Student Life: Where you need to be, any time of day

12pm – 3pm

Just getting into the day, you’ve probably successfully managed to sleep through your morning lectures, and starting to think about going outside.

LAZY DAYS BY THE RIVER:

The Water of Leith

Ok, yes, we realize we’re recommending a body of water here, but bear with us. Starting 24 miles away in the Pentlands, this river wiggles its way all through Edinburgh before pouring into the Firth of Forth down in Leith, taking in a large chunk of the city’s highlights along the way. Along twelve miles of the river is the Water of Leith Walkway, a major cycle path that allows you to cover the length of Edinburgh with only a few moments of pesky traffic dodging; the scenery ranges from canal boats out near Ratho, to waterfalls near Slateford, huge towering arches in Dean Village, and windy tree-root strewn paths through the forest near Warriston. Not to mention masses of wildlife and flowers and blackberries. There’s no better way to spend a lazy Sunday than ambling along, surfacing in different spots of the city; start in Stockbridge where you can nosy in some of the best charity shopping in town, then follow the path on right past the Dean Gallery, the Scottish Gallery or Modern Art and the Royal Botanic Gardens, ending down at the Shore in Leith, where some of the best pubs and eateries are waiting to replenish you. [Erin McElhinney]

www.waterofleith.org.uk

EAT ON THE GREEN IN ABERDEEN:

Café 52

52 The Green

Earl of Sandwich

47 The Green, Aberdeen, AB10 1WE, 01224 587 259

Just where is Aberdeen’s emerging Grassmarket or Soho? We all know Belmont St & Co can claim some consumer satisfaction during daylight hours, but few folk seem to realise the abundance of independent business endeavours down on The Green. First up grab a grilled pannini and fruit smoothie from the Earl of Sandwich – this place is a local institution for fast grub and finding the lowdown on local club events, gigs and cheeky underground parties. Then, when said sandwich has digested, spend some money in nearby boutiques (see our Boutique Shopping article for tips). And once your wallet has had enough, gather all your shopping bags under the ever-growing foliage of Café 52’s terrace for all day food and drinks guided with a continental nod, plus service and culinary passion simply unobtainable elsewhere in the city. [Jaco Justice]

ART CLASS:

Studio Warehouse: SWG3

100 Eastvale Place, G3 8QG, 0141 357 7246, www.swg3.tv

A few years back this place was a crumbling warehouse down a rather uninviting dark back-alley of Finnieston (its aesthetic properties being the last thing on your mind with a few hundred other partygoers getting deep, down and dirty in the small hours!). Today, however, the expansive creative contents of the totally reconceptualised building are a daylight highlight of life in Weej. Offering exhibition and studio space to artists, designers, photographers and musicians on a short/long term basis, SWG3 has emerged as a key player in nurturing post-collegians and attracting global artists with their residency programs. Affiliations with Glasgow International (festival of visual art), uber-chic fashionistas Comme des Garçons, plus Andy Votel’s B-Music parties, mean it’s well worth keeping your eye on the movements in those there West End shadows. [Jaco Justice]

PERFECT FOR PIZZA AND PINTS:

The Art Bar

115 Perth Road, Dundee, DD1 4JW, 01382 669 300

Located opposite the Art College this basement bar is boldly designed and has a warm, intimate atmosphere. While not a food venue and primarily known for it's eclectic clientele and entertaining DJs, there is nowhere better to grab a large pizza for a fiver while you enjoy your pint. You order at the bar, they ring upstairs, and pizza miraculously appears hot and tasty with any toppings you like. So you have no excuse to leave the pub, and with such a crowd why would you want to? [Lara Moloney]

A TOWN WITHIN A CITY, (ALMOST) OVER ITS TRAINSPOTTING DAYS:

Leith, Edinburgh EH6

The ongoing gentrification has polished off some of its rougher edges, but thankfully Leith still has its share of colourful characters to give it the atmosphere it is both famous and infamous for in equal measures. Aside from the smoke-stained bars sparsely filled with ageing locals sipping their OAP-price whisky, Leith has many fine and individual hostelries making a trip out of the city centre well worthwhile. Try the quirky Boda or Victoria on Leith Walk, the friendly and historic King’s Wark or Carrier’s Quarters at the Shore; or if you’re feeling brave, a trip to the Port o' Leith is something everyone should try at some point. [Euan Ferguson]

SOUL FOOD:

