Where you head when Glasgow's West End becomes too much (and too expensive) (South Side)

Member Name: jamesontheroad

Product:	South Side
Date:	20/01/09 (18 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Peaceful residential neighbourhoods, good local shops and services, good transport, Queens Park

Disadvantages: Some neighbourhoods such as Govanhill extremely troubled by slum landlords and transient communities

Denizens of Glasgow will know the city not only by its neighbourhoods, but also by the larger groupings of districts that divide the city into three predominant points of the compass: the East End, the West End and the South Side. I've never heard anyone mention the north of the city in terms of its own name, but then I haven't had much cause to venture to that part of the city (but look forward to being invited by a fellow DooYoo-er, perhaps?).

The West End is most famous for its dense neighbourhood around the University of Glasgow, the oldest buildings of which stand on a proud bluff overlooking the near-by museums and district of Partick. Its a bustling hub of students and young professionals, drawn to the buzzing nightlife and dense provision of things to do.

But travel south across the Clyde and you'll discover Glasgow's disparate but no less pleasant South Side neighbourhoods. The ravages of slum clearances, sixties tower blocks, railways, industry and soon the M74 motorway link have all done their part to drive a massive scar between the South Side of Glasgow and the city centre. But if you're new to this area, persist. Because if you press on south, you'll soon reach the neighbourhoods of Pollokshields, Govanhill, Strathbungo, Crosshill, Cathcart, Battlefield and Pollokshaws.

Wrapped around the beautiful hill of Queens Park, these are the neighbourhoods I consider to be the South Side of Glasgow. Each is slightly different, having been built up over the course of a century or more and evolved to become home to different ethnic and social mixes.

Pollokshields's broad streets and grand apartments and houses have become home to an aspirational multi-ethnic community, with many successful first generation immigrants living here. Govanhill is statistically one of Glasgow's poorest and least healthy neighbourhoods, but the vibrancy of its mutli-ethnic immigrants and the core of its native Scottish residents presents a impressive mix of ethnic food shops along Allison Street and old man Scottish bars around the intersections.

To the west and south of Queens Park, Strathbungo and Battlefield are more sedate, quieter residential suburbs. The Kilmarnock Road through Shawlands is a busy shopping district. Continue south-west and you'll reach Pollok Park, home to the astonishing parkland-setting of the Burrell Collection, a free city museum of art and artefacts from around the world in a beautiful early eighties' building.

The previous reviewer suggested you need a car to appreciate the South Side. I've lived here six months without one and have no complaints. Although the Subway's circular route doesn't serve the real residential districts of the South Side, several well served overground suburban rail lines do, including the Cathcart Circle, Newton, Neilston, East Kilbride and Barrhead lines. Numerous buses radiate from the city centre as well, although without a zone card or bus pass, these are generally more expensive than the train. Walking and cycling is easy, and the view from the top of Queens Park (on the peak, next to the flagpole) is magnificient: both north towards the city's skyline and the Campsie Fells and south towards the countryside.

The South Side may not be as convenient or as hiving as the West End, but it's better served by the railway, has more local food and general shops and is substantially cheaper in terms of rental and living costs. Come down for a meander next weekend and see what I mean!

Summary: Step down to a better quality of life in Glasgow's leafy south side suburbs.