Parks in Edinburgh

Lochend Park is a popular country-style park off Lochend Road South and behind Meadowbank Sports stadium. The loch, with a wide variety of waterfowl is the main attraction, but historical buildings, a children's play area, teen area and even a bee café, ensure there is lots to see and do in the park. The Parks and Gardens directory gives the full list of facilities at Lochend Park.

History

The park was once meadow land belonging to the Earl of Moray, who used the loch for irrigation. The area required much work before it could be turned into a public park, with drainage and levelling the top priorities at the time. There are two old buildings at the northern end of the park which attract interest. One is called the Doocot and was probably used for keeping pigeons, but is also associated with stories from local residents that infected clothes were burned there during epidemics. The other building is a pump station, which was used to pump water to supply the Leith area.

Wildlife

There are a range of habitats to be found in the park. The loch is home to a wide variety of wildfowl, including swans, geese and coots and mallards. A viewing platform and planting beds, funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and WREN, were created around the pond in the spring of 2011. The viewing platform gives people greater access to see the wildlife and allows local schools the chance to take part in pond dipping activities. The new planting, including yellow flag iris and water mint, will enhance the biodiversity of the pond by providing more habitats and food for the local wildlife. 

Hermitage Park Primary School have worked with the Park Rangers to plant a variety of plants in the south of the park to create a bee café. A pictorial meadow has also been planted at the east entrance of the park. Pupils from  the school have also created a nature trail in the park which highlights where wildlife can be seen in the park, as a way of encouraging other schools to visit the park. A pod cast of the nature trail is available to download.

Getting involved

There is a Friends of Lochend Park group who help look after the park by carrying out practical activities and holding events. Contact the Friends of Lochend Park if you would like to join them or require further information about their work.

Have your say

Tell us what you think about Lochend Park by completing the parks and greenspace on-line survey.

How to get there

Use the bus journey planner to plan your journey to Lochend Park .