Date spot in Edinburgh
The Devil's Advocate
Share a dram or a cocktail in a 19th-century pump house down Advocate's Close, a steep Old Town lane just off the Royal Mile.
Advocate's Close, Old Town
Address: 9 Advocate's Close, Edinburgh EH1 1ND- Bar
- Mid-price
- Dog friendly
- Cosy
- Romantic
Why it's a good date: Stone walls, low light and over 300 whiskies, plus a covered terrace with heaters and blankets for a cold night. Dogs are welcome in the bar and on the terrace but not in the restaurant, so make it drinks rather than dinner if yours is coming. It's up a run of stairs.
More from our Edinburgh guide
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)
