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Tag: Scotrail

Back to Lothian

Back to Lothian

Published on 29 June 2025

Even though I’m staying in Glasgow, this Sunday I headed east again, even past Edinburgh, to Dirleton Castle in East Lothian…

I didn’t take the ScotRail train back to Edinburgh, and then a 90 minute bus, to actually visit Dirleton Castle, though. I got up at 7.30 and travelled all that way, just to run with the Edinburgh H3, actually for the very first time! It was a lovely run though: very sunny, great sights, and we came very close to getting on some sandy beaches again! And it seems almost inevitable when running in Scotland: we passed yet another golf course… 

I didn’t stick around for lunch at The Castle Inn, since it would already take me long enough to get back to Glasgow. 

After a shower and change in the hotel, I had my highly necessary coffee at Laboratorio Espresso. Then I checked out the guest beer list at the Innis & Gunn Brewery Taproom. Well, it was short this time…

For dinner I went to Buck’s Bar. Not sure why I put this place on my list, but I think The King burger on the menu had something to do with that: fried chicken with spicy peanut and sriracha satay sauce with sweet chilli jam.

The day ended with a couple of beers in very pleasant company at Stereo. 

Weaver’s Cottage

Weaver’s Cottage

Published on 28 June 2025

My Saturday in Glasgow was definitely a combination of new places during the day, and some old favourites in the evening… 

As nice as a full Scottish breakfast may be, when presented with the option, I like to try something more exotic every once in a while. As it happened, nearby Thai restaurant Chaophraya very recently started serving breakfast! I ordered the Khai Krata fried eggs with Thai sausages, and was happily surprised. At first I thought the sauces were just ketchup and brown sauce, but oh boy, was I wrong: the red sauce was some kind of chili sauce, the brown one a spicy soy sauce. 

My next National Trust for Scotland destination was a bit out of town, so I had to take another Scotrail train to Milliken Park. From there it was a little bit of a walk to the Weaver’s Cottage. While they were originally linen weavers, they changed with market demands, and started weaving tartans as well, and many other things!

Back in Glasgow, I first had a stamp, a beer, and a smash burger in BrewDog Merchant City.

I then had some coffee at Off the Rails, and beer at Shilling Brewing Company. Their guest selection had definitely improved since the last time I was there!

It was about time I had some Indian food for dinner again, so hoping for a table, I went to the busy Chaakoo Bombay Café. While I hadn’t booked a table, in less than fifteen minutes they could seat me, so I could order and enjoy my Masahari, keema matar, mango chutney, and garlic naan. 

The highlight of the evening was without a doubt my visit to the Koelschip Yard. Refreshed from the outside, but still the very welcoming neighbourhood vibe on the inside. Once you’re dragged into a conversation with the regulars, you’re in it for the night. And the beer list is still banging, of course! 
Side note: In this bar where I drank Epochal beers for the first time, they haven’t got a clue what’s going on with them either! 

On my way back to the hotel, I made a last stop at The Pot Still for a wee dram. Truly a night well spent!

Glasgow!

Glasgow!

Published on 27 June 2025

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

Before leaving Edinburgh—my booked train would only depart 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. There a ScotRail train would take me to Glasgow Queen Street. 

I dropped off my 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 also 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, while this house is indeed based on early 20th century drawings by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, it was only built in 1989! You could say it’s a pastiche, but I thought it was really nice to see his designs come to life 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 gave up and walked on 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 served 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! 

The New Town

The New Town

Published on 25 June 2025

Wednesday was another travel day—although this time just the one train from Aberdeen to Edinburgh—but also another hashing day, with The New Town hash this evening. 

The day started a bit earlier than expected: I had to go back to the NorthLink Ferries terminal to pick up some haberdashery (hashing gear) that didn’t make it to the event in time. Once back in my hotel with the loot, I enjoyed breakfast there, and then finished packing. 

Well before my train was due to depart, I went to Aberdeen station to relax a bit in the First Class Lounge. 

It would take the ScotRail train about 2h20 to take me from Aberdeen to Edinburgh Waverley, but I was well provided for, since on board too there was an unlimited supply of water and shortbread. And I did get some great sea views for a large part of the voyage!

After arrival, I went straight to my hotel—Hub by Premier Inn in Rose Street—and after a cup of tea in the lobby, I could already check myself in.

For my coffee I didn’t have to go too far, since it was just around the corner. I actually had even visited Wellington Coffee before! 

Completely new to me, however, was BrewDog Edinburgh Waverley, a BrewDog franchise bar in the main train station. I took me a while to find it, but while The Shaw OG hot dog was really nice, the beer choice on the other hand was rather disappointing. It really is a bar where you’d only go to kill some time while waiting for your train, and definitely not a beer geek destination…

Time to change again, and hop on a bus to get to the start of this week’s The New Town H3 run. It was a nice turnout, and an even better trail! Somehow the TNT runs I join are always quite hilly, though…

Back in the centre—and freshened up and back in my MacLaren kilt—I had a couple of beers at the Edinburgh Fierce Bar. 

After a quick late night dinner at Jollibee, my last stop of the evening was at Vessel, a restaurant and bar run by the Pilot brewery. Since it was almost closing time, I was their last and only customer, which gave the bar staff plenty of time to provide me with loads of recommendations of places to go in Edinburgh!

Travel Day

Travel Day

Published on 20 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 Ellon 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. 

A Stagecoach bus then brought me back to Aberdeen, where I met up with couple of dozen of hashers at the Krakatoa bar. It was no coincidence that we met right next to the harbour, since we all had the get on the same NorthLink ferry from Aberdeen to 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…