The Mosque Kitchen

50 Potterrow, Southside, Edinburgh EH8 9BT

Tucked away behind the Central Mosque at Potterrow are steaming vats of curry ready for any hungry soul to eat between 11.30am and 7pm. Usually with a choice of lamb curry, chicken curry, rice, naan, spinach and potatoes, daal, and vegetable curry, you can get a plate made up for £3.50/£4.50 and it's delicious. Especially the daal. The pigeons are a bit rank, but the big long tables make it easy to make pals while you dine and they have Arab coke cans with those old-fashioned curly ring pulls. Novelty's sake, c'mon. [Penny Green]

Susie's Wholefood Diner

51–53 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DB, 0131 667 8729

Serving exclusively vegetarian options, Susie's is always busy with healthy-eating eco-types, students and professionals alike. Tasty and filling options come in small (£3.90) medium (£5.90/£6.20) and big (£6.90/£7.20) plates with a wide choice of things like baked broccoli and cauliflower cheese, cashew nut flan, veggie lasagne with oozy sauce, veggie chilli baked in tortillas with cheese on top, sweet and sour tofu, apple and celery salad and a whole bunch of other unrecognisable but good for you foods. [Penny Green]

GET SOME HIPPY JUICE:

The Forest

3 Bristo Pl
Edinburgh, EH1 1EY
0131 220 4538
www.theforest.org.uk

 

It’s kinda hard to pin down exactly what the Forest is…a volunteer-run, not-for-profit organisation? Definitely. But it’s so much more than that: a cosy place to pass a few hours with a good book or your laptop on one of the beat up sofas. It's a provider of free internet, a café and an art work-space with its own gallery attached. The Forest also runs a ‘free shop’, where you can bring things you no longer want, and browse the hidden treasures left by others, sells good cheap veggie food – their brownies are the best in town – and runs workshops, poetry and film nights, has its own darkroom, recording studio and noticeboard for flat and job hunters, as well as a rather good choir. The randomness of which encapsulates perfectly the ethos of this do it yourself, do it with others haven. [Erin McElhinney]
http://www.theforest.org.uk/

3pm – 6pm

Warming up into the evening time, how about some food to line the stomach for the inevitable, and some cheap drinking holes to stretch out the pennies?

SKIVE YOUR AFTERNOON LECTURES:

Assembly

41 Lothian Street, EH1 1HB, 0131 220 4288, www.assemblybar.co.uk

When the good intentions of your first few weeks of term grow weak, chances are you’ll find yourself swallowed up by one of Assembly’s comfy sofas, enjoying a barely-earned break from studying. Open daily for coffee, food, cocktails and more, Assembly has a funky, lived-in vibe, creating a home-from-home feel for the students who throng here from open 'til close. The food is hearty, unpretentious and cheap, and good deals abound on drinks, giving you plenty of excuses to wile away the hours. Look out for their happy hours, usually offering 2 for 1 deals on mains and a choice of drinks. [Euan Ferguson]

IS IT A BAR? IS IT A CINEMA? NO, IT'S...

Brass Monkey

14 Drummond Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9TU, 0131 556 1961

A fairly unassuming bar at the front leads to a comfortable, communal bed-like area where loungers can watch a selection of classic and cult movies whilst sipping their well-priced pints. As an idea it’s an original one, and has provided a distraction for many a student as they see away a chilled afternoon. [Euan Ferguson]

A SAFE HAVEN FOR A GRUMBLING TUMMY...

The Local

427 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3LG, 0141 332 8100, www.the-local.co.uk

Amongst the jungle of venues on Sauchiehall, The Local stands out for cheap and delicious grub, with a mix of sandwiches on offer two-for-one between 12 - 5pm and the same deal on burgers between 12pm - 9pm. You will leave highly satisfied by the freshly prepared food, and with bourbon, vodka and lager on for £1.50 it is a great place to get two meals for just over a tenner. Bargain - plus the atmosphere is easy going and the bar staff are friendly chaps with great hair. [Lara Moloney]

LIKE YOUR LIVING ROOM BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLEAR UP:

99 Bar + Kitchen

The Wynd, 1 Back Wynd, Aberdeen, AB10 1JN

The Back Wynd, off Aberdeen’s main drag, has forever been synonymous with taxi queues bathed in a dazzling spectrum of pavement pizza. How refreshing that there now exists a bar & eaterie that, although continuing this colourful expressionism in its neo-kitsch décor, has single-handedly increased the style and substance of bar life in the city. Whether you’re chilling over a Bellini on the sofa-stuffed mezzanine, engrossed in the papers on a dark winter’s eve, or grabbing a few pre-club lubricants, 99 has brought its laidback approach and thinking man's soundtrack to override the one-dimensionality of the rather stale bar choices nearby. [Jaco Justice]

