Great big park with lots to do. There is a sand pit, spiders web, flying fox, swings and lots of…read moreother fun things for the kids to play on. There is benches and picnic tables which I think there should be more of as it's usually quite busy but there is a grassy area if you can't get a table or bench. There is toilets, a small shop to get a tea or coffee and an ice cream van nearby!

Kids these days don't know how lucky they are. This is such a middle class playground it is…read moreunbelievable: not content with just swings, you have race car chair swings. There's a zip wire, a climbing wall, some form of big swinging disk thing and numerous other structures bringing unadulterated joy to me...and probably little kids as well. During the day this playground is absolutely rammed with screaming children as mothers discuss the latest issue of glamour or yesterday's tea party. This is the time to avoid, mainly because you'll look a bit weird swinging with a load of 5 year olds (careful those of you with innuendo based minds). In the evening though, or better in the small hours of the morning, this is a drunkard's paradise. Everything becomes so much more amazing...and more difficult. Whether it be the swings, the climbing frame or simply the spinning disk then it is a joy. Also the playground is one of the best places to meet fellow boozehounds, there's a real community of idiots there. A word of warning though, when on the swings, make sure you don't look at the hypno-disk, it will definitely make you feel queasy at the least. An amazing park with brilliant features for all kids, both little and large

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.

A head chilling stroll... Relaxing without chaos…read more.. An urban escape.

George Square Gardens is located just in the middle of some of the ugliest buildings in Edinburgh…read more(you know who you are Appleton Tower) However, this garden is well laid out and surprisingly big. If the Meadows are too crowded to be in then by all means come here to chill (just turn your back to the Library). There's a Labyrinth thingy on one side- it's not really a labyrinth more like a self-meditating maze and often I have seen people concentrating hard as they walk around it. I myself am probably too shallow to understand its meaning on finding my true self and so have instead raced friends to the end of it (each starting at a different side). During the Festival this Garden gets even prettier- they put large paper lanterns, a bar and wooden swings around and it's great to chill in with a great buzz of people!

Shocking is the best wau to describe this place, especially if you have a party. It is so…read moredisorganised, there was no one to tell you where to go or what to do, we had to wait at least 30-45 mins to go into the party room because they hadnt set up yet and there were no special features for the birthday girl like a special seat or a character that comes to sing happy birthday. Party game was musical statues but had to be abandoned because the CD player kept jumping. The party food was simply greasy pizza that hadnt been cut up, chips and crisps. It was so disorganised, unprofessional and utterly shambolic. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

So big! Too big! My eldest is 3 and there is no way on earth you could keep an eye on them from a…read moretable down below. Impossible. Especially if you like to give them some sense of independence. We moved to a smaller area that was considered more contained...somehow two of the kids managed to slip past us! It's a great place to go if your kids are older than 5 I would say...they have no real system for monitoring who is coming and going with kids which to me is a big scary deal. Anyone could leave with a child. There appears to be no policy to ensure that that child is meant to be with the person they are leaving with. Given that my son managed to give us the slip makes the thought of what could happen here not worth bearing. The food is average. And it is kept to a moderate standard of cleanliness. I don't think I'll be going back until the kids are older.

There are plenty of awesome Edinburgh Castle viewpoints for you to choose from within the city…read more Whichever one you visit will offer spectacular views, but the views from Princes Street Gardens truly are something special. The Gardens are made up of two adjacent parks which have been around since the 1820s. They sit in the shadows of Edinburgh Castle so as you can imagine, the views are very impressive! These gardens are found next to Edinburgh Train Station and the Scott Monument. They're free to enter, but just keep in mind that it does get really busy here! It lies in the valley between Edinburgh's Old and New Towns, at the heart of the Scottish capital's World Heritage Site. well, it was not always beautiful- Princes Street Gardens was created by draining Edinburgh's largest loch, the Nor Loch. there are many statues, monuments, landmarks in and around this iconic garden * Pictish Symbol Stone- The stone, now in the National Museum of Scotland * Monuments and statues- in a garden full of monuments and statues the Scott Monument, built in 1844 to commemorate the writer Sir Walter Scott, is the largest and most striking. * Ross Fountain: On the west side of the gardens is the Ross Fountain * St John's Scottish Episcopal Church * Robert Louis Stevenson Memorial: A tribute to the famous author, this memorial prompted a discussion about his adventures and literary works. * Norwegian Stone Memorial: This stone commemorates the enduring friendship between Norway and Scotland, established during World War II. * Ross Band Stand and Royal Scots Memorial: These stops offered a glimpse into the cultural and historical significance of the gardens. Every year at Christmas, part of the Gardens is transformed into the "Winter Wonderland" with a Christmas Market, an ice rink and many other fun attractions, including a Ferris wheel that stands 108 ft (33m) tall, often called The Edinburgh Eye. Today, the gardens are a popular Edinburgh tourist destination, especially beautiful in the spring and summer when the flowers are blooming.

