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Glasgow Mural Trail - Part 7

Mural 20 - The Glasgow Crocodile, North Street

Another of Glasgow’s exotic animals can be found under a pedestrian bridge at Charing Cross.

Klingatron and Art Pistol have again collaborated for this mural, “designed to work with the environment using a gap in the bricks for the eye slit, and areas of old brickwork amongst the scales”.

The crocodile tried its best to eat me but I managed to escape! Remember children... never smile at a crocodile!

Mural 21 - Charing Cross Birds, A804

Another collaborative collection of murals by Art Pistol and Little Book Transfers, this mural consists of several murals of... well birds... at Charing Cross... hence the mural’s name! 

These are painted on the pillars of the same pedestrian overpass where you find the Glasgow Crocodile.

So if you ever hear Frank McAvennie (or Jonathan Watson) ask “Where’s the Birds?” you now know where to send him.

I decided to do my best bird impression... I await my Oscar for this outstanding performance!

Mural 22 - The Lost Giant, Sauchiehall Lane

I found this the least impressive mural of them all, I think it is hard to make out and down a rather unattractive lane, next to the bins.

Having now read up on the mural, this feature was created by Australian artist Stormie Mills and is part of his famous "Lost Giant" series which he has installed in various major towns and cities all over the world. I suppose, in hindsight, this is rather cool but it didn't have the same effect on me as the other murals. The scarf of the giant is supposedly meant to be made of the Glaswegian tartan... but it doesn’t look like tartan to me.

Antz recreated the giant's pose but could not replicate his towering stature!

Detour 10 -  Roman Catholic Church of St Aloysius, Rose Street

As we made our way to the penultimate mural of our journey, we passed this beautiful church and decided to step inside. Antz lit a candle in memory of a loved one, said a prayer, and we moved on.

I am not religious but I always get a tranquil, spiritual feeling inside churches and the architecture of any religious building can always be appreciated.

Mural 23 - Shadow Hand Puppets, Cowcaddens Road

Rogue-One was once again commissioned to create this mural, tasked with brightening up a dingy underpass beneath Cowcaddens Road leading to Cowcadden’s underground station.

Antz and I are now world renowned shadow puppeteers, also known as shadowgraphers or ombromaniests!

Mural 24 - The Musician, Sauchiehall Lane

The second mural to be found on Sauchiehall Lane can be located outside the entrance to Malones Irish Bar. Celebrating Glasgow’s live music scene, this collaboration by Rogue-One and Art Pistol Projects depicts a guitar player and helps add some colour to the brickwork.

I did a piss poor job of turning my jacket into a guitar for the recreation. My head is too far to my right, my hands are in the wrong position... a poor effort for our last mural of the day!

Final Stop -  Malones Irish Bar

Our final stop before heading for the train home was for a pint of Hop House in Malones, a good old Irish pint (created by Guinness) in a good old Irish bar.

We had a good laugh looking back through our photos from our trip round Glasgow’s Mural Trail.

Conclusion

The Mural Trail takes you all around Glasgow City Centre, down some streets and lanes you may not normally walk, and if you take the time to look around en route you can find some fantastic pubs, buildings and other street art.

It’s a great way to spend a day, get some exercise, take in the sights and have some laughs. There is an online mural map which you can follow on your phone and another bonus is that it's free.

Probably not a viable activity for anyone with difficulty walking, and it's a long walk for kids, but otherwise I’d thoroughly recommend.

In fact, I look forward to doing this Mural Trail again one day, taking in the new murals which have now been added and checking out more of Glasgow’s hidden gems.

You can travel all over the world but my advice is to take the time to be a tourist in your own country and city. It's amazing what you can see when you look up from your phone!

[scullofkev]

Glasgow Mural Trail - Part 6

Mural 15 - Glasgow Panda, Gordon Lane (opposite The Lighthouse in Mitchell Lane)

Edinburgh has a Panda, so in the spirit of city rivalry... Glasgow had to get one too. Ours is painted on a wall in Gordon Lane and I masterfully recreated it’s panda pose.

Mural 16 - Dr Connolly I Presume, Dixon Street

On the gable end of a tenement building, to the rear of Glasgow Hootenannys Pub, within in their beer garden, you will find another of the mural’s dedicated to Billy Connolly. 

Another Rogue One masterpiece, reproducing a Jack Vettriano painting from the comedian’s World Tour of Scotland series in 1994 and featuring “a windblown Billy on a storm-lashed coast near John O’Groats”

I replicated the pose whilst perched on a bench in the beer garden.

Mural 17 - Glasgow’s Tiger, Clyde Street

As I write this blog post (during the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2021), the Glasgow Tiger mural is no longer included in the official mural trail map. I am unsure whether this is because it no longer exists or not.

The mural is (or was) a collaboration between Klingatron and Art Pistol and was a re-imagining of an original tiger design in the same location, found on a wall next to South Portland Suspension Bridge.

In our photo, Antz is curled up in a ball trying to ensure he does not become tiger lunch!

Mural 18 - The Gallery, Argyle Street & York Street

Aptly named The Gallery, this mural is more of a collection of smaller paintings on a boarded up building. The artist Smug (Sam Bates) has recreated famous paintings including Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Munch’s The Scream, Dali’s melting clocks and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, dubbed “The Mona Lassie” by Glaswegians (which has sadly been defaced).

Our recreation involved Alex posing as a creepy lassie, escaping from Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting and me on my knees freaked out by what I am witnessing.

Mural 19 - The Swimmer, Broomielaw

This amazing lifelike mural was another of the installations ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Painted by Smug underneath the Kingston Bridge, this installation celebrates Glasgow’s 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Antz entered into the diving competition and I had a go at the swimming.

Detour 9 - In Tyler We Trust

As we made our way to mural twenty, we noticed this brilliant little mural on a fire exit door on the back of a building, dedicated to the brilliant film Fight Club. I have no more info on how it got there or who put it there.... maybe because nobody talks about Fight Club.

Go to Glasgow Mural Trail - Part 7

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Glasgow Mural Trail - Part 5

Mural 11 - Argyle Street Cafe, Argyle Street

This mural by Smug was a reinterpretation of his previous mural at the same site. On an unused shop front on the corner of Argyle Street and Miller Street, Smug created a cafe scene where exotic animals had went for some lunch.

When we arrived, the building was surrounded with scaffolding and we couldn’t get a proper view. I managed to climb up with a hand from Alex and Antz (a punty as they say in Glasgow) and take a quick snap of the elephant behind bars.

Sadly, this mural is no longer there since the building was refurbished, an unintentional victim of regeneration work.

Here’s an image from its glory days with some fabulous Glesga’ buskers playing some tunes. With no mural in sight, we took the opportunity to nip in for a pint in Cairns Bar instead!

Detour 7 - Murals at Sloans Pub, Argyle Street

Further down the street we stopped to look at the murals in the archway through to Sloans Pub. The brilliant Are Ye Dancin, Are Yae Askin murals are a fitting tribute to Glasgow double act Francie and Josie, with some famous Scottish imagery.

Through the tunnel in the beer garden of Sloans, there’s another impressive mural of a bride and groom sharing a kiss. Antz and I recreated this, with some odd looks from smokers outside the pub - only a little tongue was used!

Mural 12 - The World’s Most Economical Taxi, Mitchell Street

This has to be one of my favourite murals of the whole trail, with Rogue-One’s image of a floating Glasgow taxi. This really brightens up an otherwise bleak city street. The shadows of the man and balloon really bring this image to life.

Our version has me taking off, whilst a shocked Alex attempts to flag the taxi down.

Detour 8 - Sailor With a Pipe, Mitchell Street

Another small bonus mural of a sailor with a pipe can be found just to the right of the taxi mural and I swiftly turned my sunglasses into a makeshift pipe for our recreation photo.

Mural 13 - Honey... I Shrunk the Kids, Mitchell Street

Another of my favourite murals features a lady looking through a magnifying glass, akin to the famous film of the same name. The artist has cleverly added his nickname to the chain around her neck.

In our photo I have been spotted and captured. Some precision photography was required to get this angle correct!

Mural 14 - Wind Power, Mitchell Street

This mural celebrates Scotland’s sustainable energy sector, with a creative take on wind power by Rogue-One and Art Pistol, installed as part of the Doors Open Day 2014 event. 

Our version has Alex as the blonde lady and Antz as the dandelion... I am sure you will agree perfectly cast!

Go to Glasgow Mural Trail Part 6

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Glasgow Mural Trail - Part 4

Detour 4 - The ‘Big Yin’ Mural, Gallowgate

The Big Yin mural is one of three murals in Glasgow dedicated to, arguably, Glasgow’s most famous son, Billy Connolly.  The murals were created in 2017 to celebrate Connolly’s 75th birthday, a collaboration between Glasgow City Council, the Art Pistol Projects and BBC Scotland (who aired Billy Connolly: Portrait of a Lifetime, a documentary filming Billy Connolly’s reaction to seeing the murals).

Despite being one of the most famous murals in Glasgow, due to the above publicity, the Big Yin mural is the only mural of the three not to be included in the Glasgow Mural trail. Although it falls slightly outside of the Glasgow City Centre area, I’d argue that such an iconic image should be inserted into the route, as it is only a seven minute walk from the Spaceman Mural, and then only a five minute walk to the next mural.

Anyway, we made the effort to go and see it and it’s a cracker. Designed by Rachel Maclean, The Big Yin features Billy in a Bonnie Prince Charlie inspired outfit, which includes references to some of his most famous jokes, including the infamous 'bike parked in bum’ joke, told on Parkinson.

Our version has me as Billy and Antz as... well... whatever it is he's holding.

7. Study of a Woman in Black (2), St Andrews Street

After checking oot the Big Yin we walked for five minutes to St Andrews Street to check out the next mural, one of 2 murals of the same name, by James Klinge.

In the photo, Klinge studies the female form with a portrait of an anonymous subject dressed in black.

I happily put on a pensive, smouldering face to mimic the artwork and was successfully dressed in black, however failed in the quest to be a woman.

Detour 5 - Scullion Law

All you need to know for this photo is that we walked by this shop on Saltmarket and my surname is Scullion.

8. Study of a Woman in Black (1), Steel Street

Similar to number seven, James Klinge paints another woman in black. I have no idea why number two comes before number one, surely just reverse the numbers?

Antz also failed at being a woman... shame on you!

Detour 6 - Child Under an Umbrella

I can't find any information on who painted this small mural but we walked passed it on Bridgegate en route to the next mural so I jumped in for a quick snap.

9. The Clutha, Clyde Street

The Clutha Bar in Glasgow was tragically made infamous in 2013 when a police helicopter crashed into the pub, killing all three passengers onboard and seven people inside the pub. The pub closed for over two years, during which time it was refurbished, including the addition of the murals to the exterior which were unveiled at the reopening in 2015. The mural is a collaboration by Rogue-One, Art Pistol and Ejek and illustrates a collection of celebrities who either drank or performed in the pub.

In 2018, the Clutha opened a beer garden at the back of the pub, and unveiled another mural, a 60 by 50 ft wall mounted mural, celebrating the 150th anniversary year of one of the city’s most iconic designers, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. 

Our recreation involved me acting as Paulo Nutini, with Antz as my trusty microphone.

Mural 10 - Billy Connolly, Osborne Street

Another of the murals unveiled in honor of The Big Yin’s 75th birthday, you’ll find Billy at the rear of a building on Osborne Street. This is based on John Byrne’s portrait of Billy in his later years and it’s a belter!

Our version involved me copying Billy's pose, and some crafty use of my mobile phone.

Go to Glasgow Mural Trail Part 5

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Glasgow Mural Trail - Part 3

4. Fellow Glasgow Residents, Ingram Street Car Park

Having finished our pint, and pondered the wonders of Glasgow’s ‘oldest bar’, we continued down High Street and turned right on to Ingram Street, into Glasgow’s Merchant City.

The Fellow Glasgow Residents mural spans the full wall of the City Halls and Old Fruitmarket Building, bringing a wave of colour to what was once a grey, gable end wall, covered in graffiti.

There are two main features to the wall; a kilted man picking a mushroom and a series of Scottish woodland animals (who could be considered as fellow Glasgow residents).

Our version of the mural reenactment involved me picking up another empty bottle of EL-D, some fantastic acting as I became a badger, and Alex & I moonlighting as a bellowing stag and a nose licking fox... classy!

5. Badminton, Wilson Street

This mural was created in the lead up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as part of the marketing for the event. It depicts action shots of Scotland badminton player Kieran Merrilees and is part of a collection of four murals by the same artist. The other three murals can be found on the gable end of tenement blocks in Glasgow’s West End, near Partick train station, and represents the Commonwealth sports of netball, rugby and hockey.

Antz and I made it our mission to copy the poses, with my mobile phone becoming the badminton racket... there's an app for everything these days!

6. Space Man, New Wynd Lane

The Space Man mural can be found on a wall in New Wynd lane, just off Trongate, a short walk from mural five.

Created by Ali Wylie, this mural is very different in style from the other murals, inspired by pop, graphic novels, graphic design and Japanese culture.

Not many people know but Scotland has a growing space sector and Glasgow manufactures more satellites than anywhere in Europe. This was one of my least favourite murals, still impressive, but it does not feel as fitting as other murals (maybe as it’s stuck down a lane and not easy to view from the street).

Here's Antz and I pretending we're floating in space, our hoods are clearly space helmets.

Detour 3 - Britannia Panopticon Music Hall

The Space Mural is directly outside the entrance to the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, a building I previously knew nothing about (there are so many hidden gems in Glasgow). This is the oldest surviving music hall in the world and is where Stan Laurel made his stage debut.

The building is now owned by a registered charity - The Friends of the Britannia Panopticon Hall Trust - with the aim of continuing the legacy of the hall, advancing the conservation of the building and ensuring the building's future as a visitor attraction, museum and working venue.

The building is open for free general viewing and we entered up the steps to find patrons practicing for a song and dance performance. They welcomed us, let us look around, take some photos, and informed us of some of the history, encouraging us to spread word of the building and charity. So here I finally am, spreading the word.

It's a really interesting, historic building, which has many original features and a lot of charm. I'd encourage everyone to check it out and make a donation if you can.

Here are some pictures we took inside... Alex, of course, found a piano!

Go to Glasgow Music Trail Part 4

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Glasgow Mural Trail - Part 2

1. The “Wonderwall” at Strathclyde University, George Street

Stop number one on the mural trail is more of a collection of several murals, spanning three different sides of the University of Strathclyde’s Graham Hills Building on George Street.

Created by Art Pistol, Rogue-One and Ejek, the murals celebrate Strathclyde Uni alumni, tutors and their achievements.

Our recreations involve headstands, opening fake doors and Antz ‘pushing the boat out’!

2. St Enoch & Child, George Street

Locating the second mural was extremely easy for us, found by looking at the boat mural pictured above and turning on the spot 180 degrees.

Painted by Smug, this mural is a contemporary interpretation of the city's founding story... St Thenue/Enoch cradling her beloved St Kentigern/Mungo.

Naturally, our version involved me cradling Antz in my arms, nursing his hangover. The robin was replaced by a can of lager, symbolising the night before.

3. Saint Mungo, High Street

Mural number three can be found on the same tenement building as mural number two, on the other gable end, positioned up and around the corner on High Street.

This mural was also created by Smug, completed in February 2016, and features another robin. Upon completion, a photo of the mural went viral on social media after being shared more than 1.5 million times within the first week.

Our version features Alex Graham in the starring role of St Mungo, and… a bottle of Eldorado in the supporting role as the robin. This version has been shared once… by me… in this blog!

Detour 2 - The Old College Bar, High Street

As we walked by the Old College Bar, Alex suggested we stop to grab a pint, a ‘hair of the dog’ for oor Antz. 

The bar has a sign hanging above the street saying established 1810, and as we sipped our pint we chatted with the bar lady about the history of the pub and the dispute of whether it is in fact the oldest pub in Glasgow. She maintained that it was the oldest bar in the Glasgow City Centre area, although a couple of other pubs also lay claim to this fact.

However, as I write this blog post, I have stumbled across a Daily Record article from March 2018, where the owner Colin Beattie admits it is nothing but a marketing ploy. He explains that upon purchasing the bar, the previous owner admitted that he had 'made up the claim to boost trade'.

The marketing clearly works, we only entered due to the sign and Alex's belief that it was the oldest pub in Glasgow. The Daily Record article explains that this is the reason the pub has never been given listed status or official protection by Historic Scotland.

We were duped fellas! As the bloated orange former president would say... 'Fake news!'

Go to Glasgow Mural Trail Part 3

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Glasgow Mural Trail - Part 1

Introduction

The Glasgow Mural Trail is a walking route around Glasgow City Centre which connects a series of street murals.

The murals were commissioned by Glasgow City Council to rejuvenate and revitalise buildings, adding a splash of colour to lanes and streets. More information on the murals and the walking route can be found here - citycentremuraltrail.co.uk

Note - The Glasgow Mural Trail changes as new murals are painted and old murals are taken away (for various reasons). As such this blog article was accurate at the time of writing but may have changed since.

On 3rd March 2019, me and two good mates, Alex and Antz, were planning on climbing a munro. However, it was an extremely windy day and climbing a hill wouldn't have been enjoyable or advisable, so we decided a walk around Glasgow’s Mural Trail would be a better option.

To spice things up we decided to visit some of Glasgow’s local bars en route and take a few detours to see some bonus buildings and features. We also decided to take photos, mimicking or interacting with the murals to capture some memories. Here's how our day panned out.

Meeting Point

We met at Gordon Street coffee at Glasgow Central Station as Antz had been out the night before and required a coffee.

Here's Antz in all his glory on the train to Glasgow (with some bonus art work of The People's Palace behind him. How fitting!)

Detour 1 - Carlton George Hotel

On the way to the first mural, Alex suggested we take a slight detour to check out the Windows restaurant on the 7th floor of the Carlton George Hotel on George Street (and get oor man Antz another coffee). I didn't even know the bar was there!

It has a balcony with superb views over Glasgow, and down onto Buchanan Street, and is well worth checking out, especially on a sunny day.

A False Start

When we got to where the 1st mural should have been, it wasn't there! The building that it was painted on had been knocked down.

It was a superb mural on a wall on George Street, of some puppets, named as "The Hip Hop Marionettes" and I was sad to see that it was no longer there. Here's a picture of what it should of looked like, Antz’ reaction to its absence, and our attempt at recreating the mural.

