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🌱 Urban park

Colinton and Craiglockhart Dells

✦ Ancient woodland166 ha

📷 Richard Webb · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeInsects
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome166 ha

Getting here

55.91517, -3.25498

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Best for

11 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Free

Birds — Magpie, Robin, Blackbird +50 more · last seen 2026

Wildlife

Strong match

Free

Birds — Magpie, Robin, Blackbird +50 more · last seen 2026; Ancient woodland

Insect spotting

Strong match

Free

Insects — Harlequin Ladybird, 7-spot Ladybird, 2-spot Ladybird +49 more · last seen 2026

Dog walks

Strong match

Free

Dogs allowed with public access

Mountain biking

Good match

Varies

Named MTB route nearby: Great North Trail (Central Belt)

Cycling

Good match

Varies

Named cycling route nearby: Route 75

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

▾

16 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
The Royal MileWalking route▾
Named route
Innocent RailwayWalking route▾
Named routeRef CEC5
Forth & Clyde/Union Canal TowpathWalking route106 km▾
Named routeLength 106 kmNational walking route
Pentland Way (Glencorse Reservoir to Swanston)Walking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
Water of Leith Walkway (Slateford to Leith)Walking route▾
Named routeRef CEC18Local walking route
🚴

Cycling

▾

154 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Route RRCycling route▾
Named routeRef RRLocal cycle route
NCN National Route 754Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 754National Cycle Network
Quiet Route 6Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 6Local cycle route
Quiet Route 9Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 9Local cycle route
Quiet Route 11Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 11Local cycle route
Greenbank to Meadows Quiet RouteCycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
🚵

Mountain biking

▾

7 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Dreghorn-CastlelawMountain bike route▾
Named route
Bonaly - Glencorse off road cycle routeMountain bike route▾
Named route
Harlaw-GlencorseMountain bike route▾
Named route
Great North Trail (Central Belt)Mountain bike route83.7 km▾
Named routeLength 83.7 kmNational Cycle Network
Pentland Reservoirs MTBMountain bike route▾
Named route
Capital TrailMountain bike route▾
Named route

About this urban park

Colinton and Craiglockhart Dells is an ancient urban park covering 166 hectares. As an ancient woodland, it has been continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD — a rare and irreplaceable habitat rich in biodiversity and historical character.

Wildlife to spot

Photos

15 photos from nearby open sources

▾
Clearing in Colinton Dell

📷 Richard Webb · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Clearing in Colinton Dell

1 / 15

Visiting this spring

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

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  • 🌸Ancient woodlands are famous for bluebell carpets in April and May — one of Britain's most spectacular wildflower displays
  • 🐦Prime nesting season — listen for woodpecker drumming, warbler song and the first cuckoos from April
  • 🦌Roe deer are active before the leaf canopy closes in — dawn and dusk are best

Facilities

🧺

Picnic spot

68m away

✦ Ancient✓ Public accessFree entry🐶 Dogs

Good to know

  • £Free to visit — no entry charge
  • 🐕Dogs welcome
  • 🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat
  • 🌳Large woodland — room to roam

Weather for this location

Next 14 days

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Saughton ParkUrban park2.2 km→🌱The MeadowsUrban park4.9 km→🌱Saughton Park GardensUrban park2.1 km→🦉Hermitage of Braid / Blackford HillNature reserve3.9 km→🌱West Meadow ParkUrban park4.8 km→🌱Hailes Quarry ParkUrban park1.1 km→