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Outdoors in Edinburgh & Lothian

Every spot we hold in Edinburgh & Lothian — swim, paddle, walk, viewpoint and dark-sky places, with live conditions.

Highland · 27Dumfries & Galloway · 16Edinburgh & Lothian · 12Argyll & Bute · 11Scottish Borders · 9Perth & Kinross · 9Fife · 8Loch Lomond & Trossachs · 6Ayrshire · 4Fife/Perthshire border · 3
12 places
walkviewpoint

Duddingston Loch Path (Holyrood Park)

Duddingston, Edinburgh

A quiet loop around a bird sanctuary loch inside Holyrood Park, with Arthur's Seat rising behind the reedbeds. Mostly step-free…

Sunset 22:02
viewpointwalk

Braid Hills Viewpoint

Braid Hills, Edinburgh

A short pull up from the golf course gives one of Edinburgh's widest panoramas, from the Forth to the Pentlands, without leavin…

Sunset 22:02
walkviewpoint

Threipmuir Reservoir & Pentland Hills Circular

Balerno / Pentland Hills Regional Park

A reservoir loop that gently opens into proper Pentland hill country, with Bavelaw Castle and the ridgeline as your reward if y…

Sunset 22:01
walkviewpoint

Cramond Island Causeway Walk

Cramond, Edinburgh

A causeway walk past WWII pillboxes out to an island in the Forth, but the tide decides your day here more than the weather doe…

Sunset 22:03Known hazard
walk

Almondell & Calderwood Country Park Walk

Broxburn, West Lothian

A wooded river gorge walk past an old aqueduct, easy enough for buggies on the main paths with a cafe and toilets at the visito…

Sunset 22:03
viewpointwalk

North Berwick Law

North Berwick, East Lothian

A steep little volcanic plug above North Berwick with a whale-jawbone arch at the top and a genuinely 360-degree view: Bass Roc…

Sunset 22:00
swimwalkviewpoint

Gullane Bents Beach

Gullane, East Lothian

A long dune-backed sandy beach with Excellent-rated bathing water and a boardwalk in from the car park. Good for a proper famil…

No overflowBathing: ExcellentSunset 22:00
viewpointswimwalk

Seacliff Beach & Tantallon Viewpoint

North Berwick, East Lothian

Scotland's smallest working harbour, reached down a small toll road, with Bass Rock's gannet colony close enough to feel presen…

Sunset 22:00
paddlewalk

Union Canal at Ratho

Ratho, Edinburgh

A flat, sheltered canal paddle from the Ratho basin, about as beginner-friendly as paddling gets, with the Bridge Inn on hand f…

Sunset 22:03
paddlewalkviewpoint

South Queensferry Foreshore (paddle launch)

South Queensferry

A launch right beneath all three Forth bridges together, which is a striking sight from water level, but this is a working ship…

Sunset 22:03
swimwalk

Longniddry Bents Beach

Longniddry, East Lothian

A long managed beach backed by Gosford estate woodland, with a Good SEPA rating and a proper car park at the East Lothian Counc…

No overflowBathing: GoodSunset 22:00
walkviewpoint

John Muir Way — Prestonpans to Cockenzie

Prestonpans, East Lothian

A flat, easy stretch of the John Muir Way linking Prestonpans to Cockenzie past old harbours, with the Fife coast visible acros…

No overflowSunset 22:01