From peaceful retreats to active adventures, in Edinburgh you’ll find plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in nature.
Edinburgh might be a bustling city at its historic heart, but did you know if you take a short journey just beyond our cobbled streets you can immerse yourself in a huge variety of unique, breathtaking nature?
Fancy a walk in the Scottish hills? We’re blessed with dramatic volcanic outcrops like Arthur’s Seat set right among the city’s streets. And looming over the city are the stunning Pentland Hills, only a short bus ride away and with scenery to rival the Highlands themselves.
Or are you more of a beach person? Edinburgh is surrounded with fantastic coastlines, with sandy beaches for dog walks and relaxing, world-leading wild swimming and boat trips. And we’ve still not even covered our beautiful public parks, canal walks, rivers for kayaking and peaceful gardens!
Scotland’s capital offers countless ways to connect with the natural world and rejuvenate mind, body and soul. We spoke to 3 local businesses who specialise in activities in nature to find their top tips on how the city’s natural beauty can be enjoyed by everyone.
A wee pedal
Describing themselves, as “exploring the outdoors on bicycles amongst nature”, A wee pedal is a multi-award-winning family cycle tour business offering a range of bike tour across the city. From family-friendly tours to the beach, to E-bike tours round Arthur’s Seat, their tours are “the perfect way to experience the abundance of nature Edinburgh offers, escape the crowds and see how much natural beauty, fresh air and countryside we have”.
Ensuring their tours are accessible to people of all ages and abilities, they have a variety of bikes available, including children’s bikes and child seats. They also offer a ‘pay-it-back’ ethos that enables everyone to enjoy the benefit of riding and a community programme means that people with limited experience or means can also benefit from joining a ride.
Committed to offering participants a low impact, zero carbon experience, they “do not use plastic water bottles and all locations are perfectly situated so guests can arrive on foot or public transport”. While integrating mindfulness and wellness into their nature-based experiences, A Wee Pedal added that they also “encourage guests to take a moment to appreciate our surroundings, listen to the sounds of nature. We point out the smaller details around us, like the rustling of leaves, the scent of flowers, or the sound of birds singing”.
We asked the A Wee Pedal team for their suggestions for lesser-known outdoor spots in the city that everyone should experience and, while they had many, their top suggestions include, “the beautiful Craigmillar Castle park with deer, ancient woodland; Saughton Gardens – the flowers are beautiful all year round, and the Water of Leith – look for otters and spot the kingfisher that sits near Dean Village”.
And their favourite season for enjoying Edinburgh’s natural beauty? “Each season brings something different and we love all seasons. Winter doesn’t stop us enjoying Edinburgh’s beauty. Cold, crisp mornings on a bike can be just as much fun as our late summer warm evenings”.
Edinburgh Birding & Nature Tours
Offering guests the chance to “experience the wonderful birdlife of Edinburgh through bespoke tours”, Matt Appleby, Owner and Guide of Edinburgh Birding & Nature Tours, explains “there’s something universal about the natural world: birding and nature tours are special for everyone. Many of my foreign guests talk about the most glamorous nature tours in the world – tiger-watching in India, Galapagos cruises – and yet still find something to love in our city”.
While his tours are for suitable for all levels of experience and knowledge, as Matt points out, some of the best ways for visitors to Edinburgh to experience the city’s natural beauty don’t involve special equipment or specialised skills. For example, “in spring and summer, the best for a beginner is to wake up early and take a sunrise walk through your local park. There’ll be no one there but you, the occasional hardcore jogger, and thousands of birds in song. With a single app on your phone, Merlin, you’ll be able to identify every song you hear, and it can really deepen your connection to the local ecosystem”. And while being close to nature can fostering a deeper connection with the natural environment, it can also help with wellness and mindfulness, as Matt highlights “it simply isn’t possible to spend a day with kingfisher along the river, with eider and dolphin off the coast, and not feel better in yourself and more connected to the world you are part of”.
So, what parts of the city does he suggest for enjoying nature at it’s best? While many of the locations that are included in tours are well known, Matt suggests that visiting certain spots in quieter times can be equally rewarding. Holyrood Park, for example, “transforms in the early morning and in twilight” so his recommendation is “to experience nature as the place is emptying of people and filling with wildlife”. Seasonality, he suggests “for birds and other wildlife, the best seasons are those of transition: spring and autumn”. Visiting at these times can offer the chance to see “flocks of rare punk-crested Waxwing, endangered seabirds off the coast – with the first emergence of butterflies and amphibians, or the earlies swallows of summer”.
Earth & Nature Adventures
For a unique outdoor experience, look no further than Earth & Nature Adventures. Offering “immersive outdoor experience that foster skills, mindfulness, and nature appreciation”, guests can develop skills in bushcraft, survival, camping and mountaineering, all while gaining an understanding of the natural world.
Ensuring their activities are accessible to people of all ages and abilities, they offer tailored experiences with different difficulty levels, family-friendly sessions, and guided adventures that cater to all fitness levels and abilities. Their most popular activity that allows people to experience Edinburgh’s nature in a relaxed and enjoyable way, is, as stated by Nacho Luna Borras, Director of Earth & Nature Adventures, “Let’s go Wild – Bushcraft Experiences – a hands-on yet relaxing way to engage with nature while learning essential outdoor skills”.
Activities that focus on the history and ecology of Edinburgh’s green and natural spaces are equally popular. As Nacho explains their guided walks explore “how to care for the environment, recognise trees and plants and their uses, with an emphasis on conservation and respect of the country code”. While providing a chance to reconnect with nature, “sessions encourage slow-paced exploration, sensory engagement, and digital detox, helping reduce stress and earn new skills to feel more confident and secure outdoors”.
And for Nacho, as he explains, “every season has its magic”, but his favourite time of year for enjoying Edinburgh’s natural beauty is autumn, which “stands out with its vibrant colours, crisp air, and perfect conditions for outdoor adventures”.
This project is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
