We walked here from our AirBnB and it was a hike but there are tons of bus stops around, which we…read moretook back. A large expanse of a beach with restaurants around and tons of good sea shells and sea glass to choose from. Tons of dogs around so this is a good spot to come on a warm day for a picnic.

This used to be a real dirty and messy beach according to the locals, now the local council have…read morespecialist equipment to sift the beach of 70% of the rubbish left behind by the beach goers it is sad in a way as when you leave you see that the bins are half empty and the beach is full of rubbish at the end of the day. I saw a lot of nails and deadly spikes left behind by barbeques and people playing volley ball. This place gets real busy at the weekend, and warm days with cafe's nearby selling ice cream and cold drinks. Sadly there is nothing grand here as the tacky amusement arcade's have moved in.

I only did a small portion of the 22 mile long walk, but the section I waked was lovely, and a nice…read moregreen corridor within a bustling city. I started at Dean Village, and walked through Dean Garden to the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. It was a nice alternative to walking the city streets or taking transport to the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, which was my destination. It took me just about an hour at an easy stroll with brief stops to take a few pictures. I sent a few of those pictures to some girlfriends and their comments were, "It's like you're in a storybook" and "Gorgeous, that can't be real." Take a look at the pictures and see if you agree. Or better yet, take a walk and see for yourself!

The Water of Leith is my happy place…read more Anytime I'm having an off day, it's a perfect little refuge just steps from my door for a wander and a think. The fact that you can traverse most of the city via its paths? Well sheesh, like I needed another reason to love Edinburgh...

Who doesn't love the canal?…read more Crazy people, that's who. Now, I'm sane so I adore strolling, jogging and biking along it's banks, taking in the rowers, the ducks, the swans and the air. Tucked away you'd hardly know it was there - in fact I lived within a minutes walk of it for 3 months before I found it - I just never happened to walk in such a way as to see it! Since my discovery, however, I've whiled away not nearly enough Saturday afternoons here. Since moving back to the area it's become my favourite place to jog - see Robyn's review! It is definitely the flattest place around!! Some of it's charm comes from the handsome barges which are littered throughout. Quite amusingly one or two have been converted to cafes and I swear there is nothing so quaint as a cafe in a barge! It's fantastic and a new tourist spot for when I have visitors! I've never been down here in the dark though. The concept is quite frightening, despite the adorable coloured lights that mark the way! I'm quite happy viewing them from the bridge! Give it a go! You can't beat a canal walk for clearing the head and getting some air in your lungs! Exclamation Mark!

One of my favourite spots in Edinburgh to walk along and the occasional picnic in the evening…read moresunshine. Union canal is lovely all year round and changing constantly. In the winter sometimes the canal freezes over creating beautiful textures in broken ice and frost. In the springtime you will see beautiful wee ducklings and plants starting to return. Summer is lush and green and overgrown reeds and there are a few floating pontoons perfect for picnicing or you can hire kayaks and canoes and get out on the water. There are also lovely wee narrowboat cafes you can stop in for tea and cake. Autumn is my favourite when all the trees are changing colours. You can walk or cycle all the way to the Falkirk Wheel if you are feeling energetic or turn off at the aquaduct to either the Water of Leith Walkway (another beautiful walk) or to the Dells in Collington (just stunning). When you are on the canal you forget you are still very much in the city centre, some points are so peaceful and leafy with various parks on route and if you get tired you are never far from a bus stop back into town. I've walked all the way out to East Calder where you find yourself surrounded by fields and countryside and fabulous scenery, just gorgeous!

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 :-)

Despite living in the area for a long time, I kept forgetting this park was nearby. However, a new…read morejob means I get the chance to walk through it every day now, and I'm enjoying it thoroughly! It's big, lots of well tended grass to laze, blether, read, play and BBQ on (I'm not sure if that's allowed or not by the way, but I counted 3 tonight and nobody seemed fussed!), 2 good play-parks for the kids and dogs seem to like it too! There are plenty of paths through the park leading to Bonnington and Leith Walk, but there are also a few secluded areas too (which I'd steer clear of late evenings and early mornings!) The only thing missing is a wee ice cream van but, that aside, 'park-life' is alive, and well, in Pilrig and you should definitely check it out some time!

