The Meadows
Address: Melville Drive, Edinburgh, EH9 1ND
The Meadows is a large public park in Edinburgh. Located in the south of the city centre, near the residential areas Marchmont and Bruntsfield. It is a large, open green space with tree-lined paths, popular with locals as a place to walk, relax and play sport. It has children’s play areas, a croquet club, tennis courts and sport pitches.
The area once held a loch (Scottish lake) called the Burgh Loch or South Loch, which provided much of Edinburgh’s drinking water until the early 17th century. In 1722, a politician named Sir Thomas Hope, ordered a complete drainage of the loch and established a park in its place, originally named Hope Park. However, it became known locally as The Meadows and the name stuck.
5 things to do in The Meadows
- Walk or run along the tree-lined paths.
- Have a picnic and soak up the sun on a summer’s day.
- Enjoy the views of Arthur’s Seat.
- Play sports with friends on the large pitches and tennis courts.
- Take the kids to the play park.
