Inverleith Park really is breathtaking with its huge pond and birds and trees and grass and benches…read moreto sit and admire the whole spectacle. With a panoramic view of Edinburgh castle in the distance and St Giles cathedral among other things, it's a sight to behold. The park is great for children too with a play park and a wetland where you will find a whole host of birds. I especially loved the sundial garden too. The only drawback is I wish there were toilets so I didn't have to cut my visit short but apart from that, Inverleith Park is well worth a visit.

Believe it or not, I don't have a musical quote or jazz hands to add to this update. I know, i'm…read moregetting lazy in my old Yelp age... but really, who can one up Julie Andrews? No one can. That's science. So if all the previous sing-song moments still ring true, why the update? Well, we're doing a little Yelp challenge that called for my favourite spot "with a view". Sounds easy enough, but Edinburgh is one of those places that has a spectacular view pretty much anywhere you turn... so narrowing it down to a favourite? Big decision. I stopped and thought of where I've seen the most spectacular things in the last year and a half, and Inverleith Park found itself at the top of the list. Besides being a lovely park in its own right, as Nicola C said, it's probably one of the best (and less crowded) viewpoints to fireworks at the castle. With Hogmanay, festival season, Burns night, etc etc etc... that makes for many an occasion to watch fireworks throughout the year and I echo the sentiment: you can't ask for a better spot to take in the festivities. So I previously loved Inverleith Park for its everyday amenities, but as it turns out, it also tops my list of memorable moments. That's makes it truly one darn wonderful park.

I literally stumbled across this community garden. It's nestled away in a quiet street off bustling…read moreWoodlands Road and by Glasgow tenement living standards is literally an oasis of calm. Not having a garden myself, I spent half an hour resting my weary legs on one of the park benches with my coffee to go. This spot made a nice change from my usual thinking spot in Kelvingrove park. The community aspect of the garden brings Glasgow University students and locals together in growing herbs, veg and flowers. Check out the Willowbank Garden website for details about getting involved.

5 stars for bothering to have any spaces like this - however right after i got involved the same…read moresatanic pedo cult that follows me everywhere and ruins my life, sprayed toxic pesticides all round it (making it not usable for veg growing) to knowingly ruin our grow plans, and cut the grass despite a sign saying not to cause it's for wildlife. has been ruined also by the usual fake types of volunteers etc who are also part of that same conspiracy - exist just to weed ie fuck up the wildlife. and the same scum severely cut back lots of bushes, and killed a tree - lying that it'd ruin their properties foundations...yeah right, those overpriced flat rentals for that litter-strewn area of glasgow are going to go down cause a small tree is growing beside a building. it won't be the loud music coming from your homes, or the lack of free normal parking, or that the place looks like a dump complete with stumped flora etc all over to make it that bit uglier, or the overpopulation that makes the value go down. no-one in their right mind would pay that much rent to live in any flat, never mind want to buy one. note that the conspiracy always equates killing all the plants growing to somehow being the same as tidying up the place. clearly they haven't been anywhere at all (except on some organised outing, where they likely left litter indirectly or directly), since this country alone does have a lot of places considered picturesque - and one thing those places have in common is that morons don't use things like weedkillers and they don't weed the plants from the streets and roadsides. herper derper. anyway, same problems as other such gardens - not safe to grow your plants in, cause they also get vandalised or weeded or stolen.

I don't know if you know about the beating heart of the Grassmarket, or if you have ever noticed…read morethis tiny garden as you walk up West Port towards the West End of Edinburgh. I, who claim to have wandered these streets for over 30 years, only found this tiny gem last year, perched in a corner. It's not a park that you can take a leisurely stroll in, or picnic in. It's a community garden, instituted in 1910, and reinvigorated in 2013 by the Grassmarket Residents Association (appropriately nicknamed GRASS). It's been an integral part of locals lives for a century, and each time I pass it, it makes me smile, it's secret places like this that make a city shine.

I've always wanted to visit Dr Neil's garden for quite a while and today I did and I'm so glad I…read moredid as it's such a stunning peaceful place of calm and tranquility with a beautiful view of Duddingstone loch. I especially loved the little bridge. There is a cafe too but unfortunately it was closed when we were there on Saturday but I highly recommend you visit soon.

I'm very glad a friend suggested to visit Dr Neil's gardens in Duddingston just behind Arthur's…read moreSeat in Edinburgh. There also is a little cafe, which is attached to the local 14th century Duddingston Kirk. We stopped at the café before visiting the amazingly hidden away jewel of a garden that lets you relax in a very peaceful environment and just beside Duddingston lake. An oasis indeed. I believe that the café is run by volunteers. They serve coffee/ tea and other soft drinks and cakes. There are toilets inside and outside. Prices are good. It's a jewel. Go and visit to see for yourselves It's also open during the winter, I believe.

North Kelvin Meadow is a fantastic bit of green space in the north of the city that is little known…read moreabout outside of the area. Amazingly, the land has never been built on, it's only ever been used as football pitches so it is a bit of original 'green' that still survives inside the city. Since 1993 when the Council removed the goal posts and gave up on the land, the local folk have taken it over and have been running it as a community garden, with lots of tree and wild flower plantings, recycling and compost bins, and even a 'children's wood' section. There's also a community herb garden section with planting areas; however it is essentially 'wild' meadow space, not a formal park; and that makes it something special and worth preserving as such. There are lots of activities that can be done here that wouldn't be permitted in areas like the nearby Botanic Gardens or Kelvin Walkway. Local volunteers keep the place tidy, emptying bins daily, organising events like community bonfires, barbecues, Christmas Fayres and suchlike; it really is a much-loved space for the local residents and local schools. As the Council still technically own the land, they consider it to be zoned as housing rather than the community green space that it has been for years, so it has become a political hot potato with campaigns by the local residents, the Greens and now the Scottish Government, who have appointed an independent reporter to oversee the Council deliberations. The outcome is still undecided and the fate of this wonderful green space still hangs in the balance. There's a petition on the website that's worth signing to preserve this wild flower sanctuary.

North Kelvin Meadow is a true haven in a residential area. It is not too large, includes areas of…read moregrass and woodland, and is poplar with all ages. Students spend time revising for exams, or meet their friends for barbecues. Those of advancing years can grow vegetables in raised beds, or walk their dogs on level ground. Small children are introduced to the wonders of nature. Birds sing, bees buzz, and even orchids bloom among the wild flowers. This plot of land once contained football pitches, a running track and tennis courts. Since it was abandoned by the council it has regenerated naturally. The red blaes surface is now covered in a mix of shrubs and grassland while mature trees fill the old tennis courts forming a dense and dark wood.. It is a magical place because, unlike the nearby Botanic Gardens and Kelvin Walkway, it is not landscaped or controlled by council rules. This freedom is supported by the local community which undertakes the maintenance of the land, clearing rubbish, and emptying bins. Let North Kelvin Meadow and Children's Wood Flourish!

Leith Links, one of Edinburgh council's premier parks is situated in the heart of Leith, just near…read morethe bottom of Leith Walk. This green delight is squeezed between three streets, with large houses looking over the park on East Hermitage Place. The park is large and has numerous walkways cutting throughout. As I walked around it I noticed that this park provides space for many sports. It has a bowling green which is across from Duncan Place. Furthermore, it is home to the local amateur football team Leith Athletic (Unsure how good this team would be to watch and how good they are in comparison to local favourites Hibernian!). Also, the park has two children play areas, one with slightly larger slides and playing frames. The park was quite busy when I went for a visit to it, with it being very popular with joggers and young families. There are plenty of big green spaces to relax in the sun, however, in colder weather I would imagine this park, with being so close to the sea would be pretty cold at best!

Leith Links is north Edinburgh's answer to the Meadows, a beautiful and extensive green oasis…read morecriss-crossed with paths, dotted with playgrounds, and the perfect place for a stroll, a run, or to walk your dog. It's actually much quieter than the Meadows and doesn't get overrun with picnicking students, making it a much more tranquil place to spend time (although the north east corner can get a bit whiffy due to the nearby sewage works). At the same time, the Links still have a lot going on, from allotments and a Children's Orchard located in their midst to visiting circuses. The park also plays host to regular festivals such as the Leith Festival in June and the Edinburgh Mela in August. Another claim to fame is that, although no longer used as a golf course, it is the place where the rules were first laid down, making it officially the home of golf - take that St Andrews!

Alexandra Park is a lovely big space that it well maintained. The gardeners should be proud of the…read moregorgeous flowers and well groomed lawns. The park has a fountain, a duck pond, an outside gym, 2 kids play parks (one for younger kids & one for older), another pond like area with swans & is attached to the local golf course. It's lovely for a walk, a sunbathe or some squirrel watching.

I moved to the East End a few weeks ago and now we finally had a sunny weekend day when I wasn't at…read morework to explore. I headed in the main entrance and walked as far as I could before I came to a golf course and headed right to work my way around the rest of the park. Unless I went horrendously offcourse you could probably blitz it in about half an hour. There are a couple of decent-sized playpark areas over to the right as you walk in the main entrance, with benches for parents and guardians to sit and watch/play on their phones. Beyond that there's a small stretch of water where the pigeons and other birds potter about, then another bit of water beyond that which is really shallow and reveals a big swamp area which isn't so pretty. There's a fountain (I didn't see any water) which would make a good meeting point, and quite a few benches. Not all of them were in the sun so you might need to share if you're looking for one where you're not just sitting in the shade. Where the playparks are there is a small area of exercise equipment, and there are community gardening events which go on if you're interested. Marked it down one star as the water area is a bit ugly with all the mud - as there's no water it probably encourages kids to play in it and they'd get really manky.

Great park to watch and pet Highland Cows (hairy coos). And not crowded. Yay…read more Came here during a Cruise. From Greenock Cruise Terminal you only have to take 2 trains: Greenock to Glasgow Central, then transfer to train that goes to Pollokshaws West. Costs about 10 pounds (taxi costs 60). There is a nice, free museum there. Restrooms and cafe are very modern and super clean. There is a tram that takes you around the park, and even stops at the train station. Kids loved this park. Very open and not busy.

Clean park with highland cows that you can pet. Small walk to the Burrell collection. A great way…read moreto spend the day in Glasgow.

This place is an absolute favorite for my son. This farm is…read morea rescue farm full of many beautiful animals. They have pigs, ducks, geese, snakes, cats, horses, sheep, donkeys, ferrets, llamas, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and many more! They had lovely staff volunteers that were willing to show us the grounds along with information about the allotment gardens across the way. Overall a great experience for the family! I would recommend wearing clothes you don't mind getting dirty and Wellington boots. This farm can get pretty muddy, but it definitely doesn't stop you from having a great time. They also had a lovely play area for children in the front center where some ducks congregated. Overall a fun experience, can't wait to go back!