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Glasgow!

Glasgow!

Published on 27 June 2025

Time to change hotels for the last time this trip! This time, I’m even staying a bit longer. It’s Glasgow, after all, and I need time to revisit my old favourites, and some new places, of course! 

Before leaving Edinburgh—my train would only be around noon—I enjoyed a breakfast at the apparently very popular Greenwoods café, and had the Carbonara Benedict. 

A last coffee at Lowdown, and I was ready to finish packing, check-out of my hotel, and head to the Edinburgh Waverley, from where another ScotRail train would take me to Glasgow Queen Street. 

I dropped off bag at the hotel, and headed back out again for a coffee at Spitfire Roasters. A double espresso, because when you drink it at the source, you should get it as pure as possible! I dropped by at Mr Ben, but unfortunately I didn’t find a vintage sporran to my liking…

I hopped on a First bus to get to the House for an Art Lover. So, this house is built based on drawings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh from the beginning of the 20th century, but only built in 1989! It’s nice to see his designs finally being realised this way. 

Then it was finally time to check in to my hotel and home for the next four nights: Premier Inn Glasgow City Centre Buchanan Galleries. 

After relaxing and recharging for a bit, I walked to the Epochal Barrel-Fermented Ales brewery, somewhere in an industrial estate. All shutters were closed though, and there was no sign of life, even though the taproom was supposed to be open…

After hanging around for a bit—maybe they were just late?—I then walked to the Rail Yard Food Market. After finally finding it, I couldn’t believe my eyes how small it was: three vendors, one of which just coffee! The other options were pizza or baked potatoes, so I went for the latter. 

Sufficiently fed, I could then finally start drinking! First stop was the Grunting Growler. It’s actually a bottle shop, but with an excellent selection of beers on draught as well. 

Considering the area, it isn’t hard to guess my next destination: BrewDog Glasgow! I found myself a spot at the bar, and enjoyed some lovely beers there. In case you were keeping score: I now drank 123 beers at that bar, the most of all foreign bars I’ve ever been! 

Highlanders & Monsters

Highlanders & Monsters

Published on 24 June 2025

This Tuesday I had a normal day in Aberdeen: no train travel, no ferries, no hashing, so an excellent opportunity to visit some of the attractions I hadn’t been to yet, and basically just have an easy and relaxing day in the Granite City. 

The day started with a breakfast bagel at So NYC Bagels & Brew. The place felt a bit more fast food than I expected, but the bagel was tasty nonetheless. From there I hopped on a bus to get to The Gordon Highlanders Museum, to learn all about this other famous Scottish regiment. 

Since I was in the area, I had my coffee and lemon drizzle cake at Figment, who roast their own coffee right there. 

Back on the bus to the centre then, to the Aberdeen Art Gallery. I went specifically to see the Monsters of the Deep and the View of Aberdeen exhibitions. 

A second coffee stop at Milkjug—very friendly and engaging staff—and then it was finally time to taste some more beers! 

I first stopped by at BrewDog Union Square again, since I forgot my Beer Visa 3.0 last time, and it was about time I started claiming some of those awards as well! I couldn’t skip the OG BrewDog bar of course, the Gallowgate one. The nearby 61° North bar turned into Smoke and Soul, but apart from the name, not a lot seems to have changed. Even the glasses are still the same! 

For dinner I had put 8848 in my calendar, and I kind of forgot why. Turns out it was actually an award winning Nepalese restaurant. The number 8848 did ring a bell, but it was only when I opened the menu it became clear why it is called that: it’s the height in meters of Mount Everest! The service was excellent from the get go, and when I ordered the ‘bread basket’, with a mix of different kinds of naan, they advised against it since it would be too much for one person. Others would just have taken the extra £10… They were definitely right, and a just simple portion of garlic and coriander naan was exactly the right amount!

As for the food itself: by Jove, this was the best southeast Asian cooking I’ve ever had, from starter to dessert—which I usually don’t even order. 

To end the day, I also popped into Fierce Bar—their Iron Brew really tasted like Irn-Bru—and BrewDog Castlegate. 

