Maybe I'm spoiled by the beauty of a southern US landscape, but I was entirely unimpressed by the Meadows. I thought it would be super gorgeous, but when I visited, it just reminded me of the Quad on my university's campus. Very underwhelming. There are definitely better things to do in Scotland. Skip this and go further north for true Scottish beauty. read more

This is a stunning city centre playpark. My kids all love it (ages 13, 11, 7 & 23 months). There are some very unusual apparatus and features which will delight young and old alike. WELL worth a visit. read more

Granted, it's a park but it's a great park. There's a whole Mario/Luigi/other Nintendo characters map thing that makes it easy to figure out where you're supposed to meet people but I don't really know if anyone uses that beyond sports teams trying to practice together. It's a nice place for a run, if that's your thing, and there's a playground that kids AND adults will enjoy. Trust me on that one. read more

Whether you intend to throw a frisbee, kick a football or just have a lazy stroll along one of the many footpaths, the Meadows is a vast open park adorned with beautiful trees and hilly slopes. Sports lovers can make use of the cricket facilities and tennis courts, while children (and the young at heart) can play on the slides, jungle gym and merry-go-rounds. Although framed by roads leading to and from the city centre, the Meadows nevertheless offers tranquility and a quiet respite. read more

GReat for weekend's lazy stroll, with your friends for a chat, or just to walk.. and breathe the air in even in the summer you can be able to sunbathe in the park, to lie on the grass, and to knock your socks off It is a huge park, with trees, on a slight slope Even for the people can use it to play football, and cycle round it is great for kids. Also there is a wee park provided there as well. Also there is sometimes once a year or so, there is a funfair ground comes and use this land. it is a nice place to go read more

The Meadows is Central Edinburgh's no.1 park for active folk. Princes St Gardens is more about lying around in the shade/sun/rain whereas the Meadows is more about people walking the dog or playing team sports. You have to watch your head for the golf balls, footballs and frisbees. Also watch out for grumpy cyclists moaning at you like spoiled children when you forget yourself for a moment and wander into 'their' lane on the main paths. Top deal: At the East Side of the Meadows, the tennis courts are free during the winter! Plenty of folk seem to be taking advantage. Dr Paul fact: The Meadows used to be a loch! read more

Edinburgh is lucky to have both Princes Street Gardens and the Meadows in such close proximity, making it one of the greenest city centres about! Whereas the Gardens are a little bit "stuffy", the Meadows is the place to go to chill out and let it all hang-out (metaphorically-speaking of course!) Located not far from Edinburgh Uni, it's not unusual to see students kicking a ball around or playing frisbee with a beer in hand. However, if you're not the sporty type then it's certainly not hard to find a nice quiet patch to read a book or have a picnic. During summer months the area gets taken over by the festival and for the past ten years the Ladyboys of Bangkok have taken up residency in a big tent on the Meadows! If that's not your bag then you could always go to see the neighbouring circus. Both events mean that there is a real buzz about the place during August. Whilst the Meadows is great during the day, there can be a few dodgy characters lurking at night. However, just use common sense and you'll be fine. All in all, the Meadows is a great place to hang-out. read more

The Meadows isn't a gorgeous, beautiful park, it's more subtle than that. Because the area is used by 100s of people for loads of different reasons, there's a real feeling of community and a spectrum of human life. It's a great place for people-watching, as families stroll together, games of frisbee/football/rugby get underway, old ladies chatter, others read books, and the police box does a roaring trade in posh coffee. As you meander through the Meadows, a number of different tree-lined pathways ('walks') are on offer to you: Jawbone Walk features the dried-out jaw of a whale acting as an archway at one of its end and it's this kind of gentle charm that warms you to the place. read more

The meadows are my favourite place to go for a walk in central Edinburgh. They can be accessed Bruntsfield links, Marchmont and the old town. There are always people hanging out at all times of year, but during the summer the meadows are packed with groups playing football, juggling, frisbee-ing, and individuals reading, eating lunch and walking dogs. During the Edinburgh festival a tent goes up and usually plays host to the Ladyboys of Bangkok, and the whole of the meadows is utilised on fringe Sunday when you can walk around in the sun (or rain), and catch loads of free theatre, music and comedy events. A great place to walk, chill out, sunbathe or just cut through to avoid walking along main roads! read more

