CARRIE LYELL HEADS WEST TO GO WALLABY SPOTTING ON THOSE BONNY, BONNY BANKS

Crossbasket Castle.

Carrie’s suite.

the whisky selection.

local beer.

CitizenM.

There’s much said of the rivalry between Scotland’s two biggest cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh, but I’ve got a great fondness for both. I went to high school in the former and university in the latter, but I haven’t spent much time back west since I left in 2003. So when I was invited to explore the bonny, bonny banks of Loch Lomond, I couldn’t resist stopping off to visit my old mucker, Glesga, on the way.

AE FOND (GLASGOW) KISS

Just 50 minutes on the train from Edinburgh, first on the agenda when I arrive at Glasgow’s Queen Street is to find my hotel and freshen up. A short walk from the station is the super cool CitizenM (citizenm.com), which promises “affordable luxury”, and it doesn’t let me down. From the impressive rain shower to ambient mood lighting, this is exactly the kind of hotel I want on a city break: no fuss, no frills.

After a quick disco nap, I head out for an afternoon down memory lane. The city has changed considerably, and I’m excited to visit some of the new kids on the block, including Category Is Books (categoryisbooks.com). But I’m also pleased to find my old faves are still going strong, including 13th Note (13thnote.co.uk) and Stereo (stereocafebar.com), where I treat myself to a beer and tasty vegan pizza.