Royal Botanic Garden and Arboretum
🧺 Picnic🦅 Birds🦉 Wildlife
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Public access Free entry Dogs welcome
Places › Scotland › Edinburgh and Lothians › City of Edinburgh Getting here
55.96518, -3.20865
Open directionsv Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🐦 59+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Robin and Woodpigeon 🧺 Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out ☕ Café on site — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🐦 59+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Robin and Woodpigeon 🧺 Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out ☕ Café on site — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🚲 Bike parking☕ Café🅿️ Parking🧺 Picnic spot🚻 Toilets
🧺 Picnic day out
Very strong match
picnic area, café, toilets, car park; Urban park — open green space
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird +56 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird +56 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals
Free
🛝 Family friendly
Strong match
café, toilets, picnic area; Urban park — family destination
Free
Dogs allowed with public access
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — 2-spot Ladybird, 10-spot Ladybird, Harlequin Ladybird +39 more · last seen 2026; Insects — 2-spot Ladybird, 10-spot Ladybird, Harlequin Ladybird +39 more · last seen 2026
Free
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 9 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Water of Leith Walkway (Currie to Slateford) Walking route ▾
Named route Local walking route
Show on map The Royal Mile Walking route ▾
Innocent Railway Walking route ▾
Named route Ref CEC5
Show on map Forth & Clyde/Union Canal Towpath Walking route 106 km ▾
Named route Length 106 km National walking route
Show on map Water of Leith Walkway (Slateford to Leith) Walking route ▾
Named route Ref CEC18 Local walking route
Show on map 159 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 75 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 75 National Cycle Network
Show on map NCN National Route 76 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 76 Point-to-point National Cycle Network
Show on map John Muir Way Cycling route 215 km ▾
Named route Ref JMW Length 215 km Point-to-point Regional cycle route
Show on map Quiet Route 20 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 20 Local cycle route
Show on map Quiet Route 8 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 8 Local cycle route
Show on map Quiet Route 61 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 61 Local cycle route
Show on map 3 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Capital Trail Mountain bike route ▾
Great North Trail (Scottish Borders) Mountain bike route 154.8 km ▾
Named route Length 154.8 km National Cycle Network
Show on map Great North Trail (Central Belt) Mountain bike route 83.7 km ▾
Named route Length 83.7 km National Cycle Network
Show on map Photos Path junction, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
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Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
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Wildlife to spot
63,921 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 63,921 records · National Biodiversity Network Blue Tit · Robin · Woodpigeon · Blackbird · Chaffinch +33
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Robin Erithacus rubecula Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Blackbird Turdus merula Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Dunnock Prunella modularis Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Magpie Pica pica Dipper Cinclus cinclus House Sparrow Passer domesticus Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Great Tit Parus major Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Coal Tit Periparus ater Nuthatch Sitta europaea Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Starling Sturnus vulgaris Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Carrion Crow Corvus corone Turnstone Arenaria interpres Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Coot Fulica atra Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Greenfinch Chloris chloris Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Stock Dove Columba oenas Herring Gull Larus argentatus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Goosander Mergus merganser Common Pipistrelle · Pipistrelle Bat species · Soprano Pipistrelle
Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus Pipistrelle Bat species Pipistrellus Soprano Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus 10-spot Ladybird · Eristalis tenax · Common Earwig · Bronze Shieldbug · Harlequin Ladybird +3
10-spot Ladybird Adalia decempunctata Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax Common Earwig Forficula auricularia/dentata agg. Bronze Shieldbug Troilus luridus Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale Birch Catkin Bug Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 63,921 records · National Biodiversity Network Blue Tit · Robin · Woodpigeon · Blackbird · Chaffinch +33
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Robin Erithacus rubecula Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Blackbird Turdus merula Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Dunnock Prunella modularis Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Magpie Pica pica Dipper Cinclus cinclus House Sparrow Passer domesticus Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Great Tit Parus major Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Coal Tit Periparus ater Nuthatch Sitta europaea Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Starling Sturnus vulgaris Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Carrion Crow Corvus corone Turnstone Arenaria interpres Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Coot Fulica atra Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Greenfinch Chloris chloris Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Stock Dove Columba oenas Herring Gull Larus argentatus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Goosander Mergus merganser Common Pipistrelle · Pipistrelle Bat species · Soprano Pipistrelle
Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus Pipistrelle Bat species Pipistrellus Soprano Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus 10-spot Ladybird · Eristalis tenax · Common Earwig · Bronze Shieldbug · Harlequin Ladybird +3
10-spot Ladybird Adalia decempunctata Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax Common Earwig Forficula auricularia/dentata agg. Bronze Shieldbug Troilus luridus Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale Birch Catkin Bug Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Kleidocerys resedae
Kleidocerys resedae
Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum
Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum 