Dalkeith Country Park

What it’s like

Zip wires, rope bridges and turreted treehouses at Fort Douglas, plus a bike track and miles of park trails outside the gate.

Fort Douglas is the big draw here, a timber fort full of climbing nets, slides, zip wires and rope bridges strung between turreted treehouses. There's a separate bike track for under-1.2m riders with push bikes and four-wheel tractors, and a toddler play area at Fort Douglas for the under-5s who aren't ready for the main structure yet. Go Ape adventure activities run alongside it if you've got older kids after something with a bit more height to it.

Pricing is banded by age and by peak or off-peak, and it stacks up fast for a family: a 5 to 12 year old is £9.50 off peak but £12.50 at peak times, and even the 1 year olds pay £4. Book two days ahead and you knock £1 off each ticket, which is worth doing given they recommend booking in advance anyway to avoid turning up to a full car park. Fort Douglas itself runs 10am to 5pm, though the wider park is open from 7am to 7pm daily if you fancy the waymarked trails before or after.

Every child needs an adult over 18 with them, which is standard but worth knowing if you were planning to send a grandparent-free crew off on their own. Dogs aren't allowed inside Fort Douglas itself, so factor that in if the dog's coming along for the trails. There's a café, coffee bar and a proper kitchen at Restoration Yard for food, plus a gift shop if you want a souvenir on the way out, and parking is £4 a car by card.

If you're coming by bus, the Lothian Bus 3 gets you to Dalkeith High Street with a 5 to 10 minute walk in, or it's a 25 minute walk from Eskbank Station if you're arriving by train. Around Halloween there's a Rangers of the Radiant Realm trail for ages 2 to 12, which is a nice seasonal add-on if your visit lines up with it.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

1 to 12, with a fenced bit for under-5s and a track for littler ones

Parking

£4 per car, pay by card on arrival

Dogs

Not allowed inside Fort Douglas

Getting there by bus or train

Lothian Bus 3 to Dalkeith High Street (5-10 min walk), or Eskbank Station (25 min walk)

Worth knowing

Save £1 per ticket by booking 2 days in advance

• Book two days ahead to save £1 per ticket
• Peak pricing is noticeably higher, so off-peak is the better value if you can manage it
• Every child needs an over-18 with them
• Dogs have to stay out of Fort Douglas but can join you on the trails
• The wider park opens well before and closes well after Fort Douglas itself

Plan your visit

See all Adventure Parks & High Ropes in Edinburgh · Things to do in Edinburgh