Castles, Gardens & Woods

Castles, Gardens & Woods

Published on 23 June 2025

A last goodbye, and I was back in Aberdeen on my own… I had a full programme of bus rides and castle visits though, and some catching up to do on writing my blog for the past weekend! 

Somehow I forgot Travelodge Aberdeen Central actually doesn’t have room to store baggage before check-in, but luckily there was a Nannybag location nearby. It would only open at nine though, so I first went for my cortado at The Cult of Coffee. 

Bag dropped off, I then boarded my Stagecoach to get to Crathes Castle. This 16th-century castle doesn’t only have an interior worth viewing, but also an incredible walled garden, complete with doocot!

The second castle was just a short ride back down the road: Drum Castle. The oldest part, the Tower of Drum l, was already given to the Irvine family by Robert the Bruce in 1323! 

Finally back in the centre, I picked up my bag again, checked into my hotel, and went out again to eat a little something before tonight’s run. The Craftsman Company sadly doesn’t roast their own coffee anymore—the old machine broke down—but they do make a nice cheesy eggs and bacon bagel! I had a little bit of time left, so I popped into BrewDog Union Square for a beer. 

Changed into my running kilt, I was then picked up to go a little bit outside of the city, to run with Aberdeen H3. There was a big turnout, with quite a few visitors, all of them hashers who were at the Shetland event as well. 

Once back home, after a shower and a change, I went for a nightcap at BrewDog Castlegate, the only one of their three Aberdeen bars open until midnight on a Monday. 

Travel Day

Travel Day

Published on 21 June 2025

This Friday was to be another travel day: a train, two buses, and a ferry… Well, I could have saved myself the two buses, but then I would have missed out on a quick stop at a brewery! 

On a check-out day, just having breakfast in the hotel is the most convenient, so that’s what I did. All packed and dressed for a hot day, I headed to Inverness station to catch the ScotRail train to Inverurie. Unfortunately the airconditioning wasn’t working, so even in first class, I was in for a sauna… Luckily the train conductor kept his sense of humour! 

With a slight delay, I arrived in Inverurie, where I had a couple of beers in the local BrewDog, conveniently located right next to the bus station. There I got on the Watermill Coach that would get me to Ellon. 

Those who know me—or beer—immediately realise that is where the main BrewDog brewery is, and the DogTap attached to it. Since my stay in Inverurie was too short to have lunch—especially after my train had a slight delay—I had my All the Meats Sub and some dragon fries at DogTap. 

Stagecoach then brought me back to Aberdeen, where I met up with couple of dozen of hashers at the bar Krakatoa. It was no coincidence that we met right next to the harbour, since we all had the get on the NorthLink ferry Aberdeen – Lerwick, the “Hrossey”. 

After boarding, I made myself comfortable in my room, had a curry for dinner in the Magnus lounge, and then joined the other hashers again for some beers. When I finally decided to go to bed, it was still light outside…

Day 5 – Last Day, Last Hash…

Day 5 – Last Day, Last Hash…

Published on 21 September 2024 
Reached this post by just scrolling through my blog? 
If you want to read about this trip from start to finish, instead of in reverse order, click here!

On the last day of my trip I had one more hash to go, with London H3 this time, and at noon already. Once again, in the west of London, meaning another day spending quite a bit of time on trains again…

No hash with at least some food in my stomach, so my first stop of the day was at BrewDog Waterloo , for a Croissant Brunch Burger and some pancakes. Being at an Outpost, I had to try some of their beers brewed on site… Good morning!

After that, and had no time to lose, and took the South Western Railway to Barnes Bridge, from where the P trail lead me to The Coach and Horses pub, where the London H3 trail would start. It was a great hash to do as the last one during my London visit, but even though I only walked this one—I didn’t want to too sweaty on the Eurostar—if was definitely one of the longer ones!

After trail, it was time to get closer to my final departure station, and to my favourite London BrewDog bar: BrewDog Camden. I originally had other dinner plans, but since I was running a bit late, I just had some Korean loaded fries in the bar. 

Getting to the Eurostar station, through security, and onto the train: it all went pretty smoothly, so that marks the end of this trip.…