VEGETABLES, MUSIC AND HAPPINESS:

13th Note

50-60 King Street, Glasgow, G1 5QT, 0141 553 1638, www.13thnote.co.uk

Set in what can only be described as a basement, The 13th Note plays host to bands nearly every night, across almost every genre/scene imaginable. From grindcore to punk, acoustic sets to minimalist noise - its all here, and always dirt cheap. And if that wasn't enough, you can stuff your face with veggie food upstairs in the poster-laden cafe/bar and drink to the sounds of quite possibly the best jukebox ever! [Ryan Drever]

GET YOUR LARDER STOCKED:

Real Foods

37 Broughton St, Edinburgh, EH1 3JU, 0131 557 1911

Real Foods ticks all the boxes of the ethically minded shopper, with two branches stacked floor to ceiling with vegetarian, vegan, organic and fair trade products. Add to that they locally source honey, real ales, and lots of veggies thus cutting their carbon footprint too. You will find cereals and grains available loose, and their organic veggie box can be delivered to your door full of the tastiest seasonal produce. They also offer a wide selection of vegan soaps, shampoos, toothpaste and other bathroom goodies and a full range of Ecover kitchen and cleaning products. The staff are wonderful and knowledgeable and always on hand to offer advice. Try their website for investigating any health and nutritional issues as the shops stock an impressive vitamin and supplement collection. Some products come with a hefty price tag due to their speciality but mostly Real Foods is thoroughly affordable. Take your time nosing around and you will discover all kinds of wonderful things. [Edward Whelan]

A RAY OF LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS:

Big Slope

36a Kelvingrove Street, Glasgow, G3 7SA, 0141 333 0869

When your hangover could be used for ethnic cleansing, only the most relaxed of Sundays will do - ideally with some soul-saving human warmth to be found too. Luckily, Glasgow's West End has the Big Slope, whose gourmet Sunday roast comes with enough gravy to go down easy, and enough subtle flavour to make you feel like life might not be quite so bad after all. Plus, chances are there'll be a dude just sitting there playing steel guitar and smiling at everyone. Seriously. It's enough to make you think maybe you could go just one drink... [RJ Thomson]

AN 'OLD MAN'S PUB' YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN OLD MAN TO ENJOY:

The Blue Blazer

2 Spittal Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9DX

Eight real ales on tap, a huge malt whisky selection, and a food menu consisting solely of cheese toasties, this has all the hallmarks of a traditional Edinburgh pub. However, its very central location, friendly staff and quirky quiz nights (there is a food tasting round!) mean that the Blue Blazer offers far more than the average drinking-den. It plays host to regular open mic nights, and the Edinburgh Rum Club meets there once a month to work their way through the best selection of rums in town. A mixture of art school students, workers and locals ensure this gem of a pub is kept packed every night. [Euan Ferguson]

 

 

6pm – 9pm

Places to meet up with mates, perfect for going on to a club, or will keep you occupied for the night in their own right.

TIMELESS DECOR IN AN EDINBURGH PRE-CLUBBING INSTITUTION:

City Café

19 Blair Street, EH1 1QR, 0131 220 0125

With new bars springing up all over the city, lasting as long as City Café is something of an achievement. This Blair Street boozer has been following the same formula of cheap eats, live DJs and pool tables for over twenty years. The famous art deco-ish interior might look as if it hasn’t changed, but the up-for-it eclectic crowd who make this their pre-club venue of choice don’t care. [Euan Ferguson]

GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES:

Bramble Bar & Lounge

16a Queen Street, EH2 1JE, 0131 226 6343, www.myspace.com/bramblebar

First-time visitors to this New Town cocktail Mecca (if that’s not a metaphor too far) could be forgiven for asking where the rest of it is. A group of ten people could make this place seem busy, yet that’s part of its charm, along with the well-thought out music policy and understated yet comfy Prohibition-style décor. For a bar started by two of Edinburgh’s most feted bar gurus, the cocktail list is as exciting as you’d expect, and Bramble is often full to bursting with a trendy yet friendly crowd. [Euan Ferguson]

CITY CENTRE STYLE WITH A WARM WELCOME:

99 Hanover Street

99 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1DJ, 0131 225 8200, www.showmefun.co.uk

