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Sport and activities
It's easy to stay active in Edinburgh. Whether you’re an adrenaline addict or simply looking for a new experience, there’s something for everyone.
Cycling and mountain biking
The city’s a great place to see by bike — during peak hours cyclists are even allowed to share the bus lanes, although with the amount of hills in Edinburgh you may be grateful for a traffic light or two.
There are also lots of gentle cycle routes in and around the capital or, for a bit more of a challenge, head to the nearby Pentland Hills Regional Park for some excellent mountain biking terrain.
Adventure sports
For the adventurous, there’s plenty to keep your blood racing.
Just outside the city, the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena is a repurposed quarry which houses the largest indoor climbing arena in the world.
Wakeboarding, waterskiing, and artificial ski slopes are just a few of the things that are also available year-round.
If you fancy the real thing, Scotland is a fantastic place to ski and the main ski resorts are easily accessible from Edinburgh.
Golf
Lest we forget, Scotland is the home of Golf.
The city and environs boast numerous courses, from the historic first formal competition course at Leith Links to the equally ancient Muirfield, which is one of the hosts of The Open Championship.
Dancing
Dance classes and workshops are available in Edinburgh for beginners and experts alike.
Or, if you don’t know your left from right foot, you can still join in a ceilidh, a traditional Gaelic social dance which is a great way to meet people and good exercise when the pace gets going.
Spectator sports
If you only want to exercise your eyes, you might be interested to know that the city is also home to SPL football clubs, Hearts and Hibernian, and the 67,500 capacity rugby stadium, Murrayfield.
Wipeout
A wee surprise. Surfing. Just 35 minutes outside of Edinburgh near Dunbar are some of the best surf beaches in Scotland. Just be sure to pack a thermos.
At the University
Edinburgh has long been recognised as Scotland's leading sporting University and is in the top five in the British Universities Sports Association rankings (2007-08).
Edinburgh University Sports Union (EUSU)
EUSU is the student-run body for the organisation of sport at the University of Edinburgh. There are 66 sports clubs ranging from archery to ultimate frisbee.
Our clubs are well managed and equipped and offer regular coaching, training and competition, both locally and nationally.
Centre for Sport & Exercise
Our sports and exercise facilities are ranked as among the best in the UK.
We recently attracted the top 5* rating from the Sunday Times University Guide 2009, and are consistently voted ‘best gym in town’ (2002-2009; Scotland the Best!).
The Pleasance sports centre has a 100 station gym, free weights, squash courts and various exercise classes.
The University also has outdoor playing fields at Peffermill and a centre for outdoor activities at Firbush Point, overlooking the beautiful loch tay.
This article was published on Jul 9, 2009