We have arranged for 2025 KBS participants to have the opportunity to attend many of our favourite destinations on the social tour Wednesday afternoon of the conference. There are inexpensive short tours and experiences close to the conference venue, and opportunities to visit Loch Lomond.
All KBS 2025 Social Tours are scheduled to take place on the afternoon of Wednesday 11th June 2025. A description of each tour is available below.
Please make your selection before you register as you cannot complete your registration without indicating your tour preference (one of the below tours or not joining a tour). Tickets for additional attendees who are not registered for the conference must be arranged separately – please email us.
All tours are scheduled to take place in the afternoon of Wednesday 11th June 2025 and are subject to availability of staff/coaches, minimum numbers and weather conditions. If your tour is unable to proceed as planned we will make adjustments, or if it cannot go ahead at all, you will be offered an alternative.
Please see further details of each tour below. You must book and pay at the time of registration.
| Description | Cost per person | Time | |
| Glasgow Riverside (Transport) Museum & Tall Ship Visit | This tour includes a visit to the Riverside Museum and entrance to the Tall Ship (The Glenlee). The Riverside Museum is Glasgow's award-winning transport museum. With over 3,000 objects on display there's everything from skateboards to locomotives, paintings to prams and cars to a Stormtrooper. Glasgow's 'Tall Ship' is called 'The Glenlee' and was built in 1896 on the River Clyde, and she is now the only large Clyde-built sailing ship still afloat in the UK. The Glenlee sailed completely around the world four times. Groups will meet in Glagsow's West End (exact location to be advised) where they will be able to walk to the Riverside Museum . The museum is a 17 minute walk from the conference venue. If you have accessibility requirements, we can advise you on transport to the venues. |
£10 | 14.00 - 16:30 |
| University of Glasgow & Cloisters tour | A historical walking tour of the University of Glasgow campus that includes information on the foundation, history, architecture and alumni of the university. Founded in 1451 it is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Along with the universities of St Andrews, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh, the university was part of the Scottish Enlightenment during the 18th century. Glasgow is the largest university in Scotland by total enrolment and, with over 15,900 postgraduates, the fifth-largest in the United Kingdom by postgraduate enrolment. This tour will cover areas around the main building of the University of Glasgow, and include the cloisters. The Cloisters (also known as The Undercroft) connect the East and West quadrangles and lead inside the Gilbert Scott Building to the stunning Bute Hall, where the University’s graduation ceremonies are held, and the Hunterian Museum. With their fluted columns and transverse ribbed vault, these impressive archways are an iconic part of the University, and have been seen onscreen in many films and TV shows including Cloud Atlas and Outlander. | £10 | 14:00 - 14:45 |
| Invisible Cities Glasgow Walking Tour | Invisible Cities Guided Walking Tours are friendly walking tours of Glasgow that showcase the city’s historical landmarks and explore the social projects that make the city what it is. The experienced tour guides, all of whom have been affected by homelessness, simply live and breathe the city, and offer their own personal insight into the city’s past, present and future. The tour lasts 1.5 hours and will begins at 14:00. The meeting place will be confirmed but is a short train (10/15 minutes) from the conference venue or even closer to the city centre. | £17 | 14:00 - 15.30 |
| National Piping Centre - Bagpipe (Traditional Music) Experience | Come and try the bagpipes, Scotland's national instrument, at the National Piping Centre. This event will give you a simple introduction to playing the bagpipes, so you can all come and try this traditional iconic instrument. Guests will be welcomed by a Scottish bagpiper and given a tour of The Museum of Piping. They will then have a full demonstration of the bagpipes from the Bagpiper Host, along with an opportunity to learn, play and have fun with this challenging instrument. The venue is a 30 minute walk (or short taxi ride at own expense) from the meeting point. The experience lasts approximately 90 minutes. | £17 | 14:00 - 15.30 |
| Loch Lomond Visit including Boat Cruise | This half day tour offers the opportunity to visit one of Scotland's most famous and historic lochs (lakes). A guided bus tour will pick guests up at 13.30 from the conference venue and take them to Balloch, on the banks of Loch Lomond. There guests will board a one hour circular boat tour of Loch Lomond's South basin, enjoying views of the magnificent Ben Lomond mountain and passing a number of Loch Lomond's stately homes and castles along the shoreline. The boat tour will venture out towards Inchmurrin Island- the largest of Loch Lomond's 33 islands and home to the ancient remains of Lennox Castle, which in the 14th century sheltered a fugitive Robert the Bruce before he was to become King of Scotland. Following the group's return to dry land, the bus will then carry on to Balmaha for a photo stop and another perspective on this magnificent landscape. The bus will then travel on through The Trossachs national park & Duke’s Pass with photo stops (Trossachs is Scotland’s first national park, known as ‘the Highlands in miniature’ for its abundance of lochs, mountains and forests and the homeland of legendary outlaw, Rob Roy MacGregor). Guests will then be given the opportunity to purchase food and refreshments at Aberfoyle (not included in price) before stopping at Stirling castle for a final photo stop. The bus will then return to Glasgow for around 20:00 to drop off all passengers. |
£120 | 13:00 - 20:00 |
