Sports dominate as the popular form of entertainment. The people proudly sport their local teams and much of pub life revolves around the various athletic seasons. There are also a variety of athletics for everyday individuals to participate in.
Sports
Golf
Scotland is the birthplace of the game of golf, although exactly which city is hotly debated. Courses dot the rolling green country side and Scotland's National Tourist Board publishes a free guide to golfing in Scotland.
The oldest course in the world lies here, known as "The Old Course at St Andrews". The course is public and is held in trust by The St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) club house sits just off the course, but many clubs have playing privileges.
Football
Edinburgh has two professional football clubs - Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian. They are known locally as Hearts and Hibs.
Rugby
Scottish rugby has a rich history dating back to 1871, where the team beat England in the first international rugby union match. The Scotland National Rugby Union Team is currently ranked ninth in the IRB World Rankings.
Edinburgh's professional rugby team, Edinburgh Rugby, play in the Magners League at Murrayfield. There are various other teams including Boroughmuir RFC, the Edinburgh Academicals, and Currie RFC.
Ice Hockey
Ice Hockey is also popular here. The Scottish Premier Hockey League is the premiere league in Scotland. Teams consist of: Dundee Stars, Edinburgh Capitals, Fife Flyers, Paisley Pirates, and Solway Sharks.
BBC Sport Scotland offers comprehensive sports news for all happenings in Scotland.
Activities
Hillwalking
Scotland is famous for hillwalking. There are 284 Munros (mountains higher than 3000 feet / 914.4 m) in Scotland. To become a true "Munroist", you should hike the West Highland Way, which stretches for 153km (95 miles).
Scotland's official National Tourist Board publishes a free
Scotland Walks guide.
Beach Activities
though rarely as warm as many summer destinations, Edinburgh's waterfront does allow for blow-karting, kite-surfing and other fun water sports. Portobello Beach is one of the best areas in which to have fun in the sun.
Further Resources for Recreation and Sport
- Scottish Institute of Sport - promotes sporting events and facilities across the nation and is a great resource for athletics.
- Edinburgh Leisure - City of Edinburgh sports facilities, training and sports information.
- Sport Scotland - News on sporting initiatives within Scotland.
Gym
Edinburgh has a variety of gyms to choose from. There are state of the art facilities and excellent classes.
Sporting Events
Scots tend to be obsessed with sports and there are many events to arouse excitement.
The 6 Nations Rugby Tournament is effectively the European Championship of rugby. Every spring, the competition takes place between Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy and England. In even-numbered years, England and France visit Murrayfield, while in odd-numbered years, Scotland host Wales, Ireland and Italy. When the tournament is in Edinburgh, the town is bursting with visitors and team pride can be seen on every street and in every pub.
Highland Games were invented here in Scotland and competitions are held throughout the year. The games begin in May and end with the most famous, the Braemar Gathering.
The annual IRB Sevens World Series features international teams playing this different type of rugby. Sevens is a version of rugby with 7 players per side and is extremely fast-paced. Held at Murrayfield at the end of May, Edinburgh is the circuit's final stop each season.
The Edinburgh Marathon has been held in the city since 2003. More than 13,000 take part in the race annually.
Stadiums
Hampden Park
Located in Glasgow, this is the national stadium. Built in 1903, it is the site of Queen's Park Football Club and Scottish cup finals. It is also used for music concerts and other sporting events.
Celtic Park
This is the second largest stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Celtic Football Club. The stadium is also known as Parkhead and is nicknamed "Paradise" by Celtic fans.
Tynecastle Stadium
Football stadium and home to Scottish Premier League team Heart of Midlothian F.C. Situated in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh, Scotland. Tynecastle currently has a seating capacity of 17,420, which makes it the eighth largest stadium in Scotland.
Easter Road
The home of the Scottish Premier League football club Hibernian. The stadium is located in the Leith area of Edinburgh. It is known among Hibs fans as "The Holy Ground", or "The Leith San Siro".
Rugby Park
Primarily a football stadium in the town of Kilmarnock, it underwent a major redevelopment in 1994–95. It has also been used as a concert venue and Elton John has played here.
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