Home › Issue archive › Issue #1

Gales, ghouls & the clocks going back | Glasgow 23 Oct–1 Nov

Dear Green Compass Issue #1 · Friday 23 October 2026
Your practical guide to Glasgow, whatever the weather.

🧭 Compass Check

Hello, and welcome to the very first Compass. This one covers today, Friday 23 October, to Sunday 1 November, and the short version is: this weekend is wet and wild, Halloween weekend looks much calmer. Two named storms are passing through: Storm Austen brings a Met Office yellow rain warning today, and Storm Boelo brings a yellow wind warning from 6pm Saturday to 9pm Sunday. Plan indoor things for Saturday and Sunday, and save the outdoor Halloween trails for the 29th to the 1st. One more thing: the clocks go back at 2am this Sunday, 25 October, so you get an extra hour in bed and lose an hour of daylight in the evening.

☁️ The Forecast, Honestly

Ranges span Met Office, BBC Weather, Open-Meteo and yr.no, checked Thu 22 Oct evening. Gusts are from the Met Office and Open-Meteo.

The Met Office says: today starts wet, and the rain "will be heavy and persistent for a time", easing in the west by about lunchtime. Then it's "rather unsettled over the weekend", with rain and strong winds on Saturday, and showers on Sunday "accompanied by severe gales". The Storm Boelo warning says gusts of 55–65mph are likely widely, with a risk of "injuries and danger to life from falling debris". Next week is milder and calmer, but the 30th and 31st still show some showers. So treat Thursday 29 onwards as hopeful, not promised. We'll update you on Monday if things change.

What to wear: a waterproof jacket with a hood. Forget the umbrella this weekend, the wind will turn it inside out on Buchanan Street. Bring layers for the dark, chilly evenings at outdoor trails.

⭐ This Week's Big Five

1. Paisley Halloween Festival (Day trip, 15 mins by train)
Scotland's largest Halloween parade, roughly 400 performers on a "Haunted House" theme, with street theatre, light shows and a funfair.
📅 Tonight (Fri 23) 4–9pm and Sat 24 Oct 2–9pm. Parade 7pm both nights (about 60 mins).
💷 Free. The covered grandstand is now sold out for both nights.
🌧️ Weather note: on Thursday afternoon the council said tonight is "going ahead as planned, subject to ongoing weather assessments", and that an update on Saturday's programme "will be provided closer to the time". The wind warning starts at 6pm on Saturday, an hour before the parade. Tonight is the safer bet (the rain should be clearing by then), and check the council page before you set off on Saturday.
🚆 Glasgow Central to Paisley Gilmour Street takes under 15 mins. Exit via County Square.
→ renfrewshire.gov.uk/parks-libraries-and-culture/events/paisley-halloween-festival

2. GlasGLOW: Zombie Zoo (West End, Botanic Gardens)
A 60-minute after-dark outdoor trail with light, sound and "dead-friendly zombies", plus a street-food village and marshmallow toasting. Runs until Sun 1 Nov.
💷 Twilight: adult £26, child from £14, family (2+2) £76. From Sun 25 Oct, twilight entry is 4.30–5.15pm, which suits wee ones. Peak (Fri–Sun): adult from £28, child from £19, family from £94. Off-peak Mon 26–Thu 29 from 5.30pm: family £76. Under-3s free. Small service fee from £0.70. Tickets only via glasglow.com (it takes you to itison).
🌤️ Our tip: skip it during this weekend's wind warning and aim for Thu 29–Sun 1, when the gusts drop right off.
→ itison.com/glasglow

3. Turandot, Scottish Opera (City Centre, Theatre Royal)
Sir David McVicar's new production of Puccini's final opera, in its centenary year, "Nessun dorma" and all.
📅 Sun 25 Oct at 3pm (audio-described, touch tour 1.45pm), Wed 28 & Sat 31 Oct at 7.15pm. Also 4 & 7 Nov.
💷 £15 tickets for under-26s. Around 2 hrs 50 including two intervals. Sung in Italian with English supertitles. Contains nudity.
→ scottishopera.org.uk/shows/turandot

