[1] From Charing Cross Station, take the footpath North, passing the Premier Inn, This will lead you to Bath Street. From there, take a left and you will reach the road that crosses over the M8 motorway, cross this road and walk along Berkeley Street. The Mitchell Library will be on your left hand side.
(A) The Mitchell Library is one of Europe's largest public libraries. Built in a neoclassical style in 1891. It is open to the public to take out books, read reference publications for study and also for talks and events such as Glasgow’s Aye Write book festival. With its distinctive green dome, the building has been one of the city’s iconic landmarks since it opened in 1911 and is also home to the Mitchell Theatre, an exhibition hall and the Herald Café Bar.
Continue along Berkeley Street and follow the road curving right onto Claremont Street and walk North up Claremont Street. Take care crossing the road over the M8, this is a busy junction.
[2] Cross the road of Sauchiehall Street and continue up North Claremont Street to Royal Terrace Place. Turn right to access the park from La Belle Place, you will pass An Clachan Cafe.
(B) An Clachan Cafe is a site where walkers can take a breather and visit toilets, it’s named after the reproduction highland village which was created in the park for the 1911 Scottish Exhibition of Natural History, Art and Industry. It is also a hub for the Medal Routes Project where further information on routes around the area can be found.
Take the footpath to the right of the cafe as in Spring and Summer, this is a scenic way into the park with bulbs planted at either side blooming into life. You will reach the Stewart Memorial Fountain at the end of this footpath, from here walk around the fountain in a half circle, and facing away from the footpath, walk straight and you will reach the pond.
(C) Stewart Memorial Fountain was built in 1872 in honour of the Lord Provost Robert Stewart who was credited as giving Glasgow it’s permanent supply of fresh water from Loch Katrine. To celebrate this, the fountain is decorated with various images from the Trossachs, where the Loch lies, from the Sir Walter Scott poem “The lady of the Lake”. From the fountain, you can see the spires of Glasgow University and the top of the Kelvingrove Museum.
If you are with children, there is a skatepark/playpark to the left for an enjoyable diversion.
Within the park and North Claremont street are cycle routes, watch for cyclists when walking.
[3] From the pond, walk straight and cross the bridge over the River Kelvin, and take a right, walking alongside it, keeping the river to your right, you will pass a dilapidated bandstand.
(D) The Kelvingrove Bandstand was built in 1924, back when watching music outdoors in bandstands was a more popular pastime, it is surrounded by an amphitheatre and has fallen into disrepair and no longer holds performances. There very few examples of bandstands left in Glasgow and there have been talks to refurbished this one and redesign it to hold more people than before for future open air performances.
Continue until you reach the next bridge on your right and cross over and turn right at the Highland Light Infantry Memorial, this time walking alongside the river with the river on your left.
(E) Highland Light Infantry Memorial, sculpted in 1906 to commemorate the Highland Light Infantry men who died in campaigns in South Africa at the beginning of the 20th century.
Look out for squirrels darting around, one of many species of local wildlife who call the park their home.
At the park gates at Eldon Street. Turn around facing the way you came but take the high footpath, now to your left. Follow the path to Park Gardens and and Park Gate, passing the Lord Roberts Memorial on the way.
(F) Lord Roberts Monument, this was commissioned in 1916 to commemorate Field Marshall Earl Roberts who lead imperial campaigns, it is a replica of a memorial in Calcutta.
Walking down Park Gate, you will then arriver at the Victorian terraced townhouses on Park Circus.
(G) Park Circus is home to Victorian terraced townhouses in one of the most expensive post codes in Glasgow. The crescent is known for the registry office and wedding venue at 22 Park Circus situated to the right hand side of the crescent as you approach from the park. The registration of marriages has recently moved out of this address but civil ceremonies and humanist ceremonies still take place here.
The road around the crescent to your right as you enter from the park takes you past 22 Park Circus, a popular wedding venue, but you can follow the crescent on either side to reach Park Circus Place.
Take care as the footpaths beside the river may be muddy after rain.
[4] Walk along Park Circus place away from the park and at Lynedoch Place, take a right and continue to Woodside Terrace. Follow this around to North Street and cross back over at Sauchiehall Street, taking care with the crossing as this is a busy junction. Walk across the overpass of the M8 motorway from Berkeley Street once more into Bath Street. Instead of taking the footpath from Bath Street back to the start point at Charing Cross Station, a further few yards right along Bath Street takes you to the King’s Theatre, from there you can complete the route by taking a right into Elmbank Street and passing a car park on your right and taking the next right into Elmbank Crescent, a few yards up this short street takes you back to Charing Cross Station on your right after you pass the Quakers House on your left.
(H) King’s Theatre, this was opened in 1904 and is built in the Baroque style. It hosts many comedians, productions of musicals and pantomimes.