Published: December 20, 2021
Getting outdoors and maintaining exercise is good for brain and body. If routine is important for you, try having a set time each day for fresh air and movement. You could also connect with a trusted friend, family member or neighbour and try some new activities together?
Central Edinburgh has lots of urban wooded areas to escape the noise of the city – try Craiglockhart Hill and the surrounding woods, or The Hermitage of Braid (pictured) and nearby Blackford Hill and pond. If vistas are your thing, Edinburgh also has Corstorphine Hill, Arthur’s Seat, and Calton Hill, all in the city centre.
If you’d prefer flat ground, Edinburgh has many parks to pick from – Leith Links; The Meadows; Inverleith Park; Saughton Park; Braidburn Valley Park; Holyrood Park… Or you could soak up the Christmas lights in Princes Street Gardens and visit the Christmas Market (open until 4 January). On a ‘gardens’ note, The Royal Botanic Garden is free and open throughout the Festive period, bar Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Or why not visit the beach? They’re beautiful in winter. Lothian bus 26 goes from Princes Street to Portobello, or bus 41 takes you to Cramond, where you can (tide permitting) hop over to Cramond Island. Try taking off your shoes and feeling the sand between your toes. Going barefoot in nature – be that sand, grass, earth… even snow! – has wellbeing benefits.
You can find our list of Indoor options here.
And our Help and Support Contacts here.
You can also see our list of Edinburgh Food Bank opening times.
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