Cammo Estate in Edinburgh is one of our most favourite places to spend time outdoors. All 3 kids have been/go to Forest Kindergarten within the Cammo Estate so we get to explore the area all year round, in all the weathers!
There are two carparks at either end of the estate, although these can get busy on nice days, and there is on-street parking in the area too. Leaf & bean Cafe have a coffee van situated at the main entrance beside the lodge house serving sweet treats and hot drinks. This is a great addition to the estate. Cammo is still one of our favourite hot chocolate hotspots- there are lots of lovely places to perch and admire the changing views.
Within the nature reserve there are loads of wonderful huge trees for climbing and clambering on. Our favourite is a massive tree which has been knocked over by a storm and still has the roots sticking out the end. It is quite difficult to explain how impressive it is until you see and climb upon it!
There are a couple of ruins within the grounds which have been named the castle and Rapunzel’s tower by my kids and are fun to explore. The old walled garden is also good for a wander round. There is a collection of bee hives here where you can watch the bees busy at work. There is also an orchard within the garden- you will spot plenty of apples and pears growing come the end of the summer.
In Spring and Summer, Cammo is carpeted in flowers and its beautiful to have a wander and spot the snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells growing. The wetland area and pond by the castle have frog spawn, tadpoles and then little frogs in the summer so its nice to revisit every few weeks to see them develop and grow. Herons and moorhens also live in the water here. There are bird feeders in lots of the trees so its easy to spot a variety of birds. There are woodpeckers and kingfishers too but we still haven’t spotted these, my lot aren’t quiet enough!
Cammo Estate has an active Friends of Cammo association and they encourage litter picking within the estate. We often bring our litter pickers with us and pick up as we wander. In summer there are plenty of bramble bushes and we enjoy collecting an extra snack enroute! There is a new wetlands area with a wooden walkway where the kids can lie down and peer into the water and see what they can spot.
No matter the season there is lots to explore at Cammo and something new to discover each time you visit. We spend a lot of time here and the kids are never bored. You can chose a different path to wander each visit and you’ll come across a variety of areas to explore.
Key info
Parking:
There are two carparks, North and South carpark at different ends of the estate. These can get busy on lovely weather days.
Toilets:
Available in the lodge house at the main entrance during Leaf & Bean opening hours
Cafe:
Leaf & Bean cafe van is parked at the main entrance
Top Tips
The estate is full of different nooks and crannies to explore so each time you visit, chose a different path to wander.
Make sure you find the huge fallen climbing tree near the walled garden, it really is something to see!
Links: