{Edinburgh} King George V Park, City Centre
It’s the extended weekend for the Jubilee holiday, which means we have a few extra days off to do some more exploring around the city. Yesterday, we jumped on a bus to the New Town and visited King George V Park. We have been there before, but not for a couple of years. Beware if you’re looking this up on a map, there are actually two parks of the same name – King George V Park in Edinburgh city centre, and King George V Park in South Queensferry, which although it is in West Lothian also falls under Edinburgh City Council jurisdiction. The King George V Park in Edinburgh city centre boasts not just one, but two play areas!
Play Area for Toddlers & Younger Children
One play area is aimed at toddlers and younger children. It is fully fenced and has just one entrance gate.
It has toddler swings and a toddler climbing frame, as well as a multi play unit with climbing features and a short slide. We sent a short amount of time here, but they were both really too old for this area.
Play Area for Older Children & Teens
Just across from the toddler area is a play area aimed at older children and teens. Although it is also fenced in, it has more than one entrance gate and you can also slip in through a gap in the fence on Royal Crescent, right next to the top of the slide.
The main attractions for my children were the long, hillside slide (Update March 2024: We have been informed that the hillside slide has been removed), the rodeo board, and the balance beam. We first wondered why they had a balance beam here and not in the toddler play area, as it was really low – until we realised that it rolls from side to side and is super difficult to cross! Both my kids AND my husband spent at least half an hour at the balance beam alone, not giving up until they had mastered it.
Other equipment in the play area for older children included swings, a rotating climbing net, a hold-and-spin feature, and some climbing sculptures. There is also a table tennis table (though you need to bring your own equipment) and a court for ball games including football goals and basketball hoops.
And if you’re entering via the gates on Royal Crescent, there’s also a Little Free Library just opposite, outside 37 Scotland Street, where we managed to pick up some free comics!
Playground Stats
Name: King George V Park (Eyre Place)
Location: New Town, North Edinburgh
Map coordinates: 55.96081, -3.19686
Best for: All ages
Ground cover: mostly wood chop, some grass & rubber
Rating: Thumbs up
Last visited: 2 June 2022
Play Equipment
Toddlers & Younger Children’s Area
- Toddler swings
- Climbing frame
- Carousel
- Spring board
- Multi-play unit with climbing features and slide
Older Children’s & Teens Area
- Swings
- Rotating climbing net
- Rolling balance beam
- Long hillside slide
- Climbing features
- Hold-and-spin
- Rodeo board
- Long hillside slide
Facilities
- Benches
- Court with goals/ basketball hoops
- Table tennis table (bring your own equipment)
- Grassy areas in the park for running around/ picnics
- Little Free Library (opposite south entrance)
How to get there
Being located fairly central, King George V Park in Edinburgh city centre has several public transport connections.
Closest bus stops
No.36 Lothian Bus: Logan Street (ca. 2 minutes walk)
No. 23 & 27 Lothian Bus: Rodney Street (ca. 5 minutes) or Fettes Row (ca. 6 minutes walk), depending which direction you’re coming from
No. 8 & 13 Lothian Bus: Rodney Street (ca. 5 minutes)
