Subcrawl
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[edit] General
A Subcrawl is a pub crawl based on the Glasgow Subway circuit, in Scotland. It requires the purchase of an all-day discovery ticket, currently £1.90, and the consumption of a drink in the public house nearest to each of the fifteen Subway stations. For example, at Hillhead station participants will alight and each consume a drink in Curlers bar on Byres Road, that being the closest to the station, before re-boarding the subway to either Kelvinbridge or Kelvinhall stations, depending on the direction of travel, and repeating the exercise. Most people choose to begin their crawl at Hillhead, or at St Enoch's square in Glasgow city centre, completing the southern leg of the crawl first.
The subcrawl, and indeed organised pubcrawls in general, are popular mostly with students. The subcrawl is rarely completed, due either to the Subway's closure at 23:20 (approximately, depending on station) or inebriation. The main point is to enjoy yourself.
[edit] World Record subcrawls
In the first few years of the new millenium, at least four attempts were made to establish a 'Subcrawl world record', where a large group of people would attempt to complete the subcrawl en masse.
The current Subcrawl world records are believed to be:
43 people (number of people to begin a Subcrawl, set on 26th February 2002)
13 people (number of people to complete a Subcrawl, set on 26th February 2002)
6 people (number of people to complete a Subcrawl while dressed as pirates, set on 6th May 2006)
(Source: Subcrawl website)
[edit] Popular subcrawl drinking games
[edit] Sub-golf
"Sub-Golf" is an interesting drinking game practised by the Glasgow University medical students where there is a list of drinks and the number of shots associated and each participant aims to rack up as few strokes during their lap as possible (usually a double whisky is an eagle, a whisky a birdie, a pint a par and a half pint is a bogey). Points are also awarded for the fastest completed circuit, although photographic evidence of each drink is required.
[edit] The "Dairy Milk" subcrawl
A further variation on the theme is the "Dairy Milk" subcrawl, which requires the consumption of a glass and a half (a half being a normal single measure of a spirit, a glass being a double) in every bar. This is derived from the old advertising slogan for Dairy Milk chocolate. Again, this is rarely completed.
[edit] Half and half tour
On a similar theme is the more traditional ‘Half & Half Tour’, referenced in Iain Banks’ novel Espedair Street as the ‘Clockwork Orange Pub Crawl’, where the participants must consume one measure of whisky and half a pint of ‘Heavy’ (80/- ale) in each establishment visited.
[edit] Running it
In this popular game (preferably played in the earlier stages of a subcrawl) the party divides into two groups. One team gets the train to the pub at the next stop, whilst the other attempts to run it, in less time than it would take to get the train. Whichever team arrives at the next pub second has to buy the winning team a round of drinks. This game is particularly popular between Buchanan Street and St Enoch's stations, and then again between St Enoch's and Bridge Street.
[edit] Surfing
The surfing game involves standing in the train and not touching anyone or anything, except the floor, until you arrive at the next stop. In otherwords you have to rely totally on balance, something which obviously becomes more and more difficult after every stop.
[edit] Planning your subcrawl
[edit] Subway opening times
The subway opens early in the morning, and closes at approximately 23:20 in the evening, from Monday to Saturday.
The subway closes at 18:00 on a Sunday, hence subcrawls are seldom attempted on Sundays.
[edit] Avoiding Rangers matches
Ibrox Stadium, home of Rangers F.C., is situated near to Ibrox subway station. Most subcrawlers plan their crawl to avoid clashing with a Rangers home game, since the trains, and many of the pubs located near to Glasgow's subway stations, tend to be very busy on these occasions. A Saturday, where Rangers are playing on the Sunday, or playing away from home, is usually chosen.
[edit] Subcrawl safety
There are one or two pubs on the Subcrawl whose allegiances to Rangers F.C. and the Queen are overt. Non-unionists can find their atmospheres quite scary, but there are plenty of unthreatening alternative pubs at each station. However some may not wish to bother alighting at Kinning Park station, and choose The Laurieston, rather than the Glaswegian, at Bridge Street. It must be said, however, that subcrawlers are generally welcomed with good humour wherever they go.
Accidents caused by excessive consumption of alcohol are not unheard-of. Know your limits.
[edit] Miscellaneous
"Subcrawl" is also the name of a group linkblog subtitled "tomorrow's zeitgeist today."
A similar practice is carried out on London's Circle Line
[edit] External links
- SUBCRAWL - Popular and authoritative subcrawl website
- Strathclyde Passenger Transport - Subway operator