Situated at the heart of the city, this picturesque and surprising park is the best place to enjoy the fact that Edinburgh's licensing laws allow you to get drunk outside. Highly recommended for those scant few days of summer allowed us. Also a great place to take the kids. But not at night time. read more

The best park ever!!!!! I've had so many great times here in the Sun. On my own and with friends. Sun bathing, reading, meeting friends, barbecue, volly ball and its also great for yoga and running :D !!!! read more

The Meadows is one of these places that is nothing more than what it claims to be - which is what makes it so good. It's a big, lush, green space in the middle of a heaving city. It's almost always busy on a nice day - yet there always seems to be enough room for everyone from dog walkers, cyclists, runners, walkers, people playing a casual game of "insert park sport here" and people taking a load off and having a picnic or reading. It's a nice escape from the concrete of the city, but if you're going to sit down for a while remember to bring a blanket or use your jacket as the grass is almost always wet/dewy. read more

ah the meadows, what is there to be said about this lovely green space in the middle of edinburgh that hasn't been said already? it's a central location for meeting up for many citizens of edinburgh. you'll see families at the play park, students lounging in the grass gossiping and studying, runners doing laps around the outside, and dogs running about in front of their owners enjoying the freedom of the large park with loads of sticks to pick up and play with. this is an ideal space for so many reasons. there are a number of well maintained paved pathways going around and through the green space, there is a playground, there are tennis courts, it connects marchmont with bruntsfield via the links, and it's big enough that everyone can enjoy it without feeling crowded. i used to cut through the meadows as a student on my way to classes and just recently i had a really lovely run round the outside with some other yelpers. i've never had the pleasure of enjoying a BBQ on one of those rare warm and sunny days we have, but i do look forward to doing that in the future. it's also a great place for festive venues, although i've been told that there won't be any shows on here this year. i've been told that due to the very wet weather the grounds haven't been able to drain and dry off which means that the meadows is sinking a bit. so if i heard correctly, the plan will be to dig up the damaged parts and let this dry properly before relaying the grass. it's definitely nice to see that this green space is so well maintained and cared for so that many more generations can enjoy it in the future. read more

You'll be glad I shared this little anecdote with you when you read this. I have grown to quite like the Meadows for a bit of a hang out on a sunny day, although it utterly disgusts me that there is such a sizeable quantity of morons who drink there and just dump their shite on the greens when they hit the road. Get past this and you can enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and pleasant surroundings on the 2 or 3 days a year when we have the weather for it. However, this is not what springs to mind for me when anyone mentions the Meadows. The memory that springs to mind for me is of a story my mate told me when he lived with the Ambassador Sauna girls. One of the girls did a bit of escort work on the side, and on one occasion she got a call from a gentleman looking to have an experience with a couple of girls. Pretty standard stuff you may at first think, however, this sick little puppy wanted that experience to involve 2 escorts dressed up as school girls receiving some "How's your father?" in the play park at the end of the meadows, presumably when they got lost on the way home from school. My friend, who shall remain nameless, had to go down and collect the money from the punter, and no doubt battle with the temptation to hide in a bush and watch. In my eyes, this effectively either makes him their pimp, or just an everyday hero. I can't decide. Next time you walk past and hear a little girl saying "Mummy, I've put my hand in something...." just remember what goes on in there after dark. read more