4. The Witch's Lair: Halloween Family Party (Pacific Quay, Glasgow Science Centre)
Three floors of spooky science: spellcasting shows, a planetarium trip to Titan (8+), potion-brewing, and heart-and-lung dissections for the strong of stomach. Costumes encouraged.
📅 Fri 30 Oct, 6–9pm. 💷 £9.95pp, under-3s free. One listing says it's sold out, but the Science Centre's page still shows a booking button, so check before you count on it.
→ glasgowsciencecentre.org/whats-on/halloween-family-party

5. Matthew Bourne's The Car Man (Charing Cross, King's Theatre)
Bourne's dance thriller moves Carmen to a 1950s Midwest garage-diner. Stylish and dark, so check the age guidance before booking for teens.
📅 Tue 27–Sat 31 Oct, 7.30pm, plus 2.30pm matinees on Thu 29 and Sat 31. 💷 Prices vary by seat and date; check ATG for current prices and availability.
→ visitglasgow.com/events/matthew-bournes-the-car-man-27102026-2856746

🌦️ Rain Plan (Fri 23–Wed 28)

More indoor ideas, by neighbourhood: → deargreencompass.co.uk/rainy-day-glasgow/

• OVO Hydro (Finnieston): Gladiators Live Tour Sat 24–Sun 25, J. Cole Mon 26, Kevin Bridges Tue 27 & Thu 29, Manic Street Preachers + Suede Wed 28. Exact timings usually go up 2–3 days before, on the event page. Allow extra time to get there during Saturday night's and Sunday's wind warning. → ovohydro.com/events · This week's gigs: deargreencompass.co.uk/gigs-glasgow/this-week/
• SEC Centre (Finnieston): The Creative Craft Show and Simply Christmas both run until Sun 25 Oct, and Koyo Con is on Sat 24 Oct. ELO Again plays the SEC Armadillo tonight (Fri 23). → sec.co.uk/whats-on
• Kelvingrove (West End, free): Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm, Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. Free family drop-in "Discover" sessions (ages 5–12) on Sat 24 & Sat 31 Oct, 1.30–4pm.
• Riverside Museum (Partick, free): there are weekend family drop-ins, and Mini Museum Explorers runs for 3–5s. See Glasgow Life's families programme for dates and times.
• 42nd Street (GLOC) at the King's Theatre, last shows tonight and Sat 24 Oct. → atgtickets.com/whats-on/glasgow
• Free museums and more: → deargreencompass.co.uk/free-things-to-do-glasgow/

🌤️ Dry(er) Plan (Thu 29–Sun 1)

• GlasGLOW: Zombie Zoo: see Big Five. The Halloween weekend uses peak pricing from 5.30pm.
• Spooktacular funfair (Clydeside, 225 South Street, G11 6JY): dodgems, waltzers, a big wheel, a ghost train and more. Open Wed–Sun only: Wed–Fri 5–9pm, Sat–Sun noon–4pm & 5–9pm, until Sun 1 Nov. Four-hour unlimited-ride wristbands: £22.50 (over 1.2m) or £19 (under 1.2m). Family and non-rider tickets are on the booking page. The organisers expect Fri 30 and Sat 31 to sell out. Rides may close in high winds. → spooktacularglasgow.com
• Burrell Collection (Pollok Country Park, free): Exploring Painting family drop-in, Sat 31 Oct & Sun 1 Nov, 1.30–4pm. Pair it with a crunchy-leaf walk around Pollok Park while the light lasts.
• St Mungo Museum (Cathedral, free): Día de los Muertos papel picado and marigold-flower making, Sun 1 Nov, 2–4pm. Then walk up to the Necropolis for the view (before dusk, around 4.40pm).
• Botanic Gardens grounds: open 7am–dusk, free. Do the River Kelvin walk by daylight, then come back after dark for GlasGLOW.
• What's on this weekend, updated: → deargreencompass.co.uk/whats-on-glasgow-this-weekend/

