The Meadows

This beautiful, large green space is a joy when the sun is shining; truly coming to life at the annual Meadows Festival.
I like the areas surrounding the Meadows; the marrying of different parts of town. You could easily take a detour and enjoy a greener, more scenic route through here. I like the businesses nearby, and also the sweet Pavilion café within the grounds.
I like that this space is open and free and is often used by locals.
Most of all, I like just passing through; thankful for this lovely piece of green space.

gorgeous, Central-​park-​like open space in Edinburg. I bought some onion rings in one of the fast food shops around and ate them on a bench in the sunshine. As it was the weekend, it was lovely to watch families having picnics around, runners jogging, groups playing sports etc. Very relaxing. The grass looked neat even though it was the end of winter. Lovely place.

It’s a nice place. Maybe it’s because I’m from a country that has plenty of spaces like this, but the Meadows doesn’t blow my mind.
I mean yes, it nice and green, and it’s cool having a space like this in the city, but in my view there are other awesome places like Inverleith Park, and the Botanic Gardens (obvious I’m from Stockbridge much?) that aren’t such a hike to get to but have much better views. Also less people which I like.
Walking through, this place is quite busy with people sitting with their lunch, drumming, playing with their children or walking through to get to their next destination.
Overall a nice space that is easily accessible, and would probably be a favorite of mine if I lived on that side of town, but it’s not so in blowing that I need to go out of my way to return.

Half of Edinburgh uses the Meadows as a back garden.
It’s the perfect place to walk a dog, sit in the sunshine (along with ¼ of the city), have a picnic, play cricket, touch rugby, tennis or many other things, to go for a run or bike ride, to take a small person to play at the play park. Pretty much anything that you’d want to do outdoors in a park.
I love it and can’t imagine living in a city without this much space easily accessible.

No better place to spend a summer’s day in Edinburgh. Barbecue and beer with friends = perfect

Beautiful spot and a lovely haven right near the city — absolutely adore the meadows!

One of my favourite things since moving into the city is the amazing amount of green space and The Meadows tops that list.
The first time I was wandering in this general direction, I kept stopping to ask folks how to get there and continually got the answer — «Oh don’t worry, you can’t miss it.» Having only been in the city for a few days, I was pretty wary of this overwhelming confidence in my ability to find what I thought was just any ol’ park. But folks visiting or new to the city: don’t worry — you CAN’T miss it!
This park is huge!
I live down in Stockbridge, so I don’t get here daily but whenever i’m in the area, one of my favourite things is to grab a cup of coffee and take a stroll through the meadows. It’s beautiful, it’s a great place to people watch, it’s got amazing views of the castle and arthur’s seat and it’s one of the best places to motivate your lazy butt to get to the gym — because after the 50^th jogger runs past you within ten minutes, you’ll feel the exercise shame like nothing else.
Now I moved here in October, so this has been a favourite pastime in the rain/​sleet/​fog/​wind… now that spring is upon us?! This place in the sunshine?! Be prepared to see an expat swoon on many a sunny afternoon.

I am great fan of large open spaces and the Meadows fits that bill. Summer softbal practice? Check! Barbeque with friends? Check. Jogging? Check! Dog friendly? Great for families? School trips? Triple check!
There are times that they host a circus or a foodie festival and charity events. This place has it all and it is so easy to get to as many buses from the City come close. Though it is only a 15 –20 min walk from Princes Street.
This park is good for every season, but I prefer a good picnic in the summer.

The most enjoyable moment in Edinburgh: on a Saturday afternoon, the rain stopped and sunshine appeared, you walk through the meadows seeing that young people were playing tennis and jogging, parents with their kids were playing, grannies just sat on the bench enjoying the sunshine. Everything was peaceful.

Ah o parque! O Meadows fica bem pertinho da universidade de Edinburgh e é um lugar muito agradável para se passar os dias de sol. Os dias de vento também, mas é bom levar muito agasalho…
O parque tem um belo gramado bem no centro e muitas árvores no entorno. No fim de semana você pode achar pessoas jogado futebol americano, futebol (do jeitinho pelada de ser). Vi até um grupo comemorando aniversário fazendo piquenique! Com balões nas árvores e comidinhas gostosas. É ótimo para levar cachorros para correr!
Quando cansar da caminhada, sente-​se nos banquinhos e curta a paisagem. No entorno muitos cafés charmosos para acompanhar a vista!

Granted, it’s a park but it’s a great park.
There’s a whole Mario/​Luigi/​other Nintendo characters map thing that makes it easy to figure out where you’re supposed to meet people but I don’t really know if anyone uses that beyond sports teams trying to practice together.
It’s a nice place for a run, if that’s your thing, and there’s a playground that kids AND adults will enjoy. Trust me on that one.

The Meadows offers a lot of different experiences in one park! There are loads of events throughout the year and is a great place to hang out and BBQ. There are families, students, and loads of people doing sports.
Recently I’ve discovered the play park. Wow, what a huge, fun play park. What’s really cool about this play park is how it’s different sections are geared towards children’s different ages. You have the toddler sand area with smaller more toddler friendly things to do and some toddler swings right behind it. Even though there are different sections, my toddler was very happy to explore the different areas and just walking around mingling with the other kids.
This park has a lot to offer and it’s a fun place for everyone.

I love The Meadows, it’s so beautiful but in a completely different way to how the Bruntsfield Links is beautiful. It’s big, it’s green, there is always something going on and there is loads of space to just plonk down with a book and watch the day unfold.
I’ve only spent one day here during my entire time in Edinburgh and I loved it. The idea that there is somewhere like The Meadows that is so big yet so peaceful (at least as peaceful as it can be being so close to city centre) is a completely new concept to definitely one that I’m a fan of.
I’m excited for this summer to get a barbecue, some cider and some friends and just spending the day here chilling out.

I love the Meadows, it’s one of my fav green spaces in Ed and I’m really lucky that I can pop down here on a lunchtime when I need a breath of fresh air to clear my head/​blow away the cobwebs.
Fantastic views over to Arthurs Seat, it’s a great space in all seasons. Whether it’s walking/​jogging/​running/​inline skating or chilling on the grass/​benches. But my favourite is Spring when the blossom is in full bloom and it makes you feel glad to be alive.
I love that there’s a measured mile if you want to know your distance whilst running/​jogging. The tennis courts are well maintained, the playpark has some cool toys that I wouldn’t mind having a go on, I just need to borrow some kids so I don’t look like a weirdo…
BBQ’s and impromptu picnics with friends. There’s the deli on the other side and the shops at Quartermile, all handy for getting something to eat/​drink.
Lots of Festivals and shows during the Festival can play havoc with the grassy areas but it’s a well used community space and if Edinburgh was a person, the Meadows could easily be her heart and lungs.

Un parque maravilloso y gigantesco en pleno Edimburgo, donde hasta el último habitante de la ciudad sale a disfrutar del buen tiempo, en general semidesnudo. Está lleno de gente haciendo deporte, jugando con los más pequeños, disfrutando de la hierba o haciendo barbacoas. Que, por cierto, como buena ciudad húmeda que es, en Edimburgo las barbacoas se hacen directamente sobre el suelo, a pelo.
Por las mañanas, cuando hace un tiempo un poco más gris, se instala sobre el enorme parque un pequeño manto de niebla que lo hace todavía más espectacular.

Whether you’re a visitor to the city or a real Edinburgher The Meadows is a must. Vast open spaces lined with lush trees, a fabulous kiddies playground, tennis courts and decent toilet facilities… you can’t really ask for more. There are also a number of cafes and pubs in the vicinity should it rain.
I love the fact that throughout the majority of the year there are various events, tents and fairground attractions to enjoy.
A group of us were here for a picnic recently and it appeared that we had the same idea as half of Edinburgh! Whilst busy there was plenty of space and the grassy areas are so well kept you don’t even have to spend half the afternoon seeking out a decent place to lay your blanket down.
The fact that we have this in the centre of Edinburgh makes it even better as you’re so close to whatever is going on in the rest of the city, especially in August!
A great place to go if you have kids and buggies :) Tip top!

Lovely big open green space.
It gets quite sticky with people on a hot summers day!

Sit in the wind and rain and pray for sun. Cycle through and avoid the traffic. Five-​a-​side in the rain. All this. More.

Its a place to be in Edinburgh to relax and inhale the beauty of green space within a city of nearly 500 000 inhabitants.
The location is easily accessible by foot or public transport from various areas like the Old Town (Royal Mile), passing the infamous Peters Yard coffee shop, or from North Clerk Street and the Summerhall (a well known event place) and off Lothian Road (with its bars and pubs).
Its a vast green space area, ideal for picnics and outdoor activities and even festivals, like the one we visited this week: The Meadows Festival, a 2 day event with music, dance, flea market, food and an amusement park. Its unbelievable what kind of «Old stuff» you can buy at a flea market for less than 50p. There were masses of people sitting on the grass and listening to the music (I think it was Jazz, not so sure) on the stage, but still, it did not feel crowded. Just perfect!

This is the place to come and experience Edinburgh’s seasons:
Autumn: brown, yellow, orange, piles of colourful leaves which glimmer in the weakening Autumnal sun. Children in wellies, running through said piles of leaves. Families determined to enjoy the last remaining warmth of the year.
Winter: everywhere else the snow has melted, here the grass is not to be seen, it is disguised as a white blanket. There are footsteps, people are creating snow angels, snow men. The trees are bare. The joggers are not put off by the cold, they keep going anyway. There is a sun, yet it provides little warmth, instead a crisp and bitter cold which numbs your fingers. When there is no snow, this is relatively deserted, people only cross it to get somewhere else.
Spring: You know it’s Spring when you feel like you’re not going to die of pneumonia without that winter coat. It’s sunny, the sun is still low in the sky, yet everyone is out and about. People are playing tennis, rugby, the Morningside mums are out with their prams, a old German sheep dog just dragged a table and some chairs all the way down the from the quater mile, a Business man leaped up in the air to avoid being run over. People are attempting to do summery things, picnics are being carried out, though all participants look like they are doing it because someone put a gun to their head. The most noticeable thing? The meadows are covered in colourful Spring flowers, yellow and purple are the most striking. People seem genuinely relieved that the days are getting longer.
Summer: End of the exams, the start of the holiday season: hope, energy, a love of life. These are all to be found around the meadows at this time of year. The play park is in full working action, children and young adults alike use the swings, roundabouts and precarious looking see-​sore. Some queue up with their parents outside the ice cream van to get mr Whippys or candyfloss. If people are not playing sports, they are having BBQs. There is a lot of smoke and that familiar smell of sizzling food. The weather doesn’t often get this good, so people show off their summer dresses and pretty sandals as best they can.
To top if all off, you have a view of the castle on one side, Arthur’s seat on another. The University touches one part, and the wonderful areas of Newington, Bruntsfield, Tolcross and Marchmont surround the rest.

Running here to there…
Must stop on a lovely day,
Good place to unwind.

For my 100^th review it has to be my most favourite place in Edinburgh.
Seriously, one of the best things to do in Edinburgh is, on a freezing cold winter morning when the sun is shining and the frost is threatening to make the paths impassable, you throw on your runners and your scarf and head to the meadows.
Another favourite is heading here at some godforsaken time to see the sun rise over Arthurs seat.
And that’s not even counting the twilight evenings spent drinking cider and barbequeing up a storm, the sunny Saturday afternoons when I grab a coffee and go read in the grass, or just nap… oh Lord a sunny Meadows nap is just delicious!
One thing I don’t like is when the place gets mega crowded and you’re constantly being hit with frisbees/​run over by children/​over hearing undergrads talk about their ‘ahmayzing noyt last noyt’ but on the other hand: share the love! The Meadows is for everyone and it’s great that on a sunny day all sorts can come and live in unity, barbequeing in the sun and relaxing in the grass.
And, oh my goodness, the crocuses in spring!