Glasgow is the biggest city in Scotland. It is set at a confluence of some of the country’s most important natural features. It’s a lowland city on the banks of the River Clyde, which becomes the long and intricate inlet of the sea, the Firth of Clyde. To the north, the landscape changes, rising up to the famous Scottish Highlands and the beautiful area around Loch Lomond. But it owes its significance not to nature, but to industry. It was the centre of the industrial revolution in Scotland, and was so important to trade and commerce that it was known as the Second City of the British Empire in the Victorian Era. How can you get a feel for the natural, human, and historical character of this city all in one go? The only option is by soaring through the sky in a helicopter.

Getting the big picture is the perfect introduction to any area, and a helicopter, which can rise to hundreds of metres above the ground in a moment, can give you views that stretch for miles in all directions. What’s more, this vantage point is mobile - speeds of over 100 miles per hour are no problem for these machines. All of this makes it the best vehicle around for taking a sightseeing tour, and if that tour takes you over and around the city, you’re in for a treat. Besides, what other kind of ride could include cities, mountains, sports stadiums and more all with the same price tag?

Where are the best places to go on a helicopter ride of Glasgow City?

To get into the skies above the city, you need to head for the heliport in village of Inchinnan in historic Renfrewshire. It’s just a short journey from the city centre to the helipad here, but the return journey from the air is even shorter!

• Paisley: As you approach Glasgow, you’ll pass “Scotland’s largest town,” Paisley. Although it shares its name with the paisley pattern, found on clothing and other textiles, it doesn’t have a teardrop motif when viewed from above. In fact, this was the town where the pattern was made famous by mass production in huge woollen mills.

• City Centre: You’ll follow the route of the Clyde into Glasgow city centre. The industrial heritage of the city is visible on the banks of the river, with docks, warehouses and other installations - some of them still in use - lining the watercourse. The landmarks in the centre are the Clyde Arc, known locally as the squinty bridge, the armadillo shaped Auditorium, the victorian People’s Palace, and Glasgow Tower, which, at 127 metres tall, is the tallest fully rotating freestanding structure in the world.

• Football stadiums: We can’t talk about Glasgow without mentioning the Old Firm - the name given to the city’s two football clubs and their famous, long standing rivalry. Celtic FC and Ranger FC are the two largest and most successful teams in Scotland so it’s not surprising that they’re rivals, but the fact that Celtic represents the city’s Catholic community, while Rangers fans are majority Protestant, just makes the fixtures even more exciting. Celtic play at Celtic Park, in Parkhead, and the home ground of Rangers is the Ibrox Stadium on the south bank of the River Clyde, but their matches are often played at the National Stadium in Hampden.

• Loch Lomond: You have to take a bit more time to get away from the city, the most populated part of Scotland, but it’s well worth the journey. Loch Lomond is a gem in the Scottish highlands, a beautiful lake which is surrounded by green hills and oak forests. The highest peaks in the area are Ben Lomond and Conic Hill, and hikers and herds of red deer can be seen on their sides. The area is protected by the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, so there are no towers, skyscrapers or factories in sight here.

Options for organising a tour

The great thing about taking a ride in a helicopter is that you can fly fast, in straight lines, and there are no traffic lights! This means that you have the freedom to go where you want at the speed that suits you. In just 15 minutes, you can cover over 20 miles, which is enough to get you to Glasgow’s city centre and back to the helipad. If you want to see a bit more of the city, especially if you want to get a bird’s eye view of the three different football stadiums which are located in different parts of the city, you might choose a 30 minute flight.

The longest tours in the city area will take you from the helipad and across the River Clyde, at which point you’ll see the highlands loom up in front of you. The destination is Loch Lomond, about 15 miles north of the city. The journey there and back, including some time to enjoy the views, takes around 1 hour.

You can book a place on a helicopter ride as an individual passenger, and you’ll share the aircraft with other passengers. Or you can book the tour as a group and have a private, bespoke experience. Of course, in both cases, one of the other people will be the pilot, who’ll double up as tour guide.

Requirements to do this activity

Piloting a helicopter can be a demanding experience, but riding as a passenger couldn’t be simpler! There are two types of craft that operate as tour vehicles, Robinson R44 models, and Airbus H125 Astar models. The Robinson has 4 seats, which means that groups of 3 passengers can get on board. The minimum age is 3 years old, and there’s a weight limit of 20 stone, that’s 127 kilograms, for each passenger. The Airbus on the other hand, has 5 seats - so space for 4 passengers - but the younger members of the family have to be over 6 years old to fly, and all the passengers need to weigh below 15 stone, or 95 kilograms.

A breathtaking panorama is waiting for you, let’s get you into this adventure so that you can enjoy it!