Must Visit Green Spaces in Edinburgh

All pictures are my own and were originally posted on my Instagram account.

Edinburgh has always struck me as unique in its ability to be a bustling capital city where you can easily turn a corner to wonder if you have accidentally stumbled into the countryside. In this post I want to share with you four of my personal favourite green spaces in Edinburgh, from extinct volcanos to magical fairy gardens and much, much more.

Arthur’s Seat & Holyrood Park

There is nowhere I love in Edinburgh more than Arthur’s Seat and the surrounding parks. It is the one place in Edinburgh that I miss now that I live in London, as I truly cannot find anything comparable in the hustle and bustle of the UK’s capital. Arthur’s Seat itself is an extinct volcano and it is surrounded by expanses of greenery, multiple lochs and is attached to Holyrood Park where, surprise, surprise, Holyrood Palace is situated. Once you find yourself roaming the hills around Arthur’s Seat you forget you are in a city. It’s a beautiful place to escape to, never too busy especially if you explore the areas off the beaten track. I’ve spent a lot of my life in this park: playing imaginary games with friends, walking our dogs, rolling eggs on Easter and just taking time to myself to walk and unwind as an adult.

Dr Neil’s Garden, Dudingston Village

This one is attached to the area surrounding Arthur’s Seat and situated in Dudingston Village. Dudingston Loch can be approached via the park or from Dudingston itself. On its edge you will, however, find a magical little secret garden. The garden is public but accessed through a small gate off the street itself. It is beautifully landscaped, full of flowers and different levels leading down to the waterfront that are perfect places to have a seat and relax in. If I could imagine fairies living anywhere in Edinburgh it would be here.

The Botanical Gardens

This is the only place on my list that could potentially cost you some money but that is only if you want to visit the greenhouses. Everything outside of the greenhouses, and that includes a lot, is completely free. The gardens are expansive and feature plants from around the world. These plants have been divided into different gardens and areas, each of which have you feeling as if you have entered an entirely different park. Of course, the Scottish climate does not suit every species so to see certain plants you will have to enter the greenhouses, which as I mentioned cost a few pounds to visit. If you do enjoy a bit of botany and have the money to spare I would always recommend including these in your trip but otherwise there is more than enough to keep you entertained.

Colinton Dell

Situated on the outskirts of the city, Colinton Dell is a woodland walk that runs alongside the Water of Leith. It has walking and cycle paths, as well as places to stop along the way.  The woodlands themselves are classified as ancient and there is something quite majestic about walking through the trees here.

Have you visited any of these spots? Do you have any other green spaces you would like to add to the list? Where is your favourite green space where you are?