Photo Credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/nigeljohnwade/

Looking for a breezy, sunny spot to while away the hours on a warm. dry Scottish day? Look no further than The Meadows, a beautiful field where  in summer Edinburgh’s residents gather with bottles of beer and wine and picnics to feed themselves, their friends and families while impromptu games of soccer and frisbee take place across the span of these beautiful green spaces. In Winter, the Meadows plays host to cyclists, jogging groups, parents with children and while its patrons are perhaps not as relaxed as during the long summer days, there is still a lovely atmosphere.

The Meadows host two fantastic children’s play  parks, which are always bustling full of children happily playing. The play park at the South side has nearby (clean) toilet facilities and local coffee houses. It is an ideal meeting place for young families, ensuring their off spring catch up on ‘fresh air’ and they catch up with friends. The play park  located at the Bruntsfield end is more geared towards younger children.

But despite it’s appeal with Edinburgh residents and visitors alike, The Meadows were not always a place for relaxation. A little scroll back through history depicts The Meadows at the centre of Edinburgh’s Bubonic Plague outbreaks. During those outbreaks, the fields that now lend grassy relaxation areas to the individuals who visit were sites for the burying of the recently dead – what a macabre thought to greet visitors on a summer’s day!

Phot Credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/bods/

The Meadows are easily accessible from Tollcross and Southside, as well as Bruntsfield, and are only a short bus ride or walk from the Royal Mile. They are far enough from the center of town that they draw a crowd made up more of locals and students than of tourists, making them ideal for relaxed afternoons. As long as the weather is dry, The Meadows has vast expanses of open space to kick a football, throw a frisbee, walk along the paths, cycle, stop for coffee at the Starbucks or simply a stroll through some city greenery.

A long exposure of nocturnal traffic on Tollcross, Edinburgh.

Tollcross is home to the Cameo Cinema and Bar as well as the King’s Theatre, where travelling dramas are staged as well as a yearly pantomime.

[image credit: ewanmcdowall]

Restaurants, Charity Shops And Specialty Stores In Tollcross

The charm of Tollcross is in the tiny shops and stores that line its streets, in contrast to the chain store presences along some of Edinburgh’s other shopping areas. Here, small charity stores and groceries, as well as bakeries and restaurants are the norm.

The 10 and 16 buses enter Tollcross crossroads from this direction, winding their way out into the further reaches of Edinburgh’s suburbs. By heading east along Lauriston Place, one can reach the Southside neighborhood, while Brougham Street and Bourgham Place feature a number of tiny shops which are popular with students from the nearby universities and colleges for their health foods and cheaply available meals.

The most significant feature of Tollcross is the clock in the middle of the junction. Made by Edinburgh clock makers James Ritchie & Son, it has been a landmark since the early 20th century.

Tick tock, tick tock. The Tollcross Clock is one of Edinburgh's instantly recognisable landmarks.

[image credit: kyz]

By day, Tollcross is inhabited by workers and families, while the evening sees the streets occupied by students and others eager to take part in the area’s culture. The Cameo Cinema, which offers membership and has been under constant threat of closure for several years, continues to show exciting new films from both the UK and abroad and also functions as a venue during the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF).

Cameo cinema in Tollcross is the place for arthouse films in Edinburgh and a popular venue for the EIFF.

[image credit: angus mcdiarmid]

The wine bars and restaurants of Tollcross attract both the college and postgrad sets as well as those looking for a good pre- or post-theatre meal, and the coffee shops in the area have been known to stay open quite late, especially over the summer festival.

Behind the main streets, Tollcross’ architecture features beautiful old houses and residents who have been in the area for years. While some rent their accommodation to students, others have a strong presence in the neighborhood, and development along nearby Fountainbridge ensures that the area will continue to be one of the main draws of Edinburgh’s city center as time goes on.