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.

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.

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!

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.

Ah the meadows. The name implies multiples of meadow, but it's really just one large field. The…read morearea is ringed by trees, there is a fenced-in dog and people park on the side, and ample room to laze about and look up at the clouds. You can see Arthur's seat in the distance, which is where we were headed when we decided to stop and sit. I found the place clean enough, but near my area of laze there were a multitude of cigarette butts. It didn't bother me too much, but I could have done without it.

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).

Easy access from anyplace in Edinburgh. Beautiful park. Spring bulbs are in bloom (May 20, 2026).read more

It's the nicely landscaped square and garden in the heart of New Town. We just happened to see it…read moreafter having lunch at Bread Street Kitchen & Bar. There are many nice restaurants and shops all over this area. It's most definitely the ritziest part of town with all the designer shops such as Louis Vuitton & Gucci across from the square. There's also a Costa Coffee shop at the very corner of it. It's all very convenient. We walked around the garden. It wasn't as beautiful as it normally would be in the spring or summer. The trees were displaying their fall colors, and there wasn't much in the way of flowering plants. The Melville Monument, Lion of Scotland statue, and Paddington Bear are all great photo opportunities here. Everyone was taking pictures with Paddington Bear on the bench eating a marmalade sandwich. I just happened to snap a picture in between the selfies. I actually found this sculpture to be the most interesting one of them all. St. Andrew Square Garden is a nice little stop if you just happened to be in the area. It's a great place to relax after a day of touring, eating, drinking, or shopping.

This park is amazing for kids, with its treehouses, bridges, chutes and climbing frames, its huge…read moreand there is so much for the kids to do and explore all its nooks and crannies, while the adults find a picnic table to relax with a bite to eat. i would love to explore this place without the kids as I'm sure there is so much more to see other than the park. It's not that difficult to get to from the centre, we got the number 3 bus from princes street but its a little bit of a walk from the bus stop to the park so be prepared for that. It was great going down to the river too and the kids enjoyed getting their feet wet and throwing stones, all in all a great day out and fun for all the family in stunning surroundings!

Dalkeith is a small town about 5 miles outside the centre of Edinburgh. Although close to Auld…read moreReekie, you wouldn't know it thanks to the sizeable green belt that Edinburgh has. Within Dalkeith is the Country Park, an oasis of 500 acres of woodland, all of which can be explored by foot, bike or even horse. Entering from Dalkeith itself, one of the first things you'll see is the adventure playground. I have visited this a couple of times with the children's charity I volunteer with, and the kids have absolutely loved it each time. There's a long slide, a wooden fort, high wooden walkways, swings, an obstacle course, all surrounded by the usual amount of bark chippings. There seems to be no end of different games and ways round the adventure playground. It will quite happily occupy you for a couple of hours. As for the rest of the grounds, if they're anything like this, then they'll be beautiful. Dalkeith Country Park, especially in the summer, is a great day out, with something for all the members of the family to enjoy. There's free parking at the Dalkeith end, and some picnic tables near the playground. There's nothing better than watching the sun set slowly with a vista looking over Dalkeith Palace. A true gem.

This is one of my favourite parks in Edinburgh, it is only small, but it is in a secluded area, so…read morenot many people come here. I generally come here to eat my fish and chips, or whatever eatery has attracted my business, to make sure that I don't get any sand in my food! It reminds me of St Andrew's Square, which I also love, but without the big statue, and with the bonus that there is a beach literally 2 minutes walk away! The park is a real sun trap and no matter what the time is, there is nothing blocking the sun out, so would be an ideal spot for lounging in the sun all day and picking up some rays. There isn't much to do for kids, which is good, which means you don't have to worry about kids shouting and screaming when you are chilling out, which sounds very scrooge-ish I know!

A small hike my friend took me on, it didn't look like much when we started but the higher you get,…read morethe better it gets. Once we reached the top, we were treated to a GORGEOUS view of Arthur's Seat. I almost cried because of how beautiful it was. We then laid in the grass and I am not exaggerating when I say it is the best grass i have EVER laid on. The grass was so soft and warm. I still remember it so well, it saddens me to think I might never feel grass that soft and warm again. All other grass now pales in comparaison. Sigh.

If you're looking for a fantastic view over the city and a walk in peaceful surroundings this is a…read moregreat choice. It's a little bit further to get to from the centre, as apposed to Calton Hill, Salisbury Crags or Arthurs Seat so you may need to walk to get there or catch a bus. It's still worth it though! Take a flask or a bite to eat and enjoy a seat on one of the benches or lay out on the grass. Make sure you explore round the hill as there is a very nice walk through the trees. Don / www.edinburghphotowalks.com