As BBQ season creeps closer, this park will be our new back garden. So far I have only walked…read morethrough it but my thoughts so far are that some of the people that loiter there are pretty questionable. However, the grass is very green and grassy, there is a nice little play park and it seems fairly quiet which is nice compared to the Meadows. I will update my review once we have a BBQ on a sunny day, but for now it seems a very promising location for soaking up those two days of Scottish summer we get.

Amazing view of the city after an under one hour hike depending on the route you take. You get a…read morepanoramic all round view from ocean to city to the valleys. Judy absolutely spectacular and a must do! Winds can get pretty gusty up near the summit and I felt as if I'd get blown off the edge at times.

What a great hike! Easy enough and walkable from the majority of Edinburgh. You can take a few…read moredifferent paths to get to the summit. We took the one on the edge of the cliff and it was steep, so maybe avoid that one. There is one that takes a dirt path that is a little less steep to get up to Arthur's Seat. This summit provides a beautiful panoramic view of Edinburgh. Open 24/7, it's definitely worth a visit (maybe even more than once!)

Do you like exploring? Do you like beaches?…read more Then you will not be disappointed with Gullane Bents. It's a jewel amongst treasures. Recently I explored the coastline East of Edinburgh and I took the coastal road A198 to enjoy the views whilst driving. After having passed Gullane's Golf Course and just before I entered Gullane village I spotted a sign post pointing towards Gullane Bents. Being spontaneous, I thought I check it out. There is a car park which charges during the summer period, but for now it's free. You enter the area walking down a slight hill towards the sandy beach. The views are amazing and you can walk for ages surrounded by all the beauty the earth has to offer. TIP for all the dater's amongst us: Take your person of interest there and they will love it. Just make sure they like fresh air and the outdoors! :-)

Ever wondered how Edinburgh looks from the outside?…read more Well, one place to view the glorious city of Edinburgh is from Silver Sands in Aberdour. Silver Sands is both a beach and a park. The beach, accessed via a very steep road, is, apart from St. Andrews one of the most well known and most visited beaches in Fife! It even has been awarded a blue flag for its qualities! A word of warning though, even on a warm day, the water is still freezing cold, so best advice is to stay on the beach! The park surrounds the beach and is very large in comparison. It has plenty of car parking spaces and has many sporting facilities. It has enough grassy areas for football or other field sports, a children's play area and plenty of cycle paths. Usually on a sunny day there is an ice cream van, or it is only a few minutes walk to the high street for some snacks! However, the main attraction of Silver Sands is its magnificent views of Edinburgh. Arthur's seat and the crags dominate the skyline. Also, the sheer size of Edinburgh is quite surprising, as when in the city it does not feel that big. Silver Sands is an ideal place to chill in the hot summer and has one of the best views of Edinburgh!

Situated on the north side of the Forth estuary, Aberdour is well known forits castle and beaches,…read moremainly the Silver Sands, to the east. With the park between the beach and the town, parking is plentiful and beach access via a gentle path and some steps. The road from the town to the car park is almost flat, with plenty of cycle paths, walkways and sightseeing opportunities, including the walk round Hawkcraig point for the view onto Aberdour, to the west, and over to Inchcolm and the medieval Abbey. Further west rise the engineering wonders of the Forth road and rail bridges. To the south can be seen part of the expanse of Edinburgh with much of it hidden behind the bulks of Arthur's Seat, Castle rock, Clermiston hill etc. Beyond that can be seen the Pentland hills with the Hillend dry ski slope lit up like a Christmas tree at night. Central Edinburgh--the New Town and the Old Town have become surrounded by soul-less housing schemes but the historical character of the city is well worth exploring