This is the place to come and experience Edinburgh's seasons: Autumn: brown, yellow, orange, piles of colourful leaves which glimmer in the weakening Autumnal sun. Children in wellies, running through said piles of leaves. Families determined to enjoy the last remaining warmth of the year. Winter: everywhere else the snow has melted, here the grass is not to be seen, it is disguised as a white blanket. There are footsteps, people are creating snow angels, snow men. The trees are bare. The joggers are not put off by the cold, they keep going anyway. There is a sun, yet it provides little warmth, instead a crisp and bitter cold which numbs your fingers. When there is no snow, this is relatively deserted, people only cross it to get somewhere else. Spring: You know it's Spring when you feel like you're not going to die of pneumonia without that winter coat. It's sunny, the sun is still low in the sky, yet everyone is out and about. People are playing tennis, rugby, the Morningside mums are out with their prams, a old German sheep dog just dragged a table and some chairs all the way down the from the quater mile, a Business man leaped up in the air to avoid being run over. People are attempting to do summery things, picnics are being carried out, though all participants look like they are doing it because someone put a gun to their head. The most noticeable thing? The meadows are covered in colourful Spring flowers, yellow and purple are the most striking. People seem genuinely relieved that the days are getting longer. Summer: End of the exams, the start of the holiday season: hope, energy, a love of life. These are all to be found around the meadows at this time of year. The play park is in full working action, children and young adults alike use the swings, roundabouts and precarious looking see-sore. Some queue up with their parents outside the ice cream van to get mr Whippys or candyfloss. If people are not playing sports, they are having BBQs. There is a lot of smoke and that familiar smell of sizzling food. The weather doesn't often get this good, so people show off their summer dresses and pretty sandals as best they can. To top if all off, you have a view of the castle on one side, Arthur's seat on another. The University touches one part, and the wonderful areas of Newington, Bruntsfield, Tolcross and Marchmont surround the rest. read more

The Meadows is such a great place for walk on a nice sunny day.

Sit in the wind and rain and pray for sun. Cycle through and avoid the traffic. Five-a-side in the rain. All this. More.

Great place to chill out and have a laugh with friends. You can let the kids run riot here as it has play park as well as tennis courts and a great pitch and putt 18 hole golf course set up in it as well so take your own clubs as it's free but you can hire clubs if you don't have your own. On main bus route into town and has selection of bars/restaurants nearbye. read more

Not many cities in the world have such a huge green public space in their city centre. As it says on the tin, the Meadows are a huge piece of grass. Originally a loch (I won't bore you with historical details), this area at the edge of the old town is now the place for all sorts of sports and other recreational outdoors activities as soon as the sun shines a little bit and the ground is not too soaked. In the Meadows on a fine Sunday afternoon you will find cricket players on the cricket ground, various football games, touch rugby, volley-ball, badminton, frisbee, juggling, walking on a rubber band between 2 trees (no ideas how that's called). Apart from all those physical activities, you will find people sitting quietly with a book or their mp3 player, people sunbathing, and mainly, people barbecuing. Barbecuing seems to be the favourite activity in Edinburgh as soon as the sun shines and the Meadows are now equipped with a number of barbecue slabs so the grass doesn't burn. So, on a (rare) hot summer, the Meadows are 'smokey'! And you are, like me, lucky enough to live near the Meadows, then you have a fabulous front garden. One last thing, the Meadows are at their best when the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom Well, in my opinion ;-) I'm only putting 4 stars because I would like more trees. I love trees! read more

Why not spend the weekend discovering new things, this is what I did recently for The Meadows Festival. It gave me a big happy Friday feeling to wonder through the meadows but on a Saturday. This being a prelude to festival time in the capital, in which majastically the whole city transforms into a totally different, yet intriguing place? What did you see? I hear you ask, well I'll tell you but it would be much better if you had experienced it for yourself? Oh ok then; a snippet if you like. An ensemble of sports, celebrities, fun-fairs, dogs, music singing, rain, singing in the rain, buskers, or if your a foodie (not beans out of a can) then things for all to do. Sometimes out of respect for the people of Edinburgh the sun does come out, as it did at the weekend! Mostly its a freebie, hosted by the wonderful folks in the local community, volunteers, and a few others; that make the Meadows Festival so much better...I know! If you look on a map for the location, it's in a big tree lined grassy field based South of city centre. Unfortunately there are no outlets for games consoles, so please leave them at home and be prepared to participate and enjoy some non electrical activity such as football, rugby, golf, cricket, jogging, skating to name a few sports that occur here. Not a lot of people know that while walking the surface of the meadows, it is really a site of burials from the time of the black death. If you spot some green mounds then these are the burial sites of plague victims. The Burgh Muir as it was previously known was a mass of Oak trees, and from 15th to 17th centuries was used to isolate carriers of the epidemic. But its alright - it was a long time ago, and I don't think they'll hear you...or will they? Generally you get a whiff of a BBQ, if your on foot or cycling and on sunny days mostly the whitey/blue people of the city sit out and bake till their skin turns a very red Lobster colour before going a nice shade of Mahogany. But above all the bench mark is that the Meadows Festival is nearly 40 years strong...it's that popular. So from filthiest city in Europe in 18th century to friendliest in the 21st...oh how times change as place! read more

