Forth and Clyde Canal, as well as half dozen parks to attempt to make the place less dreary. Unfortunately, being permanently overcast doesn’t help that much.
Image Shutterstock.com
We’re not sure about clans, but the names of Lyons and Daniels are both popular in this area. North of Glasgow you should also find clan Livingston, Stewart, Wallace and Bruce, too.
Let’s take a look at some of the top attractions in the area to try and perk up any afternoon spent there. It might look a bit grey, but there are plenty of things to do in this Scottish town!
Top Attractions in Bishopbriggs
So if you have to stop here for a while, what are the top sights you should see? Here are the Five Minutes Spare top attractions just north of Glasgow.
Seven Lochs Wetland Park
Seven Lochs is the biggest wetland nature park in the country. That doesn’t mean that it is the biggest open space we have, it just means that it is the biggest open space we have that doesn’t need a bothy in it because people actually go there. Unfortunately, the park has a better name than it does fun factor. There are no flumes, nor are there any log rides. It isn’t even really much of a park. There is a fair amount of wildlife to be seen and it is good for bird watchers, so there are some upsides.
The Leisuredome
The Leisuredome is exactly what it sounds like it is going to be. Anyone who grew up in the Bishopbriggs area remembers this place from childhood swimming lessons. Alongside the taste of chlorine and someone in a pale-coloured shirt shouting at you; it also has a squash court, some outdoor pitches, a gym, and a sauna/steam room. Basically everything the general populace needs to keep it fit if the wetlands park didn’t exist. It is a good place if you need swimming lessons and has a quiet hour for those children more sensitive to noise than others. We think that is a pretty swell idea.
Bishopbriggs Golf Range
Of course, as a Scottish town on the wealthier side of the poverty line, Bishopbriggs has its own golf range. Just about every Scottish town of notable size has some sort of golfing attraction. To be fair, if it isn’t the full 18 holes it is normally mini-golf. A golf range is actually unusual. Not to be confused with the Bishopbriggs Golf Club; the driving range lets you hit balls randomly to let out some of that pent up rage. Nothing says relaxation like striking an inanimate object at 40 mph!
Bishopbriggs Cross
Raymond Okonski / Bishopbriggs Cross CC BY-SA 2.0
This is actually the town centre which is locally referred to as ‘The Village’, or simply ‘The Cross’. This is quite a common landmark in Roman influenced Scottish towns and the cross is usually where two main roads meet and, since the Romans left their mark in lowland towns, there are plenty of places where a bathhouse was thrown up where two roads met.
What will you find at the village? You will find the shops, restaurants and bars that make the town the important retail and commercial place it is today.
Huntershill Village
This area of Bishopbriggs is where the memorials are kept. You can try to catch them all, a little like Pokémon. In fact, the Pokémon Go app might have all the memorials as poke stops, check it out and report back…
Anyway… Huntershill. There is a Miner’s memorial of a coal hutch, a memorial to Thomas Muir, a politician who lived here in the 18th century. Did we mention Scotland is old? Once you are done with the memorials stop by one of the garden centres for some nice tea and a scone. Lovely.
Where to Eat and Drink in Bishopbriggs?
Everyone needs to eat and drink and if you are staying here you need to know where the best places to do it are. If you want a nice relaxed family meal, maybe with a couple of vinos thrown in, then try La Vita Bishopbriggs. If you want spicy then the Delhi Darbar gets the best ratings in town… if food isn’t what you are after then there are some more suitable places.
If you want to eat and drink at the same time then the Avenue Bar and Restaurant ticks all the boxes. If hard drinking is what you are after then Quin’s Bar can take care of you. Other than that, take the two miles into town where you will have your choice of bars… but otherwise: drinking in Bishopbriggs ain’t half bad. The locals are friendly and you might even spot some talent.
Got Another Few Minutes?
If you have another few minutes free then check out some more of our Five Minute Travel guides. Have a laugh, make your trips easier, and maybe even learn something along the way. All it takes is Five Minutes Spare once in a while.