Less consciously glam than some of its New Town counterparts, 99 still manages to convey a sense of occasion to a night out while maintaining a friendly, intimate atmosphere. Regular DJs play out a truly eclectic mix of party music; knowledgeable bar staff mix a mean cocktail; and the beautiful people of Edinburgh mingle in the sumptuous Georgian-with-a-twist surroundings. Not cheap, but you don’t come here for a cut price experience. A busy and popular bar which seems to tick all the right boxes. [Euan Ferguson]

Westport Bar

64-66 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1PS, 01382 200 008

For a good few years now, 'The Westie' has been a platform for local bands around Dundee and has seen early stints from bands such as Kasabian and the Kaiser Chiefs, as well as local boys The View. Situated just behind the city's main streets, the newly refurbished pub usually guarantees a good night, with many a rowdy crowd. [Ryan Drever]

PIRATE BEHAVIOUR FOR ME HEARTIES, ARGH:

Moorings

2 Trinity Quay, Aberdeen, AB11 5AA, 01224 587 602, www.myspace.com/themooringsbar

In the Moorings anything and anyone goes. No rules, just the finest selection of beer in town set in a harbour location that generally puts the shitters up most passers-by. Live bands every Saturday, darts friendly and toasties from the Earl of Sandwich… plus your host Flash (the pirate) has a habit of introducing strangers to the merits of his Absinth collection. We recommend the Pastis collaboration with a bottle of Brew Dog to chase it down. There are even drinks deals for pirate attire! [Jaco Justice]

BIT OF EVERYTHING:

The Bongo Club

Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AQ, 0131 558 7604, www.thebongoclub.co.uk

The Bongo Club runs as a café, exhibition and rehearsal space during the day and transforms into a multi-functional, multi media venue for live music, theatre and clubs at night. Chances are you'll be there for a club night (Fast is ace, so is Volume, and Hobo on Sundays often has great bands on), but we thought we'd stick it in at an intermediate time to represent its multi-functionality, and to confuse you a bit. [Dylan Reed]

 

9pm – sleeping time

The heavyweights are out. The following are in the game to keep you awake and entertained as long as possible; below are some of the best places in Scotland to go off the rails.

LIVE MUSIC TO YOUR EARS:

King Tut's

272 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, G2 5RL, 0141 221 5279, www.kingtuts.co.uk

Since opening in 1990, King Tut's has provided a major launch pad for everyone from Biffy to Oasis - who were famously signed on the spot back stage - and today steadily strives to deliver the best in new music. With two bars, great food and even better tunes, 'Tuts' is easily one of the best places to discover new music in Glasgow, and even has the awards to prove it! [Ryan Drever]

CUTTING-EDGE MUSIC SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK:

Cabaret Voltaire

36 Blair Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QR, 0131 220 6176, www.thecabaretvoltaire.com

Although often eclipsed by Glasgow, Edinburgh has a vibrant and exciting music scene, and the Cabaret Voltaire is most certainly one of the reasons why. Over the last few years, 'Cab Vol' has seen established acts and new blood - from Dananananaykroyd to Foals - grace its beautifully-lit brick caverns. Every other night is filled with independent club nights and DJ sets, serving to draw students, artists and ravers alike into its well-groomed clutches. [Ryan Drever]

THE NAME SUMS IT UP BETTER THAN WE CAN, REALLY:

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy

421 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3LG, www.nicensleazy.co.uk

As the name might suggest, Nice 'n' Sleazy is the best of both worlds. Frequented by everyone from Mogwai to Franz Ferdinand, the restaurant/bar is a great place to grab a bite before heading to the deep dark throes of the downstairs stage to catch the best of the underground scene. Covering a wide variety of styles, the bills are regularly crammed, cementing Sleazy's as a breeding ground for curious musical minds. [Ryan Drever]

IT'S UNDERGROUND AND IT'S ACE:

Tunnels

Aberdeen, AB10 1BF, 01224 211 121, www.thetunnels.co.uk

If life in the Granite City seems daunting, go underground and explore the tunnels! The club/venue has rapidly gained popularity with its eclectic mix of new music and bizarre surroundings. The main room is warmly lit and looks like an aircraft hangar, but although easily packed out, it's perfectly atmospheric. Easier to get to than you might think, there is many a good night to be had here. [Ryan Drever]

A PLACE TO GET UNSTUCK:

 

