Football is Scotland’s most popular game and there is a separate Scottish League in which Scotland’s football teams compete. The national team generally manages to reach the first round of the World Cup but has never got through to the second round. Scottish football is dominated by teams from Glasgow (Celtic and Rangers). Edinburgh’s two main football teams are Heart of Midlothian (‘Hearts’), based at Tynecastle Stadium (tel: (0131) 200 7200; website: www.heartsfc.co.uk), and Hibernian (‘Hibs’), based at Easter Road Stadium (tel: (0131) 661 2159; website: www.hibernianfc.co.uk).
Rugby is also very popular and Scotland competes in the Six nations rugby championship, which it has won in the past. Murrayfield (tel: (0131) 346 5000; website: www.sru.org.uk) is the centre of the nation’s rugby activities. A short distance away, Murrayfield Ice Rink has regular displays of ice-skating, curling and ice hockey. Musselburgh Racecourse, just outside the city boundaries, was established in 1816 and is one of the oldest racetracks in the country.
Tickets for sporting events can be purchased direct from the clubs and from the Murrayfield and Meadowbank, 139 London Road (tel: (0131) 661 5351; fax: (0131) 652 0927) sports centres.
Golf: Golfers are well catered for in Edinburgh. There are no fewer than six municipal courses and 28 private clubs, many of which welcome visitors. Braid Hills Golf Course, Braid Hills Approach Road, Braid Hills Road (tel: (0131) 447 6666), is a pay-and-play 18-hole course. Green fees are £12-14 per round. Kings Acre Golf Course, Lasswade (tel: (0131) 663 3456; fax: (0131) 663 7076; website: www.kings-acregolf.com), is an 18-hole pay-and-play par-70 parkland course. Green fees are approximately £17 per round (£24 at weekends), £27 per day (£38 at weekends).
Leisure centres: Meadowbank Sports Centre, 139 London Road (tel: (0131) 661 5351; fax: (0131) 652 0927), provides facilities for many different sports.
Skiing: Midlothian Ski Centre, Hillend, near Edinburgh (tel: (0131) 445 4433; fax: (0131) 445 5549), is Europe’s longest artificial ski slope with a chair lift and skiing and snowboarding facilities.
Swimming: The Royal Commonwealth Pool, Dalkeith Road (tel: (0131) 667 7211; fax: (0131) 662 0625), was built for the 1970 Commonwealth Games.
Tennis: Courts are available at Craiglockhart Tennis and Sports Centre, 177 Colinton Road (tel: (0131) 443 0101; fax: (0131) 444 1976).
Watersports: The Port Edgar Marina and Sailing School, Shore Road, South Queensferry (tel: (0131) 331 3330; fax: (0131) 331 4878), is Scotland’s largest watersports centre, with dinghies, catamarans, powerboats and canoes for hire.
