Green days out in Glasgow
19th October 2022
Earlier this year National Rail appointed three Chief Environment Officers, whose role is to explore Britain by train and champion sustainable travel. The winners were selected by a judging panel made up of explorer and broadcaster Simon Reeve and travel vloggers Wanderlust Chloe and An Adventurous World.
One of our new Chief Environment Officers, Gabby Secomb-Flegg, took a trip to Glasgow to uncover some of the fantastic sustainable days out you can enjoy when you travel by train.
Here are some of the great things Gabby experienced, that you could enjoy too:
Mural Trail
Glasgow has a Mural Trail featuring a diverse range of art within easy walking distance of the city centre. The splashes of colour have helped to rejuvenate streets and revitalise buildings by turning them into beautiful pieces of public street art.
Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis
Overlooking Glasgow Cathedral, the Necropolis is a Victorian garden cemetery full of architecture, sculptures and fascinating stories. At the Cathedral you can explore the crypt, witness the Blackadder aisle’s ceiling and even find the effigy of Bishop Wishart (ally of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce).
Gallery of Modern Art
Containing works by David Hockney, Sebastião Salgado and Andy Warhol, alongside Scottish artists such as John Bellany and Ken Currie, the Gallery of Modern Art is the main contemporary art in Glasgow and showcases a range of thought-provoking exhibitions.
Botanical Gardens
Perfect for those who love nature, green spaces, architecture and a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city,the Glasgow Botanic Gardens do a great job of raising awareness about the importance of conservation and plant diversity. They are a popular place to walk, relax and experience a stunning array of plants and flowers.
Kelvingrove Museum
One of Scotland’s most popular free attractions, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has 22 galleries to explore, with collections of art, natural history, jewellery and more . With over 80,000 objects to discover there’s something to interest every member of your family. They even have free daily organ recitals!
Rail travel is one of the most sustainable forms of public transport, with 1 train having the ability to remove up to 500 cars off the road. Below you can find out how much carbon (and money) you can save when you travel by train using a Railcard.
A return journey from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh creates the following amount of carbon:
Train: 6kgs
Car: 20.1kgs
Plane: 36.84kgs
An adult travelling to Glasgow from Edinburgh can save £6.50 when travelling by train with a 26-30 Railcard*
Price with Railcard: £12.60
Price without Railcard: £19.10
A return journey from London Kings Cross to Glasgow creates the following amount of carbon:
Train: 49.16kgs
Car: 164.7kgs
Plane: 301.9kgs
A return journey from Newcastle to Glasgow creates the following amount of carbon:
Train: 17.24kgs
Car: 57.76kgs
Plane: 105.9kgs
An adult travelling to Glasgow from Newcastle can save £26.60 when travelling by train with a 26-30 Railcard*
Price with Railcard: £51.60
Price without Railcard: £78.20
You can find out more about our Chief Environment Officers and the journeys they are taking here.
*Price is based on one adult travelling with a Railcard discount on an Off-Peak Return on 5 November and returning on 12 November 2022. Prices checked 13 October 2022.
Carbon calculations were made using the LNER Carbon Calculator.