With the backdrop of Arthur's Seat, a vast and expansive grassy field, lengthy cycle tracks and hopefully some radiant sunshine The Meadows is the perfect place to relax. Away from the hustle and bustle of Princes St The Meadows presents ample space for a game of footy with your companions, spacious grassy plains to freely sprawl out on and read your favourite book or even an extended patch of grass to practice your golf swing. Often busy in the summer months and bursting with activity the meadows is highly recommended excursion away from the central area of Edinburgh. read more

The Meadows - Parks Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I cant think of anything better than The Meadows - just in general. A huge expanse of field in the middle of the city that is home to joggers, sports teams, dog walkers and students throughout Edinburgh. If you want a walk to get away from it all, go to the Meadows, if you have the urge to throw a frisbee - Meadows it is. By far however, the best time is those few glorious days where the sun comes out in Edinburgh - the place becomes literally jam packed with groups of students soaking up the sun, drinking a few brews and for the unlucky, doing some studying in the sun. The Meadows are an institution in themselves - a great park, for just about anything you could want it for. read more

Today I procrastinated in style and, instead of writing my essay, I went to the playpark. I am now procrastinating further by writing about it. But that is not the point. The point is that it is THE BEST DAMN PLAYPARK EVER! From swings with comfy chairs attached, to climbing walls, to water-pump spirals, to very long speaky-tube things, it is just spectacular! Yeah, you're lured in by the flying fox (or should that be "zip wire" for all you crazy English folk?) but then a wealth of opportunities faces you: should you cycle on the tricycle circle or spin the hypnotic discs? Should you make clanger noises with the whistles or twirl around in the round-about-bucket? Simply amazing. Go. GO NOW! read more

Sunbathing in the summer, Fringe Sunday in August and snowball fights in winter. One of the reasons Edinburgh is the coolest city in the UK!

What an awesome, quiet center of solitude, easy to walk to from the center of town.

lovely green area in the middle of town , you can forget you are in town whilst you sit back and read a book or sip on a latte. There is always a lovely atmosphere in the meadows during the summer months when there are more people lazing aorund or playing frisbee, footie etc. Kiddies play park is a hit too, the colorful climbing frames cannot be resisted by any child (or adult haha!) read more

The sun's shinning, the wine is chilled, the i-pod's charged and the Frisbee has been dusted off. The vast green of the neighbourly Meadows and all its eccentric and straight-laced regulars alike awaits your visit. What's your excuse? Oh and the playpark at the far end transforms you back into a six year old maniac...fun! read more

The meadows is a gem of a place. Its vast open spaces provide an excellent place to do many things: sunbathing on a hot summer's day; chilling with a book and an ipod; a picnic, or even some sporty activities, such as ultimate frisbee or 5-a-sides football. There is also a block of tennis courts, home to the Meadows Tennis Club - a great option throughout the summer months. The meadows is a wonderful place; for family, with friend, or for solace. read more

