Very clean on the edge of The Meadows. There are swings, slide, and climbing structure. Lots of…read moreparents and young children. Did not see any snack counters.

Ok, so I'm obviously not a five-year old child anymore. (I can type and spell and use words like…read moreincongruous, though I haven't had the opportunity yet). But I like play parks. There comes a point when people stop making fun things for you. I mean, I'm in my early 20s, so people give me clothes and books instead of water-guns. Which is totally valid. But I think every now and then people should give their friends bouncy balls and hoola-hoops and frisbees. Seriously. So, this playpark is not half as cool as the one on the Meadows, but it's in a quieter less crowded part of the park. They have slides and monkey bars and all sort of fun things. I've many a time seen children having fun on them. (I've also seen older teenagers having fun on them. At night. With beer). If you feel like you're tired of being 20, maybe have a visit. If you're a parent, then take your children there, 'cause that's where it looks like the party is.

This is a place that I didn't think I could do because of climbing hills but It's not all that bas…read moreas you can walk on the lower ground and still get a good view of things. I didn't climb any high hills for a bigger view, that's something I can go back to the Pentland Hills and do another day. Just walking about in the forest was pretty cool, i like that kind of thing plus it was so relaxing and peaceful. There was a sign that I passed, it was funny because someone altered the sign and it said "no parking, pissing place only" lol hehe. Did you knew that Amy Soldiers do exercise in Pentland Hills with firing there guns, a sign posted for warning, just in case you get a bullet in you bum. A great atmosphere at the Pentlands as everybody would pass you and say hello, it was nice, everyone was enjoying there day out. Ideal for walking your dog's or just hanging out with family/friends. Would consider going back again sometime very soon. https://socialsandi1.com/2018/08/05/pentlandhills-regional-park/

Wilderness, Waterfalls, Rivers and Raccoon's (well, maybe not these ;-) )…read more I was looking for a place to enjoy a nice afternoon stroll and which should be in proximity to Edinburgh city. Well, I am so lucky to live in a town surrounded by "mountains" which are called the Pentland Hills. There are several lakes/ water reservoirs in the Pentland Hills Regional Park which are accessible using several walking routes. We walked towards the Glencorse reservoir. A good start or end for the journey is the Flotterstone Inn and the Information centre nearby. Take your rucksack, get good walking boots, warm clothes and off it goes. Follow the paths which are clearly marked and you can't get lost. You might even pass an occasional waterfall! For the travelers without a car, you can hop on a bus and get off at Flotterstone Inn (but be careful - buses are a rare occurrence and you could be stranded) Lovely place!

Lewisvale Park has changed slightly since I was last here 20 years ago but it's great to see that…read morethe band stand and the birds still remain. This is a beautiful wide open space, great for relaxing on a sunny day as well as great for kids to play in the play park or run around and play on the bandstand or look at the birds. It's probably one of my favourite parks to be honest, it's simply stunning.

A hidden gem which your Julia Donaldson loving little ones will love to visit!…read moreWe call this Gruffalo Wood because of the Gruffalo-themed carvings dotted near the entrance of the Loch. The Loch itself is fairly small, taking only 15-20 mins to walk around. There is lots of nature and wildlife to explore here from toadstools to frogs to wild raspberries to dragonflies... We met a particularly large, and bold, swan today whilst feeding the ducks! On our last visit we stumbled across hundreds and hundreds of baby frogs migrating across the pathway to the Loch. This has become a regular location for us to visit with our little Julia Donaldson fan. There is a play park at the far end of the Loch from the little car park off Kilmardinny Avenue and if you need something to eat or liquid refreshments after your walk there is a recently opened Waitrose with a lovely cafe minutes away by car or foot!

We visited here after discovering Gruffalo Wood through Ali's review :)…read more My friend was visiting with her 6 and 3yr old girls and we took A in his pram. We really enjoyed walking round the loch in the sunshine, the path is pretty easy going for littles and the pram alike, and there are a few places to stop along the way and see the ducks or discover the awesome carvings. We couldn't find the play park, perhaps a little sign would help, but we asked someone and soon found the little path leading up to it. There were some different play areas to explore including an awesome rope swing that the adults enjoyed too! We had a great, free day out and it worked well to tire out the kids. Would highly recommend.

This place is fantastic for a sunny day out (if you're fortunate enough to catch one)…read more It's an unusual place to visit in that you have the combined attractions of forest walks with one of the longest beaches in Scotland (around 5 miles). There's also a large picnic table area which permits BBQ's, so you really could spend the whole day here. Access to the site is currently a very reasonable £2 per vehicle and there is plenty of parking as well as toilet facilities. If you've not been before, I'd definitely recommend it for a relaxing day trip!

A day trip to Rosslyn Chapel may be within seven miles of Edinburgh, but it feels like stepping…read moreinto another realm. The chapel is easily accessible by bus--a roughly 50-minute journey from the city centre. Our route had more than forty stops, yet I didn't mind at all. We were seated on the top deck of a double-decker, watching the city slowly give way to the Lowlands, enjoying glimpses of Edinburgh's outer edges as we made our way toward the chapel. Rosslyn Chapel is steeped in mystery, but if it looks familiar, that's because it is! Rosslyn Chapel was the inspiration for the book and film the Da Vinci Code. As such, she's a magnet for tourists looking to get a taste of intrigue. Dan Brown may have brought this chapel into popular culture in his book The Da Vinci Code, but this chapel was famous in its own right long before that. Rosslyn Chapel has been loved for both its amazing decorative artwork as well as the mystery that surrounds it with people for decades. After the "Da Vinci Code" movie, thousands of people came here every day looking to find some truth in the story, and thousands of people walked away disappointed. But whether you believe in the Da Vinci and Templar theories or not, this church is still an interesting place to visit. The chapel was founded by William Sinclair of the Sinclair family, a noble family descended from Norman knights who moved to Scotland when they fell out with William the Conqueror in the 11th century. The chapel itself is actually quite small. Standing 12 meters tall and 21 meters long, it was originally built to be a full style Gothic cathedral in the shape of a cross. However, when William Sinclair died his son decided to stop construction. He closed up the "top" and just made the existing building into a much smaller chapel. You can spend hours looking over all the reliefs, statues, and images. They are fascinating. The most fascinating one is the American maize (corn), which was not discovered at the time this church was built. Over one of the windows, there is clearly maize, leading many people to theorize the Sinclairs had contact with America years before Columbus did. (Though that isn't exactly revolutionary, as it's well documented that Columbus was not the first European to discover America.) we had a timed ticket and they have their own guide tht gives you a tour (on certain time). so check out the time when you enter.

I thought it was worth the cost. You have to buy a years pass but we were only going to be there…read moreonce. They do give discounts if you are in military, unemployed, disabled or over 65. Im unemployed and disabled but my hubby didnt mess with the discounts. It's a smaller place than i expected but the detail was stunning. I wish they had allowed photography id have been there all day. So much symbolism and history in every detail but you need a zoom lens to really see it. It was beautiful and so much stone detail it was gaudy. There are yours and information but I'm more visual. I asked why no photos and they claimed someone tripped and try to sue. I would pay extra to be able to do my thang with camera without having to sneak.

Our last day we took a walk here, and The Meadows was the perfect place to get in steps and pass…read morethe time. This large, clean park is near the university with walking/running trails. It is surrounded by trees. If you look above the trees you'll see how modern architecture blends with the very old buildings. In the park is a playground for toddlers and a little older children. A short-game 36-hole golf course is here with a neat history listed on the signs. You walk on at no cost carrying a wedge and putter and practice/play as long as you want. We saw two girlfriends playing, and two businessmen in shirts and ties playing during their lunch hour. There is also a dog park. Take a walk here on the paved paths.

It's a nice place. Maybe it's because I'm from a country that has plenty of spaces like this, but…read morethe Meadows doesn't blow my mind. I mean yes, it nice and green, and it's cool having a space like this in the city, but in my view there are other awesome places like Inverleith Park, and the Botanic Gardens (obvious I'm from Stockbridge much?) that aren't such a hike to get to but have much better views. Also less people which I like. Walking through, this place is quite busy with people sitting with their lunch, drumming, playing with their children or walking through to get to their next destination. Overall a nice space that is easily accessible, and would probably be a favorite of mine if I lived on that side of town, but it's not so in blowing that I need to go out of my way to return.

Holyrood Park is a large park home to a number of historic sites and landmarks accessible via a…read moretrail system, including Arthur's Seat, Hunter's Bog, Dunsapie Crag, St Anthony's Chapel, Duddingston Loch, and The Radical Road. I approached on foot the morning of Friday 19 July 2019, reaching a sign of the park and its trail system at approximately 9:31 a.m. There were a number of cars coming and going already. It was my first visit to the park, so I opted to walk and skip any hassle I might encounter with parking. I was happy with that decision as it was a quick look at the map to get my bearings and I was on my way without needing to find parking. For my final destination in the park for the visit, I chose to hike to the top of Arthur's Seat - remains of a volcano that was active over 300 million years ago. The trails were well maintained and well designed for handling a large number of hikers.

This hike was perfect!! Beautiful weather in June, over looked the city, not crowded at all, and…read moreeasy for a family to tackle together (just keep small ones away from the edges as some areas are steep drop offs abruptly).

Excellent country park not too far from the city of Edinburgh. Vogrie has a lovely children's…read moreadventure playground, and a miniature railway which runs during the summer. There are lovely woodland walks and a decent cafe in the old Vogrie House. Or bring a picnic and relax in one of the barbecue areas. If you want to have a barbecue you have to book in advance. Some nice sculptures in the grounds too. We love the big chairs and the big tricycle! Our children always love a visit to Vogrie Park, and several of the after school clubs we know of always make a visit there part of their holiday club programme, and there's enough to keep adults happy too!

Vogrie is a great park for all the family maintained by the council…read more Vogrie is a large park with walks through woodland area and grassed areas. There are play parks,picnic area and a BBQ area. Vogrie house sits within the grounds and has a cafe in the summer time. Children love Vogire it is a very safe place for them to run around and play, needless to day it can get very busy in the school holidays. Vogrie host a summer open day in August each year which has shows, stalls, competitions, a train that takes you around the park etc etc. Other attractions are the big chairs which are giant sizes and the big trike sculpture.

Very nice playground for kids of toddler to primary school ages. Flying fox, swings, bridges, and…read morelots more. Accessible via safe walkway along train tracks.

This is 'the' place to hang out for dog walkers and young folks when the sun is out. A quick look…read morearound will make it clear there are a lot of dogs and students in this area. The park is only small but that just means you'll bump into more people you'll know.