Affordable summer camping returns to Dalkeith Country Park
No camping experience? No problem. Dalkeith Country Park's pre-pitched bell tents are the ultimate fuss-free way to enjoy the great outdoors. Equipped with air beds and ready for arrival, they're ideal for first-time campers, families, or anyone who prefers a little extra comfort.
Located just 20 minutes from Edinburgh's city centre, the campsite offers a budget-friendly alternative to city-centre accommodation during Edinburgh's busy festival season. Whether you're catching headline acts at the Castle or soaking up the Fringe, you'll return each night to the calm surroundings of a 1,000-acre country park.
Beyond the tents, campers will enjoy access to some of The Park's most-loved attractions. That includes Restoration Yard's delicious dining and shopping, Fort Douglas adventure playground, and adrenaline-filled Go Ape treetop trails - with exclusive discounts available for campers. The site is also just a short drive to East Lothian's stunning beaches - perfect for a spontaneous coastal day out.
The Park's summer campsite includes small, medium and large pitches, a car-free campsite layout with nearby parking, dog-friendly options, and the freedom to choose your own pitch on arrival.
With nature, play and adventure all wrapped into one easy stay, Dalkeith Country Park is the ultimate summer base for families, festival-goers and outdoor lovers alike.
2 . Contributed
Dalkeith Country Park Summer Campsite now open. Photo: Submitted Photo Sales
3 . Contributed
Pre-pitched Bell Tents at Dalkeith Country Park Photo: Submitted Photo Sales
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The Herald Scotland
5 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Angus Robertson urges Edinburgh festivals to expand
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Edinburgh Live
a day ago
- Edinburgh Live
BBC EastEnders star 'crazy' as one-woman show set to debut at Edinburgh Fringe
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A BBC EastEnders star is set to take her one-woman show to the Edinburgh Fringe this summer. Speaking on This Morning, Michelle Collins who plays Cindy Beale in the popular soap, said "she knows she is crazy" for performing at the festival. The 63-year-old actress admitted she always wanted to go to the Fringe but the opportunity never happened. Now she is set to be in the capital from July 30 to August 25 as she makes her debut in 'Motorhome Marilyn'. Speaking on the ITV daytime show, Michelle said: "BBC have kindly given me one month off to do the Edinburgh festival and I have never done it. "I always wanted to go and it didn't happen and then this opportunity came up. It's a play called Motorhome Marilyn. "I met this woman who was dressed as Marilyn and she was my kind of age and she was driving a motorhome in LA by the Chinese Theatre. "I was really intrigued by this woman. How did she get to this place? Who is she? "I never saw her again and then I wrote a play about her. I know I am crazy, I am mad. Don't worry because if you don't like Cindy it doesn't matter because I am not Cindy, I am playing someone else." A description of the show on Gilded Balloon reads: "Michelle Collins makes her Edinburgh Fringe debut in Motorhome Marilyn, a dark comedy by Ben Weatherill. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "The play follows Denise, an aspiring actress with an obsessive relationship with Marilyn Monroe, hoping to live up to the icon's fame and beauty. In the 1980s, she heads to Hollywood, but as her dreams falter, she is forced to confront the painful truth of unfulfilled aspirations. "Inspired by Michelle's real-life encounter with a woman known as Motorhome Marilyn, the play reveals the toll of living in the shadow of an icon, exploring failure, aging, and the heartbreaking cost of unattained dreams." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Michelle Collins has many notable TV roles including in the BBC dramas Real Women, Sunburn and Two Thousand Acres of Sky. She first appeared in Eastenders in 1988. You can find out more about the show here.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Festival Fringe in danger of becoming 'one monologue festival' due to soaring costs
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The head of a major Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue has warned the event is in danger of becoming a 'one monologue festival' due to the soaring costs of performing in the Scottish capital. Speaking on Thursday at the launch of Love the Fringe, a cross-venue membership scheme created to attract financial support to the festival, Pleasance director Anthony Alderson insisted 'we need to re-examine the [Fringe] model" as artists scale back shows due to affordability. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He warned it had "never been more expensive to bring a show to the Fringe" and said producers were bringing smaller casts, cutting the length of runs and had "less technical ambition" because of the rising costs of accommodation in the city. Mr Alderson, who revealed he had got his first job at the Fringe when he was 15 - having lied about his age - warned 'people are swapping production values for somewhere to sleep'. He said: 'It has never been more expensive to bring work to the Fringe. Costs have soared - accommodation, travel, marketing, everything. And something has to give. We have to re-examine the model. Anthony Alderson warned performing at the Fringe is becoming too expensive, | EdFest 'We're seeing more shows, but shorter runs. Smaller casts, less technical ambition. People are swapping production values for somewhere to sleep. We're losing job opportunities for emerging talent, both on and off stage. If we're not careful, we'll become a one-person monologue festival. That's not good for artists. That's not good for audiences. And it's not good for this city.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Alderson added: 'This isn't just entertainment. It's cultural identity. And yes - it's getting harder to sustain. Pleasance director Anthony Alderson | Contributed 'Culture is our soft power. If we want to push back against populism and division, the arts are one of our best hopes. This isn't something we add on to life — this is life. It's the fabric of a healthy society. Lose that and we lose something essential. Big stadium concerts at Murrayfield might be exciting — but they miss the point.' Mr Alderson called on local businesses to support the Fringe. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Anthony Alderson is director of the Pleasance. | EdFest He said: 'That's why we launched Love the Fringe - because this work matters. And it needs to be supported - properly. Funded, respected. But by whom? 'We're calling on local businesses - you benefit from the Fringe, you have a stake in its future. The city's hotels, bars, taxis and restaurants flourish every August. So let's not take this for granted. Let's invest in the artists who make it all possible. The success of the Fringe is the success of Edinburgh.' Mr Alderson also called for more state financial support, particularly from Arts Council England. The Fringe Society earlier this year was given multi-year funding from Scottish Government-funded arts body Creative Scotland. He said: 'International support is flowing in. Countries around the world recognise the global value of this festival. But one country is noticeably absent: England. Where is Arts Council England in all of this? Why is the nation that benefits most from this platform not stepping up to help sustain it?' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Love the Fringe, launched last year, was created to boost visibility for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, champion artists and offer a win-win model for both audiences and performers.