Go to Glasgow Mural Trail - Part 2

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30 in 30

Background 

 On 4th June 2016 I turned 30; that “dreaded” age where most people make an over exaggerated, big deal about becoming “old”. I decided that I wanted to do something to celebrate this occasion - other than the inevitable: “get minced” - and I came to the conclusion that attempting to do 30 new things for the age of 30 sounded like a somewhat above average idea.

Now I know that this is not a new concept; I’ve heard of plenty of people completing “30 things by the time they turn 30” but me being me (full of wonderful ideas) I decided to add an extra twist… How about doing the 30 new things in 30 consecutive days in the month of June? So I messaged friends and family for some suggestions of new things I could do.

I realised straight away that I’d need to set some “ground rules” for my mates:

1.       Nothing illegal

2.       Nothing life threatening

3.       Nothing homosexual. Disclaimer: I’m all for same sex battering in, if you’re that way inclined. But I just like the ladies.

4.       Nothing ridiculous (like swimming in the ocean, dressed as the Little Mermaid, whilst singing “Under the Sea”… as awesome as that would be)

5.       Nothing trivial (like wearing 4 pairs of boxers to work, or walking down an unfamiliar street)

I got a very quick response from one of my “more helpful” friends saying “nah I’m out of ideas mate!” - there’s always one - but eventually, the suggestions came thick and fast and I ended up with a solid list of ideas. The next step… trying to fit them all in to a calendar month.

It might sound like a straight forward task on paper but right away a lot of suggestions had to get binned because I had already done them.  I then quickly realised that I couldn’t do anything that required training or preparation (like write a book or run a marathon) as you cannot achieve this in a day. I also made the decision that I wanted everything to be something I wanted to do/achieve.

I work a full time job, Monday to Friday 9 -5, and am also in a band and gig at the weekend (**shameless plug - Check out The Singer Swingers website - available for hire, top class entertainment**); this also made the planning a serious challenge. In honesty, it was a pain in the tatas and there ended up being a few last minute changes but I done it! Here’s the list!

 Day 1: Wednesday 1st June - Have a Meal in the Glenfinnan Dining Car

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: My Dad and sister Emma

Description: Emma and I had taken our Dad on a 4 day tour of the Highlands to celebrate his 60th birthday. On day 4 of our trip (the first day of my 30 in 30) we visited the Glenfinnan Dining Car for lunch. It’s an old train which sits next to Glenfinnan train station that’s been converted into a café.

Marks out of 10: 7

Final thoughts: It’s a pretty cool quirky little café - the food was good, nice staff, the price was average. I’d recommend it if you’re nearby but I wouldn’t go out of your way to go.

Day 2: Thursday 2nd June - Have Someone Completely Plan your Day

Suggested by: George

Other participants: My fiancée Lisa

Description: I was still on leave from work so this fitted nicely. I asked Lisa to do the planning and she obliged. She arranged for us to go on the Glasgow Central Station tour and then have lunch in The Blue Chair(a favourite wee café of ours on High Street, Glasgow). Since it was an unusually hot day, she decided we would take a walk to Glasgow’s West End and have a few drinks in a beer garden. An impromptu sunbathing session in The Botanic Gardens followed, with ice cream and coffee in Nardini’s afterwards. In the evening, she suggested dinner in Thaikhun in Silverburn and a trip to the cinema to see Money Monster.

Marks out of 10: 8.5

Final thoughts: Lisa knows me well; the tour was great, good food & beer, a rare sunny day in Glasgow, and a really good movie to finish. In hindsight, I guess having someone plan your day isn’t new; as a kid, my Mum and Dad would have planned my day all the time. But I had never been on the Glasgow Central Station tour so either way something new was achieved.

Day 3: Friday 3rd June - Go on the Glasgow Open Top Bus Tour

Suggested by: My stepdad Gordon

Other participants: My stepdad Gordon

Description: Gordon suggested this (and mentioned he hadn’t done it before either) so we went together, as I will still on leave from work. We had a couple of drinks in The Counting House before we got on the bus and another “couple" once we got off.

Marks out of 10: 7

Final thoughts: I’d definitely recommend this. The tour guide knew his stuff and we learned a lot about the city that we didn’t know. One of the best things about this was just getting to spend time with Gordon, something we don’t do often enough. It was another scorcher of a day which made the experience even more enjoyable; nobody wants to spend time on an open top bus if it’s pissing down!

Day 4: Saturday 4th June - Try Russian Cuisine

Suggested by: My Mum and Gordon

Other participants: Lisa, Mum, Gordon, Dad, Fiona, Emma and Steven

Description: It was my 30th birthday so why not celebrate with a nice family meal? We went to Café Cossachock in Glasgow’s Merchant City for a slap up meal. I had the Borscht (beetroot soup) to start, followed by ?, a couple of pints of lager and a shot of vodka. Lisa surprised me with tickets for American Idiot that morning so it was off to the Kings Theatre afterwards (a bonus new thing for the day).

Marks out of 10: 7.5

Final thoughts: A nice wee restaurant, very attentive staff and good food - the Borscht is delicious. It was just a pity we had to leave promptly to go to the theatre, so couldn’t stay and chat for very long. We will definitely go back. I loved the music from American Idiot as I’m a Green Day fan but didn’t like the show overall; a bit odd with no real story line. Newton Falkner played one of the lead roles and was the best thing about the show in my opinion.

Day 5: Sunday 5th June - Watch Schindler’s List

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: No

Description: I had never seen Schindler’s List and it’s a classic so I decided I would finally get round to watching it. I was singing at a wedding that day so decided to watch this at night once I got in.

Marks out of 10: 7

Final thoughts: It is a great film, well directed, fantastic acting but I was knackered and would rather have went to bed.

Day 6: Monday 6th June - Buy a Beggar/Homeless Person a Meal

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: No

Description: That day, I was working and also attending an evening event in Edinburgh so had very little time to try something new. I try to give money to homeless people/beggars when I can but you can never tell what they’re spending it on. There seems to be a stigma around beggars and people unfairly label them as drunks, junkies or just plain lazy. However, I decided buying someone lunch would just be a nice thing to do. There was a guy selling The Big Issue outside Pret a Manger on Gordon Street in Glasgow City Centre. It was another sunny day and he looked tired and fed up of people ignoring him. I asked him if I could buy him something to drink: “a coffee would be nice” he replied with a smile. I also asked if he would like something to eat as well, to which he eagerly replied “a cheese sandwich would be great”. I also bought him a bottle of water and bought a Big Issue from him for good measure.

Marks out of 10: ?

Final thoughts: How do you score “helping someone in need” out of 10? I shouldn’t need an incentive to help someone in need, plus I also feel guilty about deriving pleasure from something so tragic. An old lecturer of mine once said that public charitable acts was one way we soothe our moral conscience and this has always stuck with me (and seems fitting now). I must admit though it was nice to do something for someone in need. I hope it won’t be the last time I do this.

Day 7: Tuesday 7th June - Have a Pint of Guinness

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: Alex (accompanied by Mikey and Lisa to the pub)

Description: Yet again, I was busy and struggling to fit a new thing in; I was working during the day and going to see Coldplay perform at Hampden Park that night (I’ve seen them 3 times before, including once at Hampden, so nothing new there).  So I thought having a pint was an easy thing to squeeze in. I had taken a sip of Guinness before but never drank a whole pint.

Marks out of 10: 7

Final thoughts: I have discovered I actually really like a pint of Guinness and have now (at the time of writing this) had 2 more pints of Guinness with my mate Alex. I would have scored this higher but, on the night, my quest for Guinness was actually a massive hassle. We went to a pub after work and also a Thai restaurant for dinner, both of which didn’t sell Guinness. Guinness was also nowhere to be found at Hampden Park. In the end, I had to turn down a lift home and walk quite a distance to find a pub. The pint was great but I would have rather just went home. I’ve now added “have a pint of Guinness in Dublin” to my bucket list.

Day 8: Wednesday 8th June - Fast for 24 hours

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: No

Description: Another work day where I was at an event in Edinburgh. Lisa and I were also meeting with Kirsty (a Humanist celebrant we have now booked for our wedding) later that night so I didn’t have much time. However, you can fit in “not eating” quite easily.

Marks out of 10: 5

Final thoughts: I fasted from 7pm the previous night until 7pm that day. It meant not having any supper, breakfast or lunch. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it but I also didn’t find it very hard; I just drank a lot of water.  I might do it again someday (to lose weight) but I’d rather just do some exercise, or eat more healthily.

Day 9: Thursday 9th June - Go and Watch A Band I Have Never Heard Of

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: Lisa

Description: I had to do a good bit of research for this one, to find a suitable day. I was going for after work drinks with two of my colleagues (Cameron and Kelly) as I had a new job. After this, I met Lisa and we went to see Stewarton Winds perform in St Sillias Church as part of Glasgow’s West End Festival.

Marks out of 10: 8

Final thoughts: Stewarton Winds performed music from films including James Bond, Les Mis and the animated Disney film The Incredibles; I didn’t realise how good the music from this cartoon was. I was also pleasantly surprised to find two people I knew performing that night: Chris Pugh on trombone and his good lady Lesley Cotton playing flute (although I didn’t realise it was Lesley until after the performance - sorry Lesley!). Not only was it my first time seeing a wind band, it was also my first time seeing a show at the West End Festival. I could not fault the band musically, and the tickets were a bargain at £8 each. We were also treated to a trio of singers called “The St Andrew’s Sisters”, which consisted of three young girls who perform excellent three part harmonies in the style of the Andrews Sisters. Vocally, they were spot on; with a little bit more confidence and showmanship, they will go far. There were some problems with the sound system and some overly long thank yous at the end (which highlighted that this was an amateur gig). But there was nothing amateur about the performance itself. Overall a great wee gig, something different and I’d go see them again.

Day 10: Friday 10th June - Have a Cheat Day

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: No

Description: This was my last day before starting a new job, and I was also going out on a night out with my work’s football team. I decided to have a cheat day where I would deliberately eat whatever I wanted all day. I had chocolate and coffee for breakfast; a meatball sub, a cake, more chocolate and an ice cream for lunch; pizza, chips, chicken wings for dinner and plenty of beer on my night out.

Marks out of 10: 4

Final thoughts: I have been eating more healthily since New Year (and lost almost 2 stone) so I thought I would enjoy a day of eating whatever I wanted. In all honesty, I preferred the fasting; because I’ve changed my diet in the last 5 months, I just felt bagged up and horrible. I like the odd wee treat but having too much junk food just makes me feel crap now (and guilty) so I didn’t really enjoy this.

Day 11: Saturday 11th June - Visit the Transport Museum and Tall Ship

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: Lisa

Description: I used to love the old Transport Museum when I was kid so decided it would be good to visit the new Riverside Museum - and the Tall Ship - as part of the “30 in 30”. I had a gig that night (and the museum is close to home) so it seemed like a good thing to fit in that day.

Marks out of 10: 6

Final thoughts: I don’t know whether nostalgia is to blame but I prefer the old Transport Museum. They’ve tried to make it modern and interactive but, for some reason, it just doesn’t work for me. My friends Scott and Elaine told me later that they take their daughter Lucy there all the time, and it’s her favourite place to go, so maybe it’s just one for the kids. I had no expectations of the Tall Ship but it was surprisingly good; it was larger below deck than I realised and I found the history interesting. As I was gigging that night, we were pushed for time so we rushed round both the Transport Museum and the Tall Ship; I think this definitely detracted from the experience. Both attractions are free of charge - and parking cost £1 for four hours - so it’s worth checking out if you haven’t before. Overall, a little underwhelming and rushed so not the best thing I’ve done.

Day 12: Sunday 12th June - Climb Ben Lomond (and a Note on The Godfather)

Suggested by: Me, Ants

Other participants: Ants, Scotty and G

Description: I have never climbed a munro before so thought Ben Lomond would be a good one to start with. It’s the closest munro to Glasgow and one of the easier ones to climb, with a good path all the way to the top. This is one I had to plan in advance so I set up a Facebook event to invite others to join me. In the end, a few people pulled out but four of us set out on a wet Sunday morning to complete the task.