Fat Sam’s

31 South Ward Rd, Dundee, DD1 1PU, 01382 228 181
Since adding a new 1000 capacity hall to its existing rooms, Fat Sam’s has become well established as the major player in Dundee live music. From completely rammed club nights to high profile gigs, the venue provides quality sounds to rival most cities; and with local bands like The View or Sergeant, to indie giants like We Are Scientists, there are shows here for nearly everyone, all set in a plush modern backdrop. [Ryan Drever]

MIDWEEK MAYHEM IN THE NORTH:

Snafu

1 Union Street, Aberdeen, AB11 5BU, 01224 596 111, www.clubsnafu.com

Up until recently Aberdeen was a one-horse club town with only Snafu supplying a regular barrage of electronic distortion in the wee club hours. And while the re-birth of Origin (old Pelican club) has bought much needed nocturnal diversity to the tiny club scene it doesn't open midweek and offers a very limited back-bar for advancing your palette's pleasure. So here we have the Wednesday eclectic rodeo that is Martin Jay’s 'Mom… the Video Broke'. You know that cliché that there’s only good music or bad (Terry Wogan - Eurovision '77)… well it holds court here where the over-ground clashes with the underground in positively grand fashion. Pop classics from Roxy Music mix it up with deeper nu-disco edits of DFA records, classy funk 45s give way to sinister Detroit ballads, all while the bar team supply mighty fine cocktails and beers by the jug. [Jaco Justice]

ALL THAT ITS NAME PROMISES, AND MUCH MUCH MORE:

The Wee Red Bar

Edinburgh College of Art, www.weeredbar.co.uk

The name might not give much away apart from size and colour, but this venue at the Art School has so much more to offer the discerning clubber. The intimate and homely surroundings rock to a roster of nights featuring Club For Heroes, Big Toe’s Hi-Fi and the distinguished indie disco known as The Egg, and the regular band showcases have included Glasvegas and Black Affair in recent times. [Euan Ferguson]

GIGS, GIGS AND MORE GIGS:

The Liquid Room

9c Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2HE, 0131 225 2564, www.liquidroom.com

A staple on the touring circuit of bands who are just about to make it massive, the Liquid Room is known equally for its fine club nights as it is for live music. Indie, house, electronic and rock are all catered for, and the biggest (and best appointed) smoking area in Edinburgh can make the party move outside too. What this converted church lacks in interior design it more than makes up for in atmosphere, as the nightly queue down Victoria Street will testify. [Euan Ferguson]

GEORGIAN GRANDEUR MEETS HAITIAN MAGICK:

The Voodoo Rooms

West Register Street, www.thevoodoorooms.com

An extensive and spectacular conversion has given these once-forgotten rooms above the Café Royal an exciting new lease of life. An opulent opera of black and gold, the Voodoo Rooms offer bars, a club, a private hire room and a restaurant, catering for a whole night out in one. The hand-painted ceiling has to be seen to be believed, and the cocktail list is among the capital’s finest. [Euan Ferguson]

EVENING SIR, MAY I TAKE YOUR GLOW STICKS?

Huntley & Palmers Audio Club

Various venues, Glasgow, www.myspace.com/huntleysandpalmers

If quaffing one’s beverage, smartly poised by the mantelpiece of a drawing room in a historic university tenement building, while discussing the finer points of psych-rock, is your thing (or could be), then welcome, bienvenido, to the world of Huntley & Palmers. The Hetherington Research Club location has become a humble player in Glasgow’s clubbing fraternity allowing H&P to host acts powering 60s to 80s influenced edits and nu-disco medleys to the walls of a building more atuned to the whispers of scholars and professors. If you’re a wee bit scared of being caught out without your underground audio homework in check then Stereo, on Renfield Lane, caters for some of their more recognisable house/techno offerings. [Jaco Justice]

AND ONE THAT'S A LITTLE OUT THERE...

Clachaig Inn

Glencoe, Argyll, PH49 4HX, 01855 811 252, www.clachaig.com

If you're going to spend 3-4 years studying in Scotland, whether you're from here or not, you'd be an idiot not to take advantage of the Highlands. Get a few mates, pick a hill, climb up it and down it and talk about the meaning of life. It's a simple plan, but given that the weather can be shocking at the 300 foot drop of a hat, it's always good to know you've a nice evening to look forward to. At the Clachaig you'll find a roaring fire, regular live music (usually folk), and a great selection of ales and malts. Desination stuff, and the perfect place for a few rounds of 'I Have Never...'. [Nina McHugh]