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Edinburgh tourist websites and brochures will inevitably focus on Holyrood Park, with its royal palace, or the Botanics with its multitude of plant specimens, or the tree-lined Meadows in the heart of the city. But there are many other beautiful parks which, although less-known, deserve to be championed as superb examples of scenic landscapes.

Lochend Park is tucked behind the Hibernian FC football stadium, Meadowbank retail shopping centre, and the post-war housing of Lochend and Restalrig, on Edinburgh’s east side. It is a wonderful place to escape into tranquil surroundings. When you enter the park from Lochend Road, you come across a small playpark, nestling beside a 16th century beehive doo’cot, dating from the time this area formed part of the lands of Lochend Castle, occupied by the Logans of Restalrig. The castle was virtually destroyed at the end of the 16th century, and eventually replaced by Lochend House a few hundred years later. One small, gruesome footnote to the history of the doo’cot, is that there is evidence of a chimney, an unusual feature for such a structure, which is thought to have indicated that the building was used as an incinerator, the likeliest explanation being that it was used to burn infected clothing during the 1645 plague.

Today’s park show’s no evidence of such a violent past. There is a large pond in the middle, populated by ducks, geese, swans, moorhens, coots and herons. My mother, who was brought up in nearby Craigentinny, was warned to stay away from this pond as a child – local rumour stated that Lochend Loch was bottomless, and had once swallowed up an entire carriage and horses!

The truth is that it would certainly be potentially lethal to swim in the loch, but due to the abundance of weeds beneath the surface, and roots from the undergrowth on the island in the middle.

The far end of the walk takes you out behind Meadowbank Stadium. A short distance away, but a lovely retreat nonetheless.

Duddingston Loch nestles at the foot of Arthur’s Seat, to the south of Holyrood Park, in Edinburgh. It covers an area of about 20 acres, and although it looks fairly extensive from the surface, stretching out to widespread marshland, its maximum depth is only about 3 metres (10 feet). It has been a bird sanctuary for over 80 years and its reed beds are home to many species of rarely seen birds, including herons and grebes, as well as the familiar mallards, canada and greylag geese and mute swans.

52 weapons dating from the Bronze Age were uncovered when the waters were dredged in 1778 - currently stored in the National Museums of Scotland. It is believed that early Edinburgh settlers lived around the loch in 'crannochs’ - wooden structures built on stilts.

A small car park is situated at the far end of Duddingston Village. Once you carefully cross the road, a pathway takes you right down to the shore where inquisitive (and hungry) wildfowl will immediately investigate to see if any bread is on offer.

The loch has long been associated with skating, and is the cradle of curling. Sir Henry Raeburn’s portrait of 'The Rev. Walker skating on Duddingston Loch’ is a well-known image - indeed, it was said to be the inspiration behind part of the frontage design for the new Scottish Parliament!

The loch is a short stroll away from the historic Duddingston Village. Once you’ve fed the ducks by this beautiful loch, what better way to round off the day than drop in at the 'Sheip’s Heid’ tavern, offering a fine selection of traditional and very tasty Scottish pub grub!

The Bruntsfield is a great hotel, and I would highly recommend it for any visitor to Scotland’s capital. Firstly, its location is convenient, and benefits from the best of both worlds – it is very close to the city centre with all its facilities, restaurants and historic sites, but it is also a sufficient distance from the heart of the metropolis to give you a sense of escape and tranquillity.

This latter point is most obvious when you consider that the hotel overlooks Bruntsfield Links Park and is less than 5 minutes stroll from the Meadows, a huge park.

The hotel is quiet, comfortable, and well-appointed. Unlike some of the corporate hotels I’ve stayed in, the rooms are individually designed, ensuring a comfortable stay. There are a variety of recreational facilities. The Bisque restaurant is a modern-styled bar, and includes a brasserie with an outside terrace. This is open all day for food and drink. The lounge is very relaxing, and I found it an ideal place to unwind, sipping from an excellent choice of refreshments while glancing at my magazines.

Above all, I found the staff to be extremely courteous, and ready to attend to any of my questions.