Marks out of 10: 7

Final thoughts: It was the first time all four of us had climbed Ben Lomond and, to be honest, it wasn’t as hard as I thought. This was probably helped by the fact I have been walking every day during my lunch hour, to lose weight. It took us two hours and 15 minutes to get to the top, and another two hours to get back down. There are a few steep sections but, overall, it wasn’t that big a challenge. We set out early in the morning so were home before dinner time. The banter was great but, unfortunately, the weather was terrible and there was no visibility at all after the first half hour of the walk. It was a great achievement though, and I will definitely try to climb as many munros as possible. I’d also climb Ben Lomond again one day, hopefully when the weather is better and we can take in some stunning views. Cheers to the lads for joining me! That night, Lisa and I watched the first Godfather with a cold beer. I had saw it once before and had infamously said that it was over rated with too many unnecessary scenes (which I got a complete slagging for). After watching it a second time, I am going to retract that statement. It’s a great film! I still don’t think it is the best film ever made but the acting is superb, it has a great story and every bit sets the scene (and introduces the characters). Lads - I was wrong on this one!

Day 13: Monday 13th June - Bake a Cake

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: Lisa (also thanks to Marina for the recipe)

Description: I like to cook but have never baked (except for when I was a wee boy making Crispy Cakes with my Mum, or in Home Economics at school). It was my first day in my new job (which was a promotion) so why not celebrate by making a cake!

Marks out of 10: 8

Final thoughts: I really enjoyed it. We made a sponge cake from scratch, with a butter cream and jam filling (I confess we didn’t make the butter cream or jam). We also added more butter cream on top, which we covered in hundreds and thousands and “salted caramel crunch” pieces. I enjoyed both making and eating the cake! Lisa took more than half of into work and I got some great comments about how nice it was. Overall, I’m happy with how it turned out for a first attempt and will definitely make another one. Cheers to Lisa for her supervision!

Day 14: Tuesday 14th June - Watch the Godfather Part 2

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: Lisa

Description: I had only seen the first Godfather so decided to watch part two. I was working during the day so sat down at night to watch this with Lisa.

Marks out of 10: 8.5

Final thoughts: Another really great film, definitely helped by the acting skills of De Niro and Pacino. I was told that this was the best of the Godfather trilogy but I actually prefer the first one, as Marlon Brando is superb in it. In my opinion, it also has one of the best scenes ever, when Al Pacino and Diane Keaton have an argument and it gets pretty heated. A really good watch!

Day 15: Wednesday 15th June - Go to the Cinema On My Own

Suggested by: Me, Mark

Other participants: No

Description: I had never been to the cinema by myself and thought I’d give it a go. I went to see “X-Men: Apocalypse” at the Empire Cinema in Clydebank.

Marks out of 10: 8.5

Final thoughts: This one seems a bit like Marmite. A lot of people say they like going to the cinema on their own with nobody disturbing them, and just losing themselves in the film; others hate even the idea of it (and would feel like a loser). I must admit, I really enjoyed it. It felt weird asking for one ticket but the person who served me didn’t bat an eyelid. I got some Ben & Jerrys Cookie Dough ice cream (heaven in food form), sat back and watched the film. I also really enjoyed the film; for me, the X-Men films are the best super hero films out (controversial statement, I know).

Day 16: Thursday 16th June - Watch the Godfather Part 3

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: Lisa

Description: After watching the first two, it made sense to watch the last part

Marks out of 10: 7.5

Final thoughts: Lots of people told me not to bother with part three, that it’s nowhere near as good as the others. I agree that it’s the worst of the trilogy but I don’t think it’s as bad as people make out. Andy Garcia is excellent, and it has that famous line: “just when they thought I was out, they pull me back in!” (incidentally, I now understand the reference in “The Sopranos” which, for me, is the best TV programme of all time). Glad I watched it! I have been told I should read the Godfather book too so, now that I’ve watched all the films, I definitely will.

Day 17: Friday 17th June - Eat in a Michelin Star Restaurant

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: Lisa

Description: I’ve always fancied eating in a Michelin Star restaurant so I made a reservation for me and Lisa at the Martin Wishart in Cameron House (Loch Lomond).

My meal consisted of:

An amuse-bouche: like an appetiser but served gratis to put you in the mood for the main course·

Two appetizers: one came out on a rock(!) and the other was like a cold soup served in a tiny pixie-like bowl. For the life of me, I can’t remember what they were called· 

Six entrées:

Root Vegetable Dumpling

Orkney Scallop and Bone Marrow - Ponzu & White Radish

Foie Gras Mousse and Apricots - Nuts, Seeds & Oloroso Sherry

Saddle of Borders Roe Deer - Celeriac, Black Garlic & Caramelised Onion Jus

Loin and Belly of “Blackface” Lamb - Broad Beans, Seaweed Potato, Roasted Artichokes & Sea Purslane

Valrhona Milk and Dark Chocolate - Praline, William Pear & Salted Caramel·

Two small sweet treats: French Macarons & Turkish Delight

Lisa had a glass of champagne with her dinner and we ordered 2 large bottles of water. Our bill came to £200!Marks out of 10: 8

Final thoughts: A few hours before we left to go to the restaurant, we almost cancelled when Lisa pointed out that the menu consisted of a 6 course tasting menu and nothing else. You had the choice of meat or veggie and, unfortunately, I’m not a great lover of seafood (half of the courses contained seafood). I phoned and explained the situation but, luckily, we were informed that we could swap a meat dish for the veg option so crisis averted. The food was actually delicious and I am really glad we tried it. But I can’t see me doing this again… unless I win the lottery. Not one for anyone fussy or skint!

Day 18: Saturday 18th June - Do Something Nice for Someone without Their Knowledge

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: No

Description: I wanted to do something nice for someone without their knowledge. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do but had to put a bit of thought into how to pull it off.

Marks out of 10: 7

Final thoughts: It was a simple thing to do but, since it remains a secret and the person will probably never know I done it, it’s not the most interesting blog entry. The main thing is that I know, the person will like it and it makes me feel good.

Day 19: Sunday 19th June - Play Bubble Football

Suggested by: Me and Alex G

Other participants: Alex G, Barry, Mikey, Mark, Alex L, Speedy, Bryson, Jamie, Andy, G, Scotty, Steven, Mathie (plus Niall)

Description: Ever since watching videos of bubble footy online I fancied organising this. Again, this took a good bit of prep to organise but I easily got the 14 bodies together via a Facebook event. We played at Goals at Drumchapel, followed by a game of 7-a-side.

