Top Hidden Gems Day Trips from Edinburgh
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Hidden Gems Day Trips from Edinburgh include Cambridge Street Wild Garden, Hunter's Bog, St Margaret's Loch & Ruined Chapel, Duddingston Loch, Dr Neil's Garden, Prestonfield Pond, Figgate Park & Burn and Craiglockhart Hill.
Scotland's capital hides plenty of green and quiet corners beyond its castle and closes, and you do not have to travel far to find them. Much of what follows clusters around Holyrood Park, where Hunter's Bog lies in the hollow beneath Arthur's Seat, St Margaret's Loch and its ruined chapel guard the north-eastern edge, and Duddingston Loch spreads out on the southern side with Dr Neil's Garden tucked in beside it.
A little further south-east, the old estate at Prestonfield offers parkland below the crags. Over in the West End, Cambridge Street shows a surprising side of the city centre, while east toward the coast Figgate Park follows its burn through Portobello.
Out in the south-west, Craiglockhart Hill rewards a climb with views across the whole city. Each of these places sits within a few miles of the centre, easily reached on foot, by bus or with a short drive, making them ideal for a relaxed day of exploring.
Here are eight hidden gems for a day trip from Edinburgh.
Cambridge Street Wild Garden
Photo: kim traynor via Geograph.org.uk
Cambridge Street Wild Garden Do not be fooled by the name. Cambridge Street threads through Edinburgh's West End between Lothian Road and Castle Terrace, hemmed in among the Usher Hall, the Traverse Theatre and the Saltire Court offices.
What you actually find here is city-centre ground of pavements, theatre doorways and a multi-storey car park rather than any wild planting. If it is greenery you are after, the closest lies a short stroll north below the Castle, at St Cuthbert's kirkyard and the western end of Princes Street Gardens.
It is a curious little corner, tucked right into the heart of the capital and worth a wander if you are passing.
Hunter's Bog
Photo: N Chadwick via Geograph.org.uk
Hunter's Bog Tucked into the hollow between Salisbury Crags and Arthur's Seat, Hunter's Bog is a grassy valley running right through the middle of Holyrood Park. The floor is wet, boggy ground dotted with rushes and seasonal pools rather than open water, and since grazing stopped in the 1970s it has grown into rough grassland and scrub.
A low path threads along the bottom, linking the crags to the hill and keeping you well away from the busy park roads. A loch was created here back in the 16th century, though it had disappeared by the 1700s.
A wild-feeling spot right by the centre.
St Margaret's Loch & Ruined Chapel
Photo: Euan Nelson via Geograph.org.uk
St Margaret's Loch & Ruined Chapel In the north-eastern corner of Holyrood Park sits St Margaret's Loch, a shallow man-made stretch of water dug in 1856 on former marshy ground as part of Prince Albert's improvements. Today it is busy with swans, ducks and geese.
On the rocky crag directly above stand the ruins of St Anthony's Chapel, a roofless medieval fragment of north wall and part of a tower that looks almost like a small castle. Climb up and you are rewarded with wide views over the loch toward Leith and the Firth of Forth.
It makes a lovely, easy outing close to the city.
Duddingston Loch
Photo: Richard Webb via Geograph.org.uk
Duddingston Loch On the south side of Holyrood Park, below Arthur's Seat, lies Edinburgh's only natural loch. Open water fringed by large reedbeds draws swans, ducks, geese and a well-known heronry, and the whole loch has been a bird sanctuary since 1925.
You can walk the north shore beside Duddingston village and its old kirk, while the Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve on the southern side is kept quiet for wildlife. Arthur's Seat rises straight up behind the water, giving the scene a wild feel despite being so near the centre.
It makes a peaceful spot to slow down for an hour.
Dr Neil's Garden
Photo: Richard Webb via Geograph.org.uk
Dr Neil's Garden Hidden on the sloping glebe land beside Duddingston Kirk, Dr Neil's Garden tumbles down toward Duddingston Loch below Arthur's Seat. Nancy and Andrew Neil, a husband-and-wife pair of doctors, began carving it out of rough ground in 1963, and today a trust and its volunteers keep it going, with terraced beds, conifers, heathers, a physic garden and a pond.
Standing on the site is Thomson's Tower, an octagonal building of 1825 designed by William Playfair for a curling society, with a small curling museum tucked inside. The garden opens daily and is free, though donations are warmly invited to help maintain it.
Prestonfield Pond
Photo: Richard Webb via Geograph.org.uk
Prestonfield Pond Prestonfield sits below Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags on the south-eastern side of Edinburgh, an old estate whose grounds now form the parkland of Prestonfield Golf Club. Close by stands the 17th-century Prestonfield House, these days a hotel.
Do note that there is no longer a pond here: the ornamental one that once graced the house was filled in by the middle of the 19th century. If you are keen to see open water, the nearest is Duddingston Loch, a bird sanctuary lying a short way to the north-east below the hill.
Still, the parkland setting close to the city is a pleasant one.
Figgate Park & Burn
Photo: Anne Burgess via Geograph.org.uk
Figgate Park & Burn Over in Portobello, in the east of the city, Figgate Park forms a long ribbon of green following the Figgate Burn for roughly a kilometre between Duddingston and the sea. At its heart is a large wildlife pond ringed with a boardwalk and viewing platforms, set among woodland, meadow and the winding burn, with a children's play area too.
The pond began life as a clay pit for the old Portobello brickworks and now hosts swans, ducks and visiting kingfishers. Surfaced paths run the full length of the park, making it an easy and rewarding wander close to Edinburgh and its beach.
Craiglockhart Hill
Photo: M J Richardson via Geograph.org.uk
Craiglockhart Hill Out in the south-west of Edinburgh rises Craiglockhart Hill, a twin-topped wooded rise counted among the city's seven hills. A valley splits it into Wester Craiglockhart Hill at 175 metres and Easter Craiglockhart Hill at 158 metres.
Paths wind up through the trees to grassy summits with sweeping views over the city to the castle, Arthur's Seat and the Pentlands, passing a reed-fringed pond on the lower ground. On the higher Wester top lie the remains of an Iron Age fort, now a scheduled monument, while the lower slopes form a local nature reserve.
A fine leg-stretch a short hop from the centre.
FAQs
Which of these Edinburgh gems is best for a family day out?
Figgate Park in Portobello is a strong choice, with its boardwalk-ringed wildlife pond, surfaced paths and a children's play area. It sits within easy reach of Edinburgh and the nearby beach.
Can you visit several of these places in one day?
Yes. Many, including Hunter's Bog, St Margaret's Loch, Duddingston Loch and Dr Neil's Garden, cluster in and around Holyrood Park in central Edinburgh, so you can happily link them on foot.
Are these hidden gems free to visit?
Most are open ground you can wander at no cost. Dr Neil's Garden beside Duddingston Loch is free too, though donations are invited to help its Edinburgh volunteers keep it going.
Conclusion
From boggy valleys and natural lochs to ruined chapels and quarried hilltops, Edinburgh proves that adventure need not mean a long journey. Most of these spots gather around Holyrood Park, so you could easily string several together in a single day, perhaps pairing Duddingston Loch with Dr Neil's Garden or climbing to St Anthony's Chapel above St Margaret's Loch.
Others, like Figgate Park by the Portobello shore or the wooded heights of Craiglockhart, reward a slightly longer hop across the city. Whether you fancy birdwatching, a gentle riverside stroll or a summit with sweeping views, there is something here for every sort of day out.
Pack a flask, choose your direction and set off: these are the hidden gems for a day trip from Edinburgh.
