The Curler's Rest
Historic Byres Road pub beside Hillhead station, with traditional surroundings, pub food and a long connection to the West End.
256-260 Byres Road, Glasgow
STOP 01 / 15 · GLASGOW SUBWAY
Hillhead pubs & wee detours
Cobbled lanes, student energy and the leafy heart of the West End.
Around Hillhead
Hillhead puts you straight onto Byres Road, with Ashton Lane's cobbles and pub gardens just behind the main street. The Curler's Rest is a close choice for a traditional pub stop; Jinty McGuinty's and Brel bring different flavours to the lane. For a longer visit, the Hunterian collections, Mackintosh House and University of Glasgow Cloisters give this neighbourhood much more than a drinks circuit.
Nearest directory choices first within each list. Distances are approximate straight lines from Hillhead station; walking routes, entrances and river crossings can add considerably to the distance.
Pubs & bars near Hillhead Subway
≈ 25 m from Hillhead · straight line ≈ 50 m from Hillhead · straight line Jinty McGuinty's
Family-run Irish pub on Ashton Lane, known for Guinness, live music and the busy atmosphere of the West End's cobbled lanes.
29 Ashton Lane, Glasgow
≈ 75 m from Hillhead · straight line Brel
Ashton Lane bar and restaurant with a leafy garden, a varied drinks list and food ranging from mussels to sharing dishes.
37-43 Ashton Lane, Glasgow
≈ 150 m from Hillhead · straight line Tennent's Bar
Traditional Byres Road pub with dark wood panelling, pub food, beer and televised sport, convenient for both Hillhead and Kelvinhall.
191 Byres Road, Glasgow
≈ 300 m from Hillhead · straight line The Aragon
Compact Byres Road neighbourhood pub with televised sport and occasional folk sessions, positioned between Hillhead and Kelvinhall stations.
131 Byres Road, Glasgow
≈ 350 m from Hillhead · straight line Òran Mór
A former church at the top of Byres Road, bringing together a whisky bar, theatre, music and Alasdair Gray's ceiling mural.
Top of Byres Road, Glasgow
≈ 600 m from Hillhead · straight line The Sparkle Horse
Independent neighbourhood bar on Dowanhill Street, just north of Dumbarton Road; its current website states that food is no longer served.
16 Dowanhill Street, Glasgow
No longer serves food.
≈ 625 m from Hillhead · straight line Gallus
Lively Dumbarton Road pub with televised sport, pool, darts and pizza, handy for a Kelvinhall stop.
80 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow
Things to do around Hillhead
≈ 100 m from Hillhead · straight line Ashton Lane
Cobbled lane behind Byres Road, lined with bars, restaurants and a cinema; an atmospheric West End wander beside Hillhead.
Ashton Lane, Glasgow
≈ 375 m from Hillhead · straight line The Hunterian Art Gallery
University gallery showing paintings, prints and drawings, including important Whistler collections, beside the Mackintosh House.
82 Hillhead Street, Glasgow
≈ 375 m from Hillhead · straight line The Mackintosh House
A meticulous reconstruction of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh's domestic interiors, beside the Hunterian Art Gallery.
82 Hillhead Street, Glasgow
Check current admission and availability.
≈ 500 m from Hillhead · straight line The Hunterian Museum
Science, archaeology and natural history inside the University of Glasgow's grand Gilbert Scott building.
University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow
≈ 525 m from Hillhead · straight line University of Glasgow Cloisters
Vaulted passageways in the university's Gothic main building, linking the quadrangles and offering a memorable architecture stop.
Gilbert Scott Building, University Avenue, Glasgow
≈ 550 m from Hillhead · straight line Glasgow Botanic Gardens
Leafy gardens, plant collections and the elegant Kibble Palace glasshouse, with paths extending towards the River Kelvin.
730 Great Western Road, Glasgow
≈ 550 m from Hillhead · straight line Cottiers Theatre
Restored former church on Hyndland Street, with colourful historic interiors and a programme of theatre, music and events.
93-95 Hyndland Street, Glasgow
Check the programme for interior access; also houses a bar and restaurant.
≈ 675 m from Hillhead · straight line Mansfield Park
Small neighbourhood park and piazza in the heart of Partick, providing a local green-space pause beside Dumbarton Road.
Mansfield Park, Hyndland Street, Glasgow
Make it part of a walking route
2–3 hours · WALKING ROUTEWest End wanderHillhead to KelvinhallFrom the gardens to Ashton Lane, past the university cloisters and into Kelvingrove Park. Take your time over the little streets in between.1½–2½ hours · WALKING ROUTEA short social circuitHillhead to KelvinbridgeMeet beside Hillhead, wander up Byres Road, then finish beside the Kelvin. Choose a couple of stops or settle in at all three.
One stop further
Putting a whole day together? Read the Glasgow subcrawl guide or browse all 15 stations.