If you live in Edinburgh, you make the most of every sunny day. If you are lucky enough to have good weather during your visit, join the locals at the Meadows, one of the largest and most popular parks in the city centre.
A huge meadow in the centre of Edinburgh
Right next to the Old Town, beyond the Greyfriars Bobby statue and the University of Edinburgh campus, you will find a huge, flat, grassy park known as the Meadows.
You might wonder how such a big green space has survived in the middle of the city. As with Princes Street Gardens, there was once a loch here, the Burgh Loch or South Loch. When the city expanded south, the loch was drained and turned into the Meadows in the 18th century.
The place to enjoy sunny days
All year round you’ll see people walking or exercising in the Meadows, but on sunny days the park takes on an amazing, festive atmosphere.
Have a picnic or a barbecue, join a game of football or rugby, or simply relax on the grass. And if you’re interested, the party carries on after sunset in the local pubs!
There are also cycle paths, tennis courts, a playground and paths for running. You’ll be in good company, as the Meadows is popular with locals and many student sports clubs, and it even hosted Edinburgh’s first football derby between Hearts and Hibs, in 1875.
Events in the Meadows
The Meadows hosts many events throughout the year. In March, the Meadows Marathon attracts over 1,000 runners raising money for charity, and you might even catch the Royal Company of Archers at their annual competition, held here for over 300 years.
One of the most fun events, and one you shouldn’t miss if you’re in Edinburgh, is the Meadows Festival in June, with live music, a large outdoor market, fairground rides, children’s activities and sports. In August, Fringe events often take place in the Meadows too.
One of the oldest golf courses in the world
Next to the Meadows, practically part of the same park, is another green space called Bruntsfield Links, with a short-hole golf course where you can play for free!
It has 36 short holes (about 40–80 metres), reduced to 9 holes between October and April. If you play here, you can say you have played on one of the oldest golf courses in the world, in the country that invented the game.
If you don’t have your golf clubs with you, the Golf Tavern, a legendary pub next to the course that claims to date from 1456, will rent you a full set for very little money.
They’ll also give you a map of the course and a scorecard to record your shots.
Explore the Southside
One of the great things about the Meadows is how close it is to other parts of the city, making it easy to find everything you need or to start exploring these areas.
Around the park are Newington, Marchmont, Bruntsfield and Tollcross, all with their own independent shops, restaurants and atmosphere. Discover more in our guide to the Southside.
Location
You can find the Meadows in the south of central Edinburgh, a ten-minute walk from the Royal Mile, with plenty of streets leading into the park from the Old Town and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Get directions to the Meadows.