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Fort Douglas photographed in December 2016; newer play areas are not shown.
Dalkeith · Adventure
Dalkeith Country Park and Fort Douglas
Fort Douglas gives children a playground to get properly stuck into: climb the towers, cross the bridges and go back for another slide. It sits within Dalkeith Country Park, so you can add a short walk or lunch without moving the car. The play is outdoors, and both children and adults need tickets.
- Best for
- Toddlers and children up to 12
- Cost
- Paid tickets + £4 parking
- Weather
- Play and walks outside
- Allow
- 2–4 hours with lunch and a walk
Our family take
The same-day return makes this easy to pace around hungry or tired children. Start with play, leave for lunch or a gentle park loop, then return to a favourite bit if everyone still has energy. Mini Maze gives younger siblings their own smaller towers and tunnels while older children have bigger climbing challenges.
- Family cost. Adults need paid tickets too, and parking is £4 per car.
- Wet days. The playground and walks are outside. Pick another day if you need a mainly indoor outing.
The practical details
Plan your visit
- Cost
- Published standard tickets are £4–£12.50 per child aged 1–12 and £4–£5 for ages 13+, depending on age and peak dates. Under-1s go free. Advance offers can reduce the price; check your date’s total before paying. Parking is another £4 per car, paid by card on arrival.
- Booking
- Book online in advance for your chosen date. On-the-day tickets at the Fort Douglas Hub depend on availability. Day admission allows you to leave and return during opening hours.
- Opening hours
- Park: 7am–7pm. Fort Douglas has seasonal hours: 10am–5pm on 10–25 October 2026 and 10am–3.30pm on 26 October–1 November. Check the booking calendar for your date.
- Arriving by car
- Use King’s Gate off the A6106 near Sheriffhall Roundabout, postcode EH22 1ST. The gate has a 2.7m height limit. Fort Douglas is about five minutes’ walk from the car park.
- Prams and toilets
- Tarmac paths run through Fort Douglas, with a short hill on the way in. Toilets and baby changing are at the entrance Hub and beside the Coffee Cabin.
Café or restaurantToiletsBaby changingPacked lunch spacePlay areaAdventure Playground
11 October 2026
Check Fort Douglas tickets (official)A little more detail
Make it work for your family
Which play areas will suit your children?
Mini Maze is the separate, enclosed play area for ages 4 and under. Its smaller towers, bridges and tunnels make it the place to start with a toddler who would find the larger structures too much.
For older children there are climbing walls, rope bridges, treehouses, slides, zip wires and jumping pillows. Some equipment is marked for over-5s or ages 6 and up, so follow the signs rather than assuming every sibling can use everything. The bike track is for children 1.2m tall and under.
Children need an accompanying adult aged 18 or over. The 13+ ticket category does not mean a teenager can supervise younger children. Agree a meeting point with older children and keep young children close near the river.
Playground admission and supervision rules · Checked 2026-10-11
Add a short park walk
The Yellow Wilderness Walk is an easy option if you want a change from climbing. The park describes it as relatively flat, suitable for buggies and bikes, and under 2km. Its roughly 20-minute estimate will stretch with small children who stop along the way.
You can make the playground the main event and keep the walk optional. There is no need to spend the whole day covering the estate. The Purple Old Oak Wood route has a partial winter closure and no longer connects through to the Hermitage Trail; use the current trail map if you want a longer walk.
Current park trails · Checked 2026-10-11
Lunch and a breather
Bring a picnic if you want to stop as soon as the children get hungry. There are picnic areas and benches within the playground, plus a buggy park near the entrance.
The Coffee Cabin inside Fort Douglas opens at weekends and during school holidays. On a term-time weekday, plan on bringing drinks or stopping at Restoration Yard, about five minutes away. It has a Coffee Bar, The Kitchen and a Foodhall; book a table if a sit-down lunch at The Kitchen is part of your plan.
Food, facilities and all-day visits · Checked 2026-10-11
Arrival, access and dogs
Taller vehicles can use Town Gate on Dalkeith High Street, EH22 2NA. Cars entering there must also leave through Town Gate. If you arrive by bus, the number 3 stops on the High Street, around five to ten minutes’ walk from the park entrance; allow further walking to the playground.
The tarmac paths help with a pram, but they do not make every piece of play equipment accessible. Contact the park before booking if a particular mobility need will decide the visit. Pet dogs are welcome in the wider park but cannot enter Fort Douglas; assistance dogs can enter on a lead.
Arrival and park visitor information · Checked 2026-10-11
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