Blossoms and Hot Chocolate

Spring has finally come to Edinburgh and the Meadows is in bloom. Places to visit and things to do in Edinburgh are opening up in readiness of the busy summer. This has to be my favourite time of year in the city now. After the long, dreich winter, the vibrant pink of the blossoms against the fresh green grass is a striking combination. The Meadows is a key leisure space for the local population and has a number of cafes and restaurants in close proximity, as well as being easily reached from the historic Old Town. So what does the Meadows in Edinburgh have to offer other than blossoms in the Spring? Let's take a look.

The Meadows can be found just to the south of the Old Town close to the central campus of Edinburgh University. It was once the site of the South Loch that was, for centuries, the main water source for the city. The South Loch was also surrounded by a rich wetland and oak woodland that became a favourite hunting ground for Scottish Royalty. As the city grew some of the woodland sites were cleared and then mined for the rusted gold stone that has made for the iconic buildings of Edinburgh. Part of the cleared land also began to be used as a golf links, now Bruntsfield Links, used by many golf clubs including the Royal Burgess Club. There were multiple attempts to drain the South Loch starting in the 17th century finally reaching completion in the 18th century thanks to Thomas Hope. Due to this the park was originally proposed to be named Hope Park, and you can find a number of streets in the area still named after that.

To the south of the park is the Victorian New Town areas of Marchmont, Bruntsfield, and The Grange where you can find a number of cafes and other food establishments. Many are far more oriented to the local residents as these areas are predominantly residential. Towards the main roads of Nicholson Street to the east and Lothian Road to the west there are more robust offerings and a greater density of them. On the park there are two great options for quick bites and drinks available, The Pavilion Cafe at the south end of Jawbone Walk is particularly good for vegan options and has some outdoor seating on offer. Closer to the university buildings there's Max Bakes Gourmet Sausage Rolls sat next to the legendary Uplands Roast. The latter offers some great sustainably sourced coffee but specialises in what is, quite possibly, the best hot chocolate in Edinburgh.

This might not be the prime spring and summer choice but it's absolutely a highly recommended one. The hot chocolates are particularly good on a chilly autumn or winter day but they're worthwhile at any time of year.

In short, if you're looking for something a little off the beaten track to do in Edinburgh heading to The Meadows is always a great choice. In the summer you'll also get to enjoy people performing music and circus tricks.