Lochend Park - Explore parks

Title Lochend Park
Address Lochend Road South
Postcode EH7 6DQ
Telephone 0131 529 3111
Email northeast.locality@edinburgh.gov.uk
Facilities Play areaTeenage area & goalsPond and viewing platformHistorical buildingsCommunity woodlandSeating
Background Lochend Park is a popular country-style park off Lochend Road South and behind Meadowbank Sports stadium. The loch, with a wide variety of waterfowl is the main attraction, but historical buildings, a children's play area, teen area and even a bee cafe. The park holds a Green Flag in recognition of it being a quality greenspace.
History and heritage The park was once meadow land belonging to the Earl of Moray, who used the loch for irrigation. The area required much work before it could be turned into a public park, with drainage and levelling the top priorities at the time. There are two old buildings at the northern end of the park which attract interest. One is called the Doocot and was probably used for keeping pigeons, but is also associated with stories from local residents that infected clothes were burned there during epidemics. The other building is a pump station, which was used to pump water to supply the Leith area.
Wildlife There are a range of habitats to be found in the park. The loch is home to a wide variety of wildfowl, including swans, geese, coots and mallards. A viewing platform and planting beds, funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and WREN, were created around the pond in the spring of 2011. The viewing platform gives people greater access to see the wildlife and allows local schools the chance to take part in pond dipping activities. The new planting, including yellow flag iris and water mint, will enhance the biodiversity of the pond by providing more habitats and food for the local wildlife. Hermitage Park Primary School have worked with the Park Rangers to plant a variety of plants in the south of the park to create a bee cafe.
Living Landscape features Floral meadow (perennials)
Organise an event Find out how to organise an event
Getting involved Friends of Lochend Park Facebook
Other useful links Lochend Park podcast
Green flag Yes
Management plan Management plan
Location map 55.961500968488146,-3.1604576110839843
Monuments Lochend Castle Dovecot