Marks out of 10: 9

Final thoughts: What a great laugh with a top bunch of lads! The bubbles themselves were really hot and a bit claustrophobic so you had to come out of them quite often to get some fresh air. It helped that we had two rolling subs. The instructor was excellent and ran us through a series of different games. I would do it again but a few lads complained of injuries the next day. One of the best things about it was kicking the ball round afterwards, and generally just catching up with a bunch of guys I don’t get to see very often. As you get older and priorities change (work, kids, weddings, houses etc.) you see less of your mates so it’s just great just having a good time with the lads!

After the bubble footy, Mark, Mikey and I went for a coffee (another sign of getting old: nobody went for a beer). I also achieved another bonus new thing by going to the Gibson Street Gala (part of the West End Festival) with Mikey, Alex G and Barry; we also bumped into another mate (Niall) who joined us for a pint. It was pissing down with rain but was great banter, and good to grab a couple of pints (including my second Guinness with Alex and Barry). Lisa picked me up later and we went home for a steak dinner. All in all, a superb day!

Day 20: Monday 20th June - Play FootGolf

Suggested by: Alex G

Other participants: Alex G, Mikey and Mark

Description: Alex suggested foot golf, which basically involves kicking a football around a golf course with larger holes, using the rules of golf. We went to Cumbernauld Footgolf to play after work, with a 5pm tee off/kick off time.

Marks out of 10: 9.5

Final thoughts: I’d say this is the best thing I did in the 30 days. It was great fun, relaxing, a cracking sunny day… What’s not to like? It required a combination of long shots, tactics and accuracy when “putting” and I’m glad to say I was the winner. The main reason this scored so high is that I want to do it again, and soon! Apparently, this sport is really kicking off (pun intended) with proper foot golf leagues and tournaments. There are a number of different places you can play this across the UK and I definitely would like to try out as many courses as possible. I can’t really fault this at all but I never give anything full marks because I don’t think anything can ever be perfect. 

We followed this by a great meal in the Westerwood Hotel  while watching the England vs Slovakia game. I also had my third pint of Guinness (which Alex bought for me since I was foot golf champ).

Day 21: Tuesday 21st June - Go Ice Wall Climbing

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: Niall, Antz and Mark

Description: I have always fancied trying ice wall climbing so I rounded up some mates and set out to Snow Factor Braehead for an introductory session.

Marks out of 10: 8

Final thoughts: I’m afraid of heights so anything that involves heights is a challenge. I found this pretty difficult, as did Mark; Antz and Niall made it look easy. It was a great laugh though and I’m glad I did but I’m no rush to repeat the experience. At £30 a head, it is not a cheap pastime either.

Day 22: Wednesday 22nd June - Send a Birthday Card to a Stranger

Suggested by: Lisa

Other participants: No

Description: Another busy day where I was working during the day and rehearsing with the band at night so it was hard to fit anything in. Lisa had found an article online about an autistic American teenager called Hallee, who had invited all her classmates to her 18th birthday party but nobody showed up. For her 19th birthday, her cousin had put a plea out online, asking if people from all over the world could send Hallee a birthday card. We thought this was a nice story so obliged.

Marks out of 10: 6

Final thoughts: At the end of the day, there wasn’t much enjoyment for me but it was a nice thing to do. We found out later that the article went viral and Hallee received tens of thousands of cards and gifts from all over the world. I’m glad I was part of it.

Day 23: Thursday 23rd June - Turn Off My Mobile Phone For 24 Hours

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: No

Description: We are glued to our phones on a daily basis, and I hate it when you are in company and people are on their phones ignoring everyone else (even although this is completely hypocritical as I do the same thing sometimes). So I thought it would be a good idea to try and go phoneless for 24 hours; I turned my phone off at 8am and didn’t switch it back on until 8am the next day.

Marks out of 10: 4

Final thoughts: The problem with this task is that phones aren’t just phones anymore. I use my mobile for social media, to Google stuff, to spellcheck, as a calendar, a calculator, an alarm, a clock, a camera and a notepad (to name but a few). In all honesty, it was just totally inconvenient but I hate how reliant I am on it. Unfortunately, unless I carry around all of the above things, I’m gonna need my phone. I have, however, started to make a conscious effort not to constantly check my phone for messages, or browse through social media aimlessly (a habit that frustrates the hell out of me). I also think there should be an annual night out where people go to the pub without their phones… just so we can have those pointless conversations where someone makes a crazy statement and nobody can Google it: “mind when Tom Hanks was in an episode of The Bill?”

Day 24: Friday 24th June - Go and See a Film in an IMAX Cinema

Suggested by: Me and Lisa

Other participants: Mark

Description: I had the day off work because we were gigging at a wedding, which we had to set up for during the day. Between setting up and performing later, we had a good few hours to kill so I suggested to Mark that we see a film in the IMAX as I had never been before. We went to see Independence Day: Resurgence.

Marks out of 10: 8

Final thoughts: Independence Day: Resurgence was the perfect kind of film to see in IMAX; built for 3D with spaceships, aliens, laser fighting and high speed chases. A period drama would be terrible! It’s pretty pricey and we crammed it in but I really enjoyed it and would go back (but it would need to be the right kinda film).

Day 25: Saturday 25th June - Visit Paris

Suggested by: Me and Gary

Other participants: Gary

Description: In summer 2015, my mate Gary asked me if I wanted to go with him to the Euros as he had managed to get two tickets. So I said hells yeah and we booked up.

Marks out of 10: 9.5

Final thoughts: Paris is a brilliant city but a bit pricey. I really loved it so I will definitely be back… next time I’ll take my good lady (I’ve been told). I really can’t fault anything that happened, just wish I had more time to explore the city.

Day 26: Sunday 26th June - Go to a Fan Zone at a Major Sporting Event

Suggested by: Me and Gary

Other participants: Gary

Description: I had planned that my new thing to do in Paris would be to try escargot (snails). However, it just didn’t happen as we were drinking all day and eating things like chicken kebabs and hotdogs on the go. So my new thing ended up being “go to a fan zone at a major sporting event”. We visited the fan zone at the Eiffel Tower as part of Euro 2016.