🚇 Getting About

• Clocks go back: 2am this Sunday, 25 Oct. Sunset is about 5.55pm on Sat 24, about 4.52pm on Sun 25, and about 4.40pm by Halloween. Outdoor plans need to start earlier than you think.
• Sunday Subway: 10am–6.12pm only (Mon–Sat 6.30am–11.40pm). If you're at the Sun 25 Turandot matinee (it finishes around 5.50pm) or Papa Roach at the Hydro on Sun 1 Nov, plan a bus, train or taxi home. Fares start at £1.80 for an adult single, and you can now tap in with contactless.
• Kelvingrove parking is cut back during restoration works. Glasgow Life suggests Bunhouse Road (busy) or public transport: Kelvinhall Subway is about half a mile away.
• Paisley festival nights: there are road closures in the town centre, so take the train.
• Weather warnings (Met Office, Strathclyde incl. Glasgow): 🟡 Rain, Storm Austen: today 6am–11.59pm, with 20–40mm widely and up to 60–80mm in places, plus possible flooding and travel delays. 🟡 Wind, Storm Boelo: Sat 24 6pm to Sun 25 9pm, with gusts of 55–65mph widely and 70–80mph on exposed coasts. Expect disruption to trains, ferries and bridges. Check the Met Office and Traffic Scotland before you travel.
• Trains: there's planned engineering work on Sat 24–Sun 25 Oct and again on 31 Oct–1 Nov. Check ScotRail travel updates before you set off. Going to the Hydro or a match? → deargreencompass.co.uk/glasgow-stadium-guide/

🔎 Off the Beaten Close

Govan Stones: last call for the season. In Govan Old Church, 150 metres from Govan Subway, sits a unique collection of early medieval carved stones (9th–11th century), relics of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. It's free, and the official site says the season ends Sat 31 October, so this weekend and next are your last chances until spring. Check today's opening and tour times on their site. Indoors, uncrowded, and perfect for a wet Saturday. Access: the entrance has five steps and a mobile ramp, so contact them in advance if you need help getting in.

Kibble Palace, the West End's warm-up room. The Botanic Gardens' A-listed Victorian glasshouse (moved here from Loch Long in 1873) is free and full of tree ferns, carnivorous plants and marble statues. The council lists glasshouse hours as 10am–4.15pm in winter. It's a perfect half-hour thaw before a GlasGLOW slot. The tearoom is open Mon–Sat 10am–4.15pm and Sun 11am–4.15pm.

📅 Plan Ahead

• Celtic Connections 2027 (14–31 January): new shows have been going on sale every Thursday in October, and the next batch lands on Thu 29 Oct. Under-26s can join New Roots for £1 and get up to 50% off selected shows. → celticconnections.com
• Bonfire Night: no Glasgow Green display has been confirmed for this year. GHA Rugby Club's Southside display is on Thu 5 Nov at Braidholm Road, Giffnock: gates 6pm, fireworks 7.15pm. There's no parking, so wear wellies and take public transport. → gharugby.co.uk/event/gha-fireworks-2026
• Kelvin Hall turns 10: a free Family Fun Day on Sat 7 Nov, 1–4pm, with a pre-5s zone.
• More Kevin Bridges at the Hydro: 3, 4, 15, 17, 25 & 26 Nov.
• Christmas markets: St Enoch opens in early November (the organiser says Fri 6 Nov), and Glasgow Green opens Fri 20 Nov. → deargreencompass.co.uk/christmas-markets-glasgow/

💌 Pass It On

Know someone visiting Glasgow soon? Forward this, or send them to https://dear-green-compass.kit.com/e25278c2e4. Got a tip, a correction or a favourite rainy-day spot? Just hit reply, a real person reads every one.

Haste ye back, whatever the weather.
— The Dear Green Compass

Sources (re-checked Thu 22 Oct 2026, evening): Met Office Glasgow forecast (weather.metoffice.gov.uk/forecast/gcuvz3bch), Strathclyde regional forecast & warnings RSS · BBC Weather Glasgow · Open-Meteo forecast API (weather data CC-BY 4.0, Open-Meteo.com) · yr.no / MET Norway · GOV.UK clock changes · Renfrewshire Council: Paisley Halloween Festival · itison.com/glasglow · spooktacularglasgow.com · glasgowsciencecentre.org · scottishopera.org.uk/shows/turandot · visitglasgow.com · atgtickets.com · ovohydro.com/events · sec.co.uk/whats-on · glasgowlife.org.uk (What's On for Families in Museums Oct–Dec 2026) · burrellcollection.com · thegovanstones.org.uk/visiting · glasgow.gov.uk (Botanic Gardens) · spt.co.uk · celticconnections.com · gharugby.co.uk · Glasgow Live & Glasgow Times (storm warnings)

More issues: the Dear Green Compass issue archive.