Bruntsfield Links
Address: Melville Drive, Edinburgh, EH9 1DY
Bruntsfield Links is a green space just south of Edinburgh’s city centre, adjacent to The Meadows. It is notable as one of the oldest known sites for playing golf, with records dating back to the 15th century. Today, it remains a unique space where you can enjoy a free, public 36-hole short-hole golf course. It also serves as a public park, bordered by tenement buildings and tree-lined paths.
The Links is a popular area for picnics, dog walking and casual sports. Close to the neighbourhoods of Bruntsfield and Marchmont, its a great place for locals to relax. In warmer months, it is a vibrant gathering place, with students, families and tourists all making use of its open lawns. The area has a rich history. As well as its use as a golf course, it was also once a woodland hideout for outlaws, a hunting ground for nobility and a sandstone quarry.
5 things to do at Bruntsfield Links
- Play the historic 36-hole short‑hole golf course. The course is free to play. You can bring your own clubs and balls, or hire them from the nearby Golf Tavern. (In winter, only the separate 9-hole course is open for play).
- Walk or cycle along the tree-lined pathways.
- Enjoy a picnic on the grass.
- Take the little ones to the small play park.
- Explore the nearby shops and cafés in Bruntsfield and Marchmont.
