Going to Edinburgh with a toddler.. Part 2

Gorgie City Farm

After lunch we headed to Gorgie City Farm as an additional quick treat for TT before we headed home.  Fabulous. PERFECT for toddlers. Besides the obvious attractions, it's free, small, has toilets (no baby changing again) , a play park, and a small cafe. There is virtually no parking, but if you're lucky you might manage to get one of the 5 or 6 spaces available on the farm for a donation of £2.  We actually parked at the front entrance to Tynecastle stadium for free and walked the few minutes along Gorgie Rd to the farm.

I've read poor reviews of this place on other forums, saying that it is a bit run down etc. It costs £900 a day to run the farm, and as entry is free the farm really does rely on grants and donations.  Please bear this in mind and leave a donation when you visit because they do an outstanding job and provide a hugely important space in the city for kids to connect with nature and animals.  Whilst we were there we had great fun watching a class of teenagers, each with a special need, try to catch the chickens to take them for check ups.  They were so happy and getting so much from the day.  Sure, a few of the chickens have been fighting and are a bit scraggly looking, but I loved the genuine and unapologetic mess of some of the corners because this place is hard work to look after! There are loads of animal who take a small army to feed and clean out I imagine.  There are fantastic raised beds growing every vegetable you'd imagine and flowers dotted around everywhere they can squeeze in.  There's a stall selling this produce too for great prices to help sustain the farm.  And they offer pet sitting services too.

TT certainly loved it, and all I had to do was follow her running with squeals of delight from one animal enclosure to another, occasionally stepping in to save her fingers being pecked off by the chickens.

In short, don't leave Edinburgh with small kids without paying it a short visit.

Logistics / 10
baby friendly            05
toddler friendly         100
toilets/changing         07 (no babychange)
accessibilty               06
car parking              £2 but only 5 spaces - get the bus!

cost                         Free!!  So please leave a kind and much needed donation