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The Tower

📷 Richard Webb · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsHeritage

Dogs welcome

Getting here

55.95549, -3.11274

Open directionsv

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
☕Miro's — a good base for a longer summer day out

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
☕Miro's — a good base for a longer summer day out

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Bike parkingCaféParking· FreePlaygroundToilets

Best for

5 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird +80 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird +80 more · last seen 2026

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — 7-spot Ladybird, Orange Ladybird, 2-spot Ladybird +14 more · last seen 2026; Insects — 7-spot Ladybird, Orange Ladybird, 2-spot Ladybird +14 more · last seen 2026

Free

Easy access

Good match

parking, toilets

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

7 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

The Royal MileWalking route

Named route

Innocent RailwayWalking route

Named routeRef CEC5

Core PathsWalking route

East Lothian Core Path Network

Named routeLocal walking route

Water of Leith Walkway (Slateford to Leith)Walking route

Named routeRef CEC18Local walking route

John Muir Way (Edinburgh to Prestonpans)Walking route15.8 km

Named routeRef JMWLength 15.8 kmPoint-to-pointNational walking route

🚴

Cycling

103 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route RRCycling route

Named routeRef RRLocal cycle route

Quiet Route 10Cycling route

Named routeRef 10Local cycle route

Quiet Route 6Cycling route

Named routeRef 6Local cycle route

Quiet Route 11Cycling route

Named routeRef 11Local cycle route

Quiet Route 15Cycling route

Named routeRef 15Local cycle route

City Centre West to East LinkCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Capital TrailMountain bike route

Named route

Wildlife to spot

40,217 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

40,217 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds85 species

summerautumnwinter

2026

Woodpigeon · Carrion Crow · Black-headed Gull · Blackbird · Herring Gull +80

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
MagpiePica pica
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Mute SwanCygnus olor
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Great TitParus major
DunnockPrunella modularis
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
EiderSomateria mollissima2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Common TernSterna hirundo2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas
Coal TitPeriparus ater
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
RazorbillAlca torda2025
DipperCinclus cinclus
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Common GuillemotUria aalge2025
GannetMorus bassanus2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Carrion/Hooded Crow HybridCorvus corone x cornix2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
SwiftApus apus2025
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
SanderlingCalidris alba2025
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus2025
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
ShagGulosus aristotelis2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
CootFulica atra2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025

🦌

Mammals7 species

autumn

2025

Grey Squirrel · Harbour Seal · Brown Rat · Otter · Bat +2

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Harbour SealPhoca vitulina
Brown RatRattus norvegicus
OtterLutra lutra
BatChiroptera
Pipistrelle Bat speciesPipistrellus
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus

🐸

Amphibians1 species

summer

2025

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects17 species

wintersummerautumn

2026

7-spot Ladybird · Orange Ladybird · 2-spot Ladybird · Syrphus · Hawthorn Shieldbug +12

7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Orange LadybirdHalyzia sedecimguttata
2-spot LadybirdAdalia bipunctata
SyrphusSyrphus2025
Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale2025
Cream-spot LadybirdCalvia quattuordecimguttata2025
Elipsocus hyalinusElipsocus hyalinus
Ectopsocus petersiEctopsocus petersi
Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina2025
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2025
Mikiola fagiMikiola fagi2025
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2025
Scale InsectSternorrhyncha2025
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva2025
Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2025
Hieroglyphic LadybirdCoccinella hieroglyphica2025
Cantharis lividaCantharis livida2025

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

40,217 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds85 species

summerautumnwinter

2026

Woodpigeon · Carrion Crow · Black-headed Gull · Blackbird · Herring Gull +80

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
MagpiePica pica
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Mute SwanCygnus olor
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Great TitParus major
DunnockPrunella modularis
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
EiderSomateria mollissima2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Common TernSterna hirundo2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas
Coal TitPeriparus ater
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
RazorbillAlca torda2025
DipperCinclus cinclus
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Common GuillemotUria aalge2025
GannetMorus bassanus2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Carrion/Hooded Crow HybridCorvus corone x cornix2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
SwiftApus apus2025
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
SanderlingCalidris alba2025
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus2025
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
ShagGulosus aristotelis2025
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
CootFulica atra2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025

🦌

Mammals7 species

autumn

2025

Grey Squirrel · Harbour Seal · Brown Rat · Otter · Bat +2

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Harbour SealPhoca vitulina
Brown RatRattus norvegicus
OtterLutra lutra
BatChiroptera
Pipistrelle Bat speciesPipistrellus
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus

🐸

Amphibians1 species

summer

2025

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects17 species

wintersummerautumn

2026

7-spot Ladybird · Orange Ladybird · 2-spot Ladybird · Syrphus · Hawthorn Shieldbug +12

7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Orange LadybirdHalyzia sedecimguttata
2-spot LadybirdAdalia bipunctata
SyrphusSyrphus2025
Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale2025
Cream-spot LadybirdCalvia quattuordecimguttata2025
Elipsocus hyalinusElipsocus hyalinus
Ectopsocus petersiEctopsocus petersi
Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina2025
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2025
Mikiola fagiMikiola fagi2025
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2025
Scale InsectSternorrhyncha2025
Common Red Soldier BeetleRhagonycha fulva2025
Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2025
Hieroglyphic LadybirdCoccinella hieroglyphica2025
Cantharis lividaCantharis livida2025

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Richard Webb · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

The Tower, Portobello

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Newhailes House & GardensUrban park2.6 km→🌱Leith Links WestUrban park3.7 km→🌱The FieldUrban park2.6 km→🌱Craigmillar Castle ParkUrban park3.8 km→🌱Brighton ParkUrban park500 m→🌱Brighton ParkUrban park500 m→

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