Although I was staying while visiting Edinburgh for golf, I appreciate that the hotel’s facilities would be perfect for business purposes – there are meeting and event rooms which are perfect for seminars, including two full-sized conference rooms. The hotel is about a mile from Haymarket Station, and only 4 miles from the M8, making it handy for Glasgow commuters. Edinburgh Airport is less than an hour’s drive away.
Although the hotel conveys a gentle charm, it is not averse to modern technology. Each of the 67 bedrooms has free cable access, and there is free Wifi access in the conferences rooms, and in the public area. Car parking in the hotel is free.

For any details on the hotel, check out their website http://www.thebruntsfield.co.uk/

When you hear the expression 'city tours' what image is conjured up? Draughty open-decked tour buses trundling up and down the Royal Mile, forever having to struggle by all the double-parked cars? Yawning visitors struggling to keep their maps from tugging away in the wind? The Scott Monument to Holyrood Palace via the Castle?

Thistle Stop Tours promotional material promised a different slant on capital sightseeing. I was intrigued. So three friends and myself phoned the hotline on the website, and booked our very own Thistle Stop Tour.

Specifically, what these unique tours offer is a personal guided tour from the comfort of a chauffeur-driven car rather than a decommissioned LRT bus. And the experience certainly lived up to the hype.

TST offer a choice of 4 main routes - The Spirit of Scotland Tour, The Bridges Tour, The Blackford and Southside Tour and The Grand Tour, although all the routes can be customized if the operators are given advance warning. TST are also open to any other suggested routes.

The Spirit of Scotland tour offers an encapsulation of Scottish history by touring round the main sites of historic activity. The tour commences with a drive through Holyrood Park, site of iron age fortifications, to the campsite of Bonnie Prince Charlie's Jacobite army, and many other locations which can be seen to this day. There are options to continue this tour to Rosslyn Chapel or Craigmillar Castle.

The Bridges Tour takes visitors out to the spectacular Forth Bridge and Forth Road Bridge, via many interesting historic sites across the west of Edinburgh.

The Blackford and Southside Tour takes in the Blackford Hill, with its superb views of the city, and various other points, including the place where Edinburgh's famous war poets convalesced.

The Grand Tour explains that Scotland has a far greater claim to be the originator of the King Arthur legend than anywhere else in the kingdom, as well as many other interesting snippets.

The tours normally pick up at Waterloo Place, although provision can be made if anyone wishes to be picked up at their hotel or guest house en route. The tour vehicle is very comfortable, with a highly entertaining and informative background track running the whole time, and an expert driver who can answer any questions. The size of the vehicle means that it can get much closer to its subjects than the normal tour buses.

The prices are very reasonable - the more in your party the more economical it becomes. Full conditions are available on the excellent TST website - http://www.thistle-stop.com/ or by dropping an email to thistlestoptours@hotmail.co.uk. If you have friends or relatives visiting Edinburgh, or would just like to organise a small party of locals interested in picking up some unusual facts about the city, why not make a booking enquiry today? I opted for Blackford Hill and the South Side for my Thistle Stop Tour - it was an excellent experience. I had no idea most of the area was once covered by dense forest, plus I got to see the very place where Scottish royalty once planted their standard prior to embarking on stag hunts - the Buck Stone. I intend trying out the others in due course, and would recommend you do the same!

A fifteen-minute drive along the B9006 east of Inverness takes you into tranquil moorland, and onto the site of the last major battle fought on British soil. On these rolling grasslands in April 1746, several thousand men fought a pitched battle to decide which Royal dynasty would prevail over Britain, the Catholic Stuarts, or Protestant Hanoverians. The Highland chieftains at the time were mostly behind the Stuart cause, although there were many exceptions, most notably the Campbells. The Scottish Lowlanders were overwhelmingly behind the Hanoverian claim to the throne, and had long viewed their northern Gaelic-speaking neighbours with fear and suspicion.

The visitor centre is an excellent place to drop in and get to know something of the background to the battle before embarking on a walking tour. There are full-sized dummies of the Hanoverian commander-in-chief, the Duke of Cumberland (who gained the epithet 'Butcher Cumberland' for his brutal treatment of the defeated Jacobite army), as well as ordinary Hanoverian soldiers (or British redcoats) and fiercesome Highlanders.

Entering the centre you are directed to a small but comfortable theatre where there is a short film about the battle, and the Stuart/Jacobite rebellion that commenced in 1745.

The moors themselves have flags to show the original line-up of the rival armies. There are also memorials marking the spot where so many Scotsmen (and Irish and French mercenaries) fell on the Jacobite positions, victims of the far superior firepower of the Hanoverian troops. Aside from tweating skylarks, the setting is eerily peaceful, making an unnerving experience as you imagine the screams that brutal afternoon 250 years ago.

The centre's souvenir shops are brimming with books and other momentos, and a much larger centre is currently being constructed. A small cottage used as a field hospital by the Hanoverians has been faithfully restored, so you can stoop inside and imagine the scenes in less peaceful times!

In June I was fortunate enough to spend a week in one of the Drumnadrochit travel lodges. A collection of delightful timber-built chalets, these are clustered next to thick conifer plantations, a short drive from the main A82 to Inverness. The chalets are self-catering, and offer a springboard for exploration of the beautiful Scottish Highlands. A fifteen minute drive to the north takes you into Inverness, the Highland capital. For most of this journey you skirt the western shore of Loch Ness - the deepest stretch of fresh water in the British Isles, and famous for its fabled 'monster', Nessie.

There are several 'Nessie' museums next to well-stocked souvenir shops on the way up, and provided you keep your tongue firmly in your cheek you can appreciate the numerous stuffed monsters that will amuse your children. There are regular boat trips taking you right down the loch, where you can alight at Castle Urquhart, which is steeped in history, and offers commanding views of the Loch and the hills beyond.

You can excuse the souvenir shops with their 'Jimmy wigs' and excess of tartan wares, because they draw a host of visitors to Loch Ness. The whole area is beautiful, with short drives from the main road taking you into rolling glens that have remained unspoilt by civilization for centuries. There are many wonderful eating places where you can enjoy the finest local cuisine, set against a backdrop of Scotland's breathtaking scenery.

Dedicated to the author Sir Walter Scott, whose marble statue decorates its base, this impressive Victorian tower rises over 200 feet (61.1 metres) above Edinburgh. There are viewing platforms at various levels, offering panoramic views of the capital; obviously the view from the very top platform is particularly impressive.

You proceed up the Gothic structure via a narrow spiral staircase. If you were to count each step you would arrive at 287 by the time you reached the uppermost level. It does become fairly claustrophobic the higher you go, and be prepared to skulk in to one side as you meet anyone on their way back to ground level.

The monument is made from shale, quarried in Livingston – the structure’s sooty colour is due to Victorian Edinburgh’s notoriously smoky atmosphere (when the city was known as ‘Auld Reekie due to the proliferation of chimneys). Apparently the tower was also Gerry Anderson's inspiration for Thunderbird 1 !!

In the early 90s the monument was covered in scaffolding for major repair work. It has now been faithfully restored. It is well worth a visit because it gives spectacular views of central Edinburgh from the very heart of the city, a stone’s throw from Waverley Station and the Princes Street shops.

Dunsapie Loch is a small artificial loch nestling between Dunsapie Hill and Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park. It was formed during the construction of Queen's Drive through the park, and owes its origin to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's consort, who oversaw its creation in 1844.

The loch is home to a variety of wildfowl, including greylag geese, mallards, tufted ducks, coots, moorhens, pochards and mute swans. These are always appreciative of scraps of bread.

The grassy slopes around Arthur's Seat are excellent playing areas, and when the wind gets up you may well see the odd kite battling against the air currents.

The loch is accessible via the park's east entrance, at the Meadowbank end, where a winding road leads gradually up towards around 110 metres (361 feet) above sea-level. The road is one-way, making for a hassle-free drive around the park (apart from Sundays when the roads are closed to traffic). A path runs parallel to the road, popular with everyone from gentle strollers and hillwalkers to the more intrepid joggers. Parking locations en route make excellent picnic spots, offering wonderful views out over the city's eastern suburbs, towards Berwick Law.

One reason why I am drawn to Dunsapie Loch is that it offers by far the easiest route to the summit of Arthur's Seat. After parking by the loch, or strolling up from ground level, you can march up towards a path leading straight to the peak. From here you can enjoy panoramic views around 360 degrees.

If you feel that Arthur's Seat is a bit daunting, then a good warm-up would be Dunsapie Hill. This overlooks the loch, and contains the remains of a 2,000-year-old fort and farmstead.

What I particularly like about Dunsapie Loch, is that more than the other 2 lochs in Holyrood Park, St Margaret's and Duddingston, visiting here makes you feel as if you have escaped from a city with a population nearing half a million. It is tucked away, teeming with wildfowl, and yet a matter of minutes from 'civilization'. And on a Sunday, you can enjoy the whole experience without being bothered with cars.

The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, or SECC, is the UK's largest venue for public events, exhibitions and conferences. It is widely known as a world class facility.

Set near the River Clyde, close to Glasgow's centre, it is easily accessible by public transport or car.

Although I'm a citizen of the capital city, as a music fan I appreciate there are many acts who are just 'too big' for Edinburgh's concert venues. But it isn't a major journey to get to the SECC. By car, you just head along the M8 into Glasgow, ensuring you're in the left hand lane as you approach the Kingston Bridge (well labelled as Junction 19). Here you take the slip-road to your left and stop at traffic lights. You take the third turning to your right (signposted Clydebank, SECC) and the stadium's vast parking lot is less than 5 minutes further on. (A note of caution. Depending on how desperate you are to see every last moment of your favourite artist's encore … it is sometimes prudent to slip away early. The car park exit is tight, and you are charged £4.50 on the way out, leading to major congestion as cars queue from multiple directions, forming bottlenecks).

There is also a new Gig ‘n' Go bus service operated by First, for a £1.50 flat fare. Buses depart from Buchanan Bus Station before concerts, and return to the bus station afterwards. Although this service is not guaranteed for every event at the SECC, it operates for most concerts.

I've driven to the SECC twice over the past few months (and this illustrates the diversity of talent the venue attracts). I saw Richard Ashcroft performing a solo set, as a precursor to his reformed band, The Verve, setting off on their first tour for 9 years. And last week I took my daughter and her cousin to see 'Disney on Ice'. They and hundreds of other kids were enthralled by skating antics and props that included the huge 'metallic spider' from the movie The Incedibles. One minute psychedelic rock through an ear-shredding PA, next a full-size ice-rink and ensemble cast.

But a glance at today's 'What's On' for the forthcoming few weeks demonstrates exatly why the SECC is so widely popular. It hosted the Sex Pistols - the band that changed the face of rock music in the 70s, now, ironically, popular enough to fill stadiums like the Rolling Stones and other bands they once claimed to be the opposite of. There are business events, such as Opportunities in the Oil and Gas Industry, or the annual congress of the British Cattle Veterinary Association. Yesterdays screaming teenagers can catch the older, wiser (and occasionally podgier) Take That on the latest leg of their sold-out re-union tour. Another offering is Frank Skinner's inimitable brand of stand-up comedy. Also showing are The Yamaha Music School, Welsh indie rockers The Stereophonics, and the teenybopper guitar band McFly.

Refreshments are provided, and the SECC aims to provide flexible dining and drinking options for all visitors – whether that entails a quick pint and a snack before a concert, a leisurely a la carte meal during an exhibition, or packed lunches for busy conference delegates.

With something for everyone, it is well worth a visit.

Colorsound has been one of Edinburgh’s foremost rehearsal and recording studios for many years. It is popular with musicians, amateur and professional, playing a wide cross-section of genres, from progressive rock to folk, post-punk to electro-pop. I would recommend it as a practice venue for any up-and-coming or established band – it boasts amongst the cheapest rates in Edinburgh, and provides a choice of sound-proofed rooms.

Each room provides a basic drumkit, vocal PA system, and guitar and bass amps.

Colorsound has benefited from its relocation from Fountainbridge at the end of 2006 (as part of the block next to the former Fat Sam’s restaurant earmarked for demolition). Since moving to its larger Haymarket premises it has been able to offer bands a greater choice of rooms, and this is expanding due to recent renovation and decoration throughout the building.

Prices begin at £8 per hour for the smaller rooms, with the option of hiring per 2 or 3 hour session, or regular ‘block bookings’. There is a small kitchen and toilet facilities. Plans for the new year include incorporating an in-house studio.

Centrally located, two minutes from Haymarket Station, Colorsound has limited parking within its premises (it shares its location with Thrifty car-hire) but after 6.30 there are many on-street spaces.

Rooms must be booked in advance, with a statutory period of cancellation to avoid stumping up fees for an unused room – check details with the friendly office staff. A number of more-established bands use the studios, so don’t be surprised to bump into the occasional Proclaimer as you head along the corridor!