Central Belt
Free date ideas in Edinburgh
Updated
Edinburgh’s best views cost nothing. Climb Arthur’s Seat for the whole city and the Firth of Forth, or take the short path up Calton Hill to watch the sun go down over the Old Town. The National Museum of Scotland, from Dolly the sheep to the rooftop terrace, and the Scottish National Gallery on the Mound are both free. Further out, follow the Water of Leith from Dean Village to Stockbridge, wander the Royal Botanic Garden’s 70 acres, or take the bus to two miles of sand at Portobello. For a quieter walk, there’s the Hermitage of Braid, the causeway at Cramond, or Glencorse Reservoir in the Pentlands.
Our picks
Arthur's Seat
Holyrood Park, at the foot of the Royal Mile
Address: Holyrood Park, Queen's Drive, Edinburgh EH8 8AZ- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Active
Climb the old volcano in Holyrood Park for a view over the whole city, from the castle to the Firth of Forth.
Why it's a good date: It feels like a proper hill walk, and you're back in town within a couple of hours. Go early for a quieter summit, wear decent shoes, and stop for breakfast in the Old Town on the way down. Dogs are welcome in the park: keep them on a lead where signs ask, in the bird nesting season.
Photo: Gareth James, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Calton Hill
Regent Road, at the east end of Princes Street
Address: Calton Hill, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH7 5AA- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
Walk up the short path from Princes Street to the monuments on Calton Hill and watch the sun go down over the Old Town.
Why it's a good date: The classic Edinburgh view for very little effort: the castle, the Balmoral clock and Arthur's Seat all in one frame. Bring a flask and go on a clear evening. Dogs are welcome on the hill, kept under close control.
Photo: Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
National Museum of Scotland
Chambers Street, Old Town
Address: Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
Explore the free national museum, from Dolly the sheep to the Lewis chessmen, then head up to the rooftop terrace.
Why it's a good date: There's so much in here that you can come back and see something new each time. The rooftop terrace has a castle view, and it's the best rain plan in the city.
Photo: Elshad, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Inverleith Row and Arboretum Place, Inverleith
Address: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer
Wander 70 acres of free gardens, from the rock garden and its pond to the Chinese hillside, with a view of the castle and skyline from the high ground.
Why it's a good date: Calm, green and never too busy, even at weekends. The glasshouses are closed for restoration, so save it for a dry day and walk on to Stockbridge afterwards.
Photo: Daniel Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Dean Village and the Water of Leith
Dean Path, West End, to Stockbridge
Address: Dean Village, Bell's Brae, Edinburgh EH4 3BE- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
Follow the Water of Leith Walkway from Dean Village, a cluster of old mill buildings in a gorge, downstream to Stockbridge.
Why it's a good date: Ten minutes from Princes Street and it feels like a village. On a Sunday, time it to finish at Stockbridge Market for lunch from the stalls. Dogs are welcome on the walkway; keep them on a lead where it's busy.
Photo: Graeme Yuill, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Scottish National Gallery
The Mound, between the Old Town and Princes Street
Address: The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL- Culture
- Rain-proof ☔
- Free
See Scottish and European old masters in the free gallery on the Mound, including Raeburn's skating minister.
Why it's a good date: Small enough to see properly in an hour, which leaves time for a walk in Princes Street Gardens right outside. Each of you picks a favourite painting and makes the case for it.
Photo: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped and resized)
Portobello Beach
Portobello Promenade, east Edinburgh
Address: Portobello Promenade, Edinburgh EH15 1HH- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer
Take the bus to Edinburgh's seaside and walk the promenade along two miles of sand.
Why it's a good date: A day at the beach without leaving the city. Walk the prom one way and the sand the other, and warm up with chips or an ice cream from one of the cafés along the front. Dogs are welcome on the sand all year; from April to July, when birds are nesting, keep them close or on a short lead.
Photo: Graeme Yuill, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Edinburgh Printmakers
Castle Mill Works, Gilmore Park, Fountainbridge
Address: Castle Mills, 1 Dundee Street, Edinburgh EH3 9FP- Culture
- Free
- Dog friendly
See the free exhibitions in the old rubber mill offices at Fountainbridge, browse prints in the shop, then walk the Union Canal towpath next door.
Why it's a good date: The whole building is dog friendly apart from the main print studio, so your dog can come round the galleries, shop and café with you. A small print makes a good keepsake of the day, and the canal is right outside for a stroll afterwards.
Photo: M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Hermitage of Braid and Blackford Hill
Braid Road, Morningside
Address: Hermitage of Braid, 69a Braid Road, Edinburgh EH10 6JF- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Active
Follow the Braid Burn through the wooded glen of the Hermitage, then climb Blackford Hill for a view back over the city to the castle and Arthur's Seat.
Why it's a good date: A local nature reserve that feels miles from town, with a burn alongside the path and an open hilltop at the end. Dogs are welcome under close control; from April to July, when birds are nesting, keep them on a short lead in the woods and on the grassland.
Photo: Graeme Yuill, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Cramond Shore and Causeway
Cramond Glebe Road, Cramond, north-west Edinburgh
Address: Cramond Glebe Road, Edinburgh EH4 6NU- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
Walk the shore at Cramond, the old village where the River Almond meets the Forth, and out along the line of wartime concrete pylons towards Cramond Island.
Why it's a good date: Wide sands, big skies and room for a dog to stretch its legs. The island is only safe to reach around low tide: check the safe crossing times on the board at the start of the causeway, and turn back in good time, because the tide comes in fast. From April to July, when birds are nesting, keep dogs close or on a short lead on the shore.
Photo: Lewis Clarke, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
Glencorse Reservoir, Pentland Hills
Flotterstone, off the A702 south of Edinburgh
Address: Flotterstone car park, off the A702, Penicuik EH26 0PP- Outdoors
- Free
- Dog friendly
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Out of town
Head out to Flotterstone, on the edge of the Pentland Hills, and walk the quiet track up the glen to Glencorse Reservoir.
Why it's a good date: Proper hills about half an hour from the city centre, on an easy track a dog will love. Most of the park is sheep farming, so the rangers ask you to keep your dog on a lead unless you're sure it won't run off, and to keep it out of the water if there's blue-green algae after warm weather.
Photo: Stevie Wallace, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Quick answers
Which of Edinburgh's museums and galleries are free?
The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street and the Scottish National Gallery on the Mound are both free, and so are Edinburgh Printmakers' exhibitions.
Can we walk out to Cramond Island?
Only around low tide. Check the safe crossing times on the board at the start of the causeway, and turn back in good time, because the tide comes in fast.
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