“The a part of ‘Outlander’ that I really like probably the most is the historical past: the clan tradition, the folklore and again tales (and penalties) of the Jacobite Rising,” mentioned Sam Heughan, 42, who has performed the heartthrob Highland warrior Jamie Fraser within the time-travel sequence since 2014.
This love of historical past feeds his ardour for the traditional metropolis of Glasgow. A typical day for Mr. Heughan entails meandering previous medieval cathedrals, Victorian cobbled lanes, Georgian structure constructed when town was a significant tobacco and sugar hub, and Nineteenth-century tenements constructed throughout the Industrial Revolution, when metal and ships have been mass-produced right here. “Glasgow has acquired stunning elements and grit. The mixture, plus extremely good-natured individuals, are town’s allure,” he mentioned.
Past the long-running sequence, Mr. Heughan simply accomplished capturing a tv present referred to as “The Couple Subsequent Door” for Starz and Britain’s Channel 4, and is launching a “wild Scottish” gin below the Sassenach label, a whisky-focused spirits model that he based in 2020. (The title means “a foreigner” in Gaelic, and can also be Jamie Fraser’s time period of endearment for Claire, his spouse, performed by Caitríona Mary Balfe.)
When he does have free time, Mr. Heughan is out and about. “I really like strolling and operating alongside the River Clyde to Glasgow Inexperienced with a doable cease on the microbrewery Drygate for a beer,” he mentioned. Mountain climbing is one other pastime (Mr. Heughan’s current memoir, “Waypoints: My Scottish Journey,” chronicles his expertise tackling the 96-mile West Highland Way hike). “A wee stroll, or stravaigin in previous Scots communicate, is sweet for psychological well being,” he mentioned.
He’s additionally a fan of Citizens Theatre within the working-class Gorbals space, which places on avant-garde productions and is concerned in neighborhood engagement. “I got here right here as a baby, carried out right here as a pupil and did my first skilled present right here referred to as ‘Outlying Islands.’ It holds lots of recollections,” he mentioned. (The theater is presently closed for refurbishment. )
On the subject of the kilt, sure, Mr. Heughan does sport one in actual life. “Kilts are a couple of feeling. They make you stand taller, and stroll stronger. Scots put on them for any excuse. When you go to a pub in a single, you’ll be getting a free drink sooner or later within the night.”
Listed below are 5 of his favourite locations in Glasgow.
A tiny whisky bar tucked into the Finnieston space, a hipster pocket of the West Finish, is deemed “a Glasgow establishment” by Mr. Heughan. “I went there as a pupil” — he studied drama on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland — “and I am going there now. Individuals communicate Gaelic, and there’s dwell conventional Scottish music, generally deliberate, generally impromptu. It’s a particular place.”
Within the West Finish, bisected by the River Kelvin, this 85-acre park dappled with Victorian fountains, grand stairwells and an arched stone bridge with carved balustrades is the place locals come to hang around throughout the hotter months.
“You possibly can have a picnic, stroll below the bridges and go to each Kelvingrove Artwork Gallery and Museum, in addition to the College of Glasgow, which is simply up the hill,” Mr. Heughan mentioned. For a craft ale pick-me-up close by, he recommends a “secret” bar referred to as Inn Deep just below the Kelvingrove Bridge.
He could not keep in a single day, however Mr. Heughan dines on the restaurant inside this modernist, Scottish-founded lodge within the metropolis heart near the West Finish. The Dakota Grill focuses on grass-fed Scotch beef merely grilled over coals, and can also be identified for ethically sourced seafood and modern takes on venison and lamb. “The inside is darkish and attractive, and I like their cocktail menu (whisky bitter, naturally) and easily grilled Scottish steak.”
This old-world fashion store on Nice Western Street is Mr. Heughan’s go-to for regionally sourced cheeses and accompaniments (quince paste, cornichons, olives, chutneys, oatcakes). “I’m not a dessert man, however on the finish of a meal, I can injury a cheese board, particularly one with Orkney and Isle of Mull Cheddars,” he mentioned. The store additionally gives tastings led by cheese mongers on Thursday evenings.
Since 2009, this scorching spot in Finnieston been serving up stellar seafood in a buzzy ambiance. Mr. Heughan sits on the counter going through the open kitchen and orders the seafood platter with langoustines and scallops and a few champagne. “The meals tastes like a celebration of Scotland, which has the very best seafood on the planet,” he mentioned.
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