More than 20% of the city's total land area is "green space": woodland, country, open grassy areas and 91 parks.

Pollok Country Park was voted Britain's best park in 2007 and capped this honour the following year when it won the award for Europe's best.

When it comes to the title of Scotland's best park, Auchinlea, Tollcross and the Botanic Gardens have all achieved that accolade in recent years.

Glasgow Green is the city's oldest park, having been established in 1450. In its time it has been a common grazing ground, a linen-bleaching area, a sporting centre, a place for political rallies, and the site of the annual Glasgow fair and livestock mart.

The Green as we know it today was laid out between 1817 and 1926, with drainage and levelling to prevent flooding, and the channelling underground of the Camlachie and Molendinar burns.

On one fine Sunday in August 1894, 78,420 persons were counted as they entered the Green. But there were no special events on – they were simply visitors. Most of them would almost certainly have been working-class people enjoying their day off in the nearest open space.

Over the years, various plans were drawn up to sacrifice Glasgow Green to coal mining, railways and even a motorway but all were successfully resisted.

The Green has earned its place in the affection of generations of city people, one of the reasons being the World Pipe Band Championships, one of the biggest hits in Scotland's cultural calendar. The most recent event, in August, saw 35,000 spectators mingling with thousands of pipers and drummers from all over the world, under unusually blue skies.

The Green came alive that day – just as it has on so many other occasions.

n Next week: more of Glasgow's park life