Marks out of 10: 9.8

Final thoughts: This was the highlight of the trip to Paris. Beer, banter, beautiful weather, meeting new folk from all over the world and three brilliant games of football on the big screens:

France 2 - 1 Ireland

Germany 3 - 0 Slovenia

Hungary 0 - 4 Belgium

We also had an impromptu game of 9-a-side with random folk from about 10 different countries, where I managed to flick the ball over two people’s heads, and Gary skinned a few more… all while wearing our kilts! The 0.2 points I have deducted is due to having to queue for an hour to get in although we forgave them as a) it was a Sunday b) France were playing and c) the security was tight as hell (with the madness that we call terrorism plaguing our world). Furthermore, I broke my sporran and lost my glasses while playing footy; it was also difficult to watch the first game as I’m a short arse and couldn’t see over folk in the crowd. An almost perfect experience!

Day 27: Monday 27th June - Go to a Game at the Euro Championships

Suggested by: Gary

Other participants: Gary

Description: As mentioned, I had received a call from Gary a year earlier asking if I wanted to go to the Euros as he had two tickets. It was a second round game so we had no idea at that point who we would be watching (or whether Scotland would qualify). It turned out they never qualified (surprise surprise) but we ended up at the Stade de France watching Italy vs Spain!

Marks out of 10: 9

Final thoughts: We couldn’t have asked for a better day.  Weather wise, it was another scorcher and the game was superb (some great goals, real drama and a phenomenal stadium). The banter continued, and included more photos with people from “everywhere” and running into the German “goalkeeper” and his Croatian wife from our fan zone 9-a-side kick about. To top it off, we made it onto the BBC website and were interviewed by not one but two Chinese TV stations. The one thing that let it down was the fact I was rough as a badgers arse from the night before, where we stayed out drinking until 4:30am after a full day drinking in the fan zone. My bad!

Day 28: Tuesday 28th June - Play Piano in an Airport

Suggested by: Nobody

Other participants: Gary

Description: Similar to day 26, I had planned that my new thing would be “eat frogs legs” but it never happened (as we couldn’t find a suitable eatery that served them at breakfast time before we hit the airport). Whilst wandering the city, we tried French Macaroons (which were one of the best things I have ever tasted) but then I remembered that I had had them at the Martin Wishart restaurant on day 17. In the end, there was a piano in the airport which I played. I have been in an airport and have played piano before… but never at the one time!

Marks out of 10: 5

Final thoughts: To be honest, I’m a little disappointed that this is on my list as it goes against my own rules in the introduction. It’s a bit trivial combing 2 things I have done and calling it new. We did have a good sing song, in particular “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Piano Man” (which a random woman filmed on her phone). My voice was a bit gubbed after all the drinking and lack of sleep, and I never played well (as I am out of practice). I enjoyed it but clutching at straws with the “something new”. I’m counting it though!

Day 29: Wednesday 29th June - Go and Watch Speedway

Suggested by: Alex

Other participants: Alex, Barry and Claire

Description: I was off work and my original “new thing” was going to be “play my keyboard all day”. Although I’m a really busy guy, my Dad once commented that, one day, I might have the luxury to spend a whole day playing my keys, getting lost in the music. Although this is something that has stuck with me, I haven’t done it yet. As I mentioned in day 28, I am a bit out of practice so I thought it would be a good way to spend my day off. However, on the way home from the airport, Gary had suggested we “do some fitness” instead and we both agreed it would be a cracking way to sweat out the bevvy. We looked at doing something we had never done before (like climbing a different munro) but settled on doing “3 hours of back to back racket sports” (squash, tennis and badminton) . Again, I wasn’t really happy with counting this (as I have done all three individually) but, luckily, I didn’t need to worry as Alex also made a great suggestion to go and watch the Glasgow Tigers Speedway Team.

Marks out of 10: 7

Final thoughts: Alex had suggested this as his good lady Claire was singing during the pre-show entertainment. She done a great job and had also managed to get the three of us in for nothing. It was good fun, well worth going to see and the crowd was electric (especially since the Glasgow Tigers were televised on Sky Sports 1 for only the second time ever). I’m glad we done it but, again, I was knakered and couldn’t really be bothered. I’ll probably go again someday but in no real rush.

Day 30: Thursday 30th June - Start a Blog

Suggested by: Me

Other participants: No

Description: I have always fancied writing a blog (and also like the idea of writing a book or a play) so thought I’d give it a go. You are reading my first ever blog article… wow!

Marks out of 10: 4

Final thoughts: This was my first day back at work after the Paris trip, and I was also singing at a wedding, so I started writing late at night after my gig (and I really could not be bothered). Sadly, I’ve looked at this particular task as a chore and an inconvenience more than anything else.

In hindsight, I was proved right as this took weeks to write/edit!

I hope people have enjoyed reading it though, and I’m glad I’ll be able to look back on my experience for years to come.

In Conclusion

I’m delighted that it’s all over! In all honesty, between doing all these tasks, working, gigging, and rehearsing etc, I feel I have burned myself out. Doing too many things (no matter how fun) can become a chore and, unfortunately, that’s what’s happened. There were some great moments in here, some things I will definitely do again and, overall, I am delighted that I managed to complete the 30 in 30. In hindsight, I did bite off more than I could chew and it was much more difficult that I had imagined. The problem with doing something new every day is that you have no time to plan what you’re doing next. It took up too much of my time and a lack of sleep, time and energy did detract from the overall appeal. It would probably be different if I had no commitments but that isn’t reality.

Highlights from the 30 in 30 would be my four days in Paris (in particular, the fan zone and Euro match), foot golf and climbing Ben Lomond; I will do all three again. I also had a brilliant time playing bubble footy with the lads and eating at the Martin Wishart with Lisa (although both are likely to be one time things).

I have a bucket list with lots of other things to experience and achieve, which I keep adding to. Some of which I have now achieved across the month of June, other “new things” achieved in June were more trivial and would have never been on a bucket list in the first place. But I’m still glad I have done them all. I’m the kind of guy who lives for the next challenge and my close mates and I always use the phrase “so what’s next?” One thing for sure… I’m looking forward to the next challenge, the next adventure, the next achievement. Based on this experience, next time I’ll try and achieve things at more leisurely pace so that I enjoy it all the more!