At The Melting Pot – right in the centre of the city – we are lucky to have a wonderful array of greenspaces within just 10 minutes of our front door. Whether you need a breather between projects, an outdoor space to hold a walking meeting, or a quiet bench to munch some lunch on, check out our favourites below!

1. Calton Hill

If you’re stuck in front of a computer at The Melting Pot thinking “I’ll just do one more thing…”, then remember that you can climb Calton Hill and be back at your desk within 10 minutes (although it’s nicer to take 20 minutes). When asked for recommendations, this proved the most popular walk for staff and members alike.

As you leave the main entrance, turn right and head up Calton Road. Take the first (very steep) right before Starbucks, then turn left onto Regent Street at the top. The Calton Hill stairs are just on your left. If you want to get your heart pumping, take the stairs all the way up, or, for a more leisurely stroll, take the path. It’s great to be up high, with views over the city, the Forth estuary (spot the distant bridges), Arthur’s Seat and the Pentlands. You can even have meetings there, like The Melting Pot team does.

Find out more about “Edinburgh’s Acropolis” here.

2. Old Calton Cemetery

An even shorter walk than Calton Hill, and a great lunch spot – according to coworking member Megan – is Old Calton Cemetery.

Full of interesting monuments, elaborate carvings and graves of historical significance, this is a great place for reflection and inspiration. If you love a bit of history, you can swot up on the highlights of the old burial site here.

Follow the directions for Calton Hill as above, but when you get to Regent Street, take a right and cross the road. The cemetery is accessed through a wrought-iron gate within a big wall to the right of the Scottish Government’s St Andrews House.

3. Dunbar’s Close Garden

This beautiful hidden gem, less than 10 minutes from The Melting Pot at 137 Canongate, was designed in the 1970s for The Mushroom Trust. It is a peaceful oasis in the heart of the Old Town, featuring pretty cobbled walkways, manicured lawns and colourful planting. The Melting Pot’s coworking member, Gary, recommends it for a quiet, relaxing space away from the hustle and bustle of the city, surrounded by historic buildings.

For exact location, more information and gorgeous piccies, see here.

4. Holyrood Park

This covers a huge expanse of greenspace, including Arthur’s Seat, and is just a stone’s throw away from The Melting Pot. It is an incredible resource available to us – perfect for blowing away the cobwebs, wildlife-watching and eliminating any stress of the working day. You can download a map with loads of walking routes and places of interest from Historic Environment Scotland.

Our members especially recommended:

Holyrood Meadow: Coworking member, Anna, loves the expanse of grass behind Holyrood Palace. She says, “It’s surrounded by different trees so it’s a really tranquil and sheltered place to sit. I also saw a hedgehog here around a year ago, so he may still be hanging out there.”

Another member, Will, adds, “If you’re there at dusk (e.g. in winter after The Melting Pot closes), then there’s usually pipistrelle bats buzzing around along the alley by the ruins of Holyrood Abbey. Stand in the open area on the lane between the carpark and the trees and you’ll likely see them – you can see them fluttering around catching insects a couple of metres above head height).”

Arthur’s Seat: For a long walk, do a loop of Edinburgh’s very own mountain, using the road. Will offers his map and recommends it for the wildlife. St Margaret’s Loch has dozens of swans on it, and we’ve heard rumours of an otter dwelling in Dunsapie Loch at the top…

To get to Holyrood Park, simply turn left out of The Melting Pot, follow Calton Road all the way to the end and walk beyond Holyrood Palace. You can’t miss Arthur’s Seat – straight ahead!

5. Will’s Urban Stroll

Follow in member Will’s footsteps to take in some of the more urban greenspaces and attractive New Town architecture using his lunchtime route.

Turn left out of The Melting Pot and head down Calton Road. Under the bridge, turn right up New Street. Take the first right at Brewdog and walk along the Arches (where the lovely Bahn Mi Bar offers Vietnamese-inspired sandwiches or Room and Rumours has excellent coffee and donuts if you need a savoury, sugar or caffeine hit). Head past Waverley Station and cross into Princes Street Gardens. Meander through the gardens towards Princes Street and aim for St Andrews Square for some more greenery. Follow the tramline past the bus station down to York Place, turn right, then right again at the Conan Doyle pub to head back towards The Melting Pot from Leith Street. “For great coffee along this route, there’s also Fortitude Coffee, Artisan Roast New Town, and Platform 41”.

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Fancy having all this on your doorstep during your working week? With a coworking membership at The Melting Pot, you have access to our beautiful new shared office facilities in Edinburgh’s city centre. We’re a social enterprise and care about creating a community – not just a flexible place to work.

Find out more about our memberships here