The Meadows are located to the south of the old town. Walking through the meadows on any one of the cherry-tree lined paths, you will undoubtedly see teams of enthusiastic Frisbee-ists, amateur footballers, hardened long-distance runners, free-style instant BBQers and lounging students putting off essay writing. In fact, on a good summers day, you may well see anything from a piano performance or sunbathers pretending its actually warm enough to remove most of their clothing, to a meditation group or an outdoor theatre company. The Meadows are particularly beautiful in spring when the cherry-trees blossom, encircling each path in a ring of pink petals. read more

I used to live right near the meadows and I loved how accessible it was, you could just go and lounge about in the summer. I also used to walk across the meadows on my way to university which i always loved because there is an amazing view of Arthurs seat! There is also a play park in one area of the meadows and also you can play golf. Just a nice place to walk through and hang out with your friends. read more

Very kid friendly park.Narrowly avoiding having a motorway built on it during the madness of the 70's, you'll definitely agree the right decision was made about the meadows. It is a large, well used grassy field hemmed by walkways and trees. It has a seasonal child friendly caff (open when the weather looks good and it's warmish) in the cricket pavilion. There are two parks for kids, a decrepit toddler size park and an AWESOME new mega park. The new park has; a sandpit, three, count 'em, THREE climbing frames for various ages, swings, roundabout, flying fox, tyre swing, climbing rock, basket swing, and a whole bunch of things to play on you never even imagined! read more

Massive green parks in Edinburgh which always have people using them. A lot of the University clubs have their sports practices here and there is always something going on. The meadows are so large that there are several different paths to take through them. In the summer the meadows are full of people playing football, relaxing, juggling frisbee and playing guitar. There is also a meadows festival once a year where there is live music, stalls and a carnival there with rides to go on. There is also now a little cafe in the meadows which has outdoor seating, and sells fairtrade tea and coffee. During the Edinburgh Festival there are usually shows on in the Meadows. There is also a play park at the edge of them, which is often used. read more

Worth a trip if you are visiting Edinburgh or new here. The meadows offers beautiful views of old town, new construction, Arthur's seat, etc. There's not much to do except walk through, as seats are scarce, but maybe in better weather a picnic would be in order. Ideal for joggers though. I've heard rumor of muggings and assaults, but, would venture to guess they are just rumor and that, just like everywhere in a big city, always be aware of your surroundings and you will be fine. My favorite part is watching all the seagulls that gather on the lawn-I'm a complete land-lubber but like to be reminded I'm near the sea. read more

One of the biggest and most exciting play parks in the city, spreading onto the grounds of a fascinating park area behind Edinburgh university. I consider myself lucky that I live in the neighbourhood and can lie lazily on the grass under the sunny spells, sit and read blissfully on a park bench, watch rugby or tennis players or just hang around the playground and smile at the lit up faces of kids and their parents. read more

Great place to walk, run and play. Very pretty when the flowers are in bloom or in snow, a great big green space in the centre of the city. I live right by the meadows, in Newington, so this is where I have my evening run (there's always a lot of joggers until quite late). read more

Great place to walk, run and play. Very pretty when the flowers are in bloom or in snow, a great big green space in the centre of the city. I live right by the meadows, in Newington, so this is where I have my evening run (there's always a lot of joggers until quite late). read more

Love the meadows especially in the summer when you can go down for a BBQ, as me and my friends done last year. Good spacious place with loads to do, (park for kids, grass space, tennis court) and shops nearby (ice cream van, victor hugo, chip shop, convenience store) also good to run or cycle or walk around to get some fresh air and near to nicolson street which has loads of shops. read more

fantastic place to visit when in edinburgh Specially in the Summer where lots of informal stuff going on. Nice to just laze around in the sun or a nice walk around it for exercise. Playpark just been revamped and its FANTASTIC read more

The Meadows actually has two playparks the old small one and the new large one. The favourite one is the big new one which has a great range of apparatus for all ages. There are swings for young and older children, slides, climbing bars. The favourite of most children is the death slide. The park does get really busy at weekends especially in summer. A little tip is to go to the old park as that is often empty because people forget about it. read more

love it hear go with my kids and family the pleace grew up as a child its a must go also has a very good park for kids , walls to clime ect you will not be let down by this place what so ever .x read more