This park along Princes Street has it all. It's just the place to be morning, noon, or night. There…read moreare beautiful views of the castle and the Ross Fountain. We saw a bandstand for performances as well as lush green grassy areas with plenty of bench seating. There are memorials and monuments scattered throughout the park. There's a church at one end of the park and Waverly Market (and train station) at the other end of it. The Mound splits up the two sides of this park into the west and east side. The east side has beautiful views of the Scott Monument. The National Gallery sits on the Mound for all art lovers to see as they are passing through to the other side. They have occasional holiday festivals here. One was being set up for Edinbugh's Winter Festival while we were there. It's difficult to believe that this was once a wetland around the castle. It eventually became known as Nor' Loch when it was purposely flooded to protect the castle. Yes, kind of like a moat. It eventually became a waste dump a couple of centuries later due to overpopulation. We were also told that it could have been the site of "Witch Ducking" prior to the accused being executed on Castlehill. Fact or fiction? The loch was drained in the 19th century to make way for the railway system. You don't really notice it from the park until you walk down the steps to the station. There are a few unique memorials here. I won't name them all, but the Scottish American (The Call), Mortonhall Baby Ashes, and Wojtek the Soldier Bear Memorials are the ones that caught my eye. We walked along Princes Street to see the statues, but then took detours through the park each day after that. It's so much better than walking along the crowded street. There's an adorable Gardener's Cottage as you're heading up to the mound with a beautiful garden. Don't miss the circular Royal Scott's Memorial on the other side of it. There's so much to discover at Princes Street Gardens.

A perfect park to take kids to! Not only is the circular…read morelandscaping of the park user-friendly but also very pleasing to the eye. There's two circles to it - an inner and an outer. The outer is a hilly grass area with benches, and the inner is a well-equipped and fenced in large kids playground - such a set-up is perfect for adults to sit back and watch the kids whilst allowing them the independence to run around freely. And because of the fencing, the worry of them running off too far is eliminated. Another bonus is that it's never as busy as the Kelvingrove or Botanics. The grassy area is also perfect to let dogs have a nice sniff around - though probably only suitable for smaller dogs. All in all, it's a perfect escape from the city buzz on Byres Road, and a great way to entertain the wee-uns.

This is my local park, although I confess that I don't visit it that often. But it's a nice place…read moreon a sunny day and it has a great swings area that is very child-safe. Since the old pavilion was converted into a nursery there's always a lot of child activity in the park, so consequently it is very popular with parents who have small children. It's a bit too close to Highburgh Road to be very peaceful, but it's a nice place to sit and get some sun in the summer months.

I count myself quite lucky to live just a hop-skip away from Harrison Park. In the year since I…read moremoved to Edinburgh, I've been fortunate enough to see the changing of the seasons take place in this lovely green space. From spotting nearby hills crested with snow, to the early spring buds and blossoms on the trees along the canal, to the numerous barbecues and people luxuriating in the summer sun. It's autumn once more, and the yellowing trees are truly a sight to see on a brisk autumn day. Harrison Park may not be huge like the Meadows, but it makes up for it by being connected directly onto the Union Canal, where you can walk, cycle, or run your heart out along the water. There's two different sections, West and East, one of which is normally full of sportsy folks doing their thing, and the other full of children on the playground and the prettiest dogs you ever did see stretching their legs on the green. It's well-paved and well-manicured, and just has a bit more of that community feeling to it than the bustling Meadows does. If you find yourself in the area on a nice day, Harrison Park is definitely worth a wander!

I live close to Harrison Park and I usually find myself wandering over here when the sun comes out…read moreas I have no back garden. It It's a pretty community area, in the middle of a residential area, just off the canal but is quiet and peaceful and well maintained. It is a huge space - not on the same scale as The Meadows. This is probably why I like it as I find The Meadows huge but also pretty crowded on sunny days when I just want to sprawl out and have my own space. There are two large sections, separated by a path and some tree's and a kids play park. The pack is used by runners, mum's with kids, sunbathers and dog walkers and it is easy enough to find your own little space with no one overlapping. Tree's around the side of the park provide shade on sunny days, but lots of open sunny spots. Margiotta's is just along the road and perfect for picking up supplies on sunny days. So Harrison Park, I salute you as my 'outdoor office' and saviour on sunny days :-)

This farm was right next to our Airbnb and so we just had to visit! It's not too big so this is…read moregreat if you want to squeeze in a visit while you're exploring. There is a cafe but it was closed when we were there. Entry is free, and there are stations to wash your hands. I didn't see any employees while I was there though, just a couple of other tourists. It was pretty empty so I felt like I had everything to myself. I saw some cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, lambs, and they were all adorable! You can't feed them but they are so friendly they sometimes let you pet them.

was a lovely warm sunny day visiting Gorgie City Farm &…read moreCafe 8/8/19. I think I came here a very long time ago so it was great to see all again. Walking around seeing all the animals was great and taking some photos of my experience. The weather was so hot, it felt like my head was burning a bit. Very impressive what I saw from goats, chickens, pigs, birds and many more. The young goats where so cute, I wanted to fit one in my pocket lol. I would recommend this place to anyone, if you love the outdoors and animals. You can get a Lothian Buses number 25 from Princess Street in Edinburgh and it will take you straight there also Gorgie City Farm is free to anyone too. Check out my article on Gorgie City Farm on my Blog below https://socialsandi1.com/2019/08/08/gorgie-city-farm/

A beautiful quiet space in Canonmills bordering the Stockbridge area. Has a playground for children…read moreand whilst not a huge park, ample space with different quadrants that offer room to walk your dog, benches to sit and private little spots to enjoy a picnic. The playground is actually really cute and perfect for locals who want to enjoy a bit of greenery right in their doorstep.

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!