Jupiter Artland is an award winning contemporary sculpture garden just a 25 minute drive from central Edinburgh. Even if art is not normally your thing, please read on as I think this makes a perfect relaxing day trip from Edinburgh for anybody. It even includes a swim in one of the art installations! Such a unique experience…
Things to do
On arrival at Jupiter Artland you will receive a fittingly arty map which you can use to plan your perfect day trip from Edinburgh.
There are 35 art sculptures spread out across 100 acres of ground and you can easily spend the whole day here when combined with a coffee stop, a nice lunch at Cafe Party and (my favourite part of the day!) a swim within one of the stunning art installations! A totally unique experience which makes for the BEST photos to make your friends jealous with!
My perfect day at Jupiter Artland would look something like this:
Morning
Arrive and head straight to the Steadings area to grab yourself a takeaway coffee from The Silver Streak. There are some cute outdoor pink tables and chairs to sit and gather your thoughts while sipping your drink.
After caffeinating, head through the shop (I challenge you not to buy anything!) and into The Neck and Gala Hill area of the park for a wander. For an hour or so, take a quiet stroll through the woodland to discover the intriguing and thought provoking art installations scattered throughout. Even with kids in tow, this can be made into a really fun walk as the art installations often capture the kids imaginations and provide inspiration for imaginative games as you walk. Has spider-man been here to create the Over Here web? What is hiding the Suck? Who are Weeping Girls and why are they sad?
Lunch
Cafe Party back in the Steadings area is a great place to stop for a bite to eat surrounded by the colourful art murals on the walls and brightly designed French bistro style furniture. There is both indoor and ourdoor seating available.
A Parisian Bistro in Alice in Wonderland
The menu has a lovely selection of lunch items (including some alcoholic beverages) and there is also a kids menu which would please even the fussiest of eaters with pizza, pasta and fish and chips.
If you don’t want to sit down for a proper lunch, the Silver Streak sells snacks such as soup and sausage rolls.
2pm
Make sure you have booked in advance for one of the private bathing sessions at The Gateway Swimming Pool designed by Joana Vasconcelos. This is the absolute highlight of my day at Jupiter Artland. It is such a unique experience to bathe in an art installation!
Gateway is a big splash that invites the public to immerse in a joyful and spirited dimension.
The pool is set within beautiful landscaped gardens (which are closed to the public while your bathing session is in progress) and your half hour bathe in the warm waters will feel peaceful (depending on who you are with!) and decadent. If you have kids, it will be less peaceful of course but lots of fun! The pool has a deep end and a shelved shallow end so you need to keep an eye on non swimmers. All kids over 3 can attend a session as long as the are supervised.
The details:
Cost: A private bathing session currently costs £125 for a private half hour swim which seems expensive but if divided between 10 (the maximum number of participants) it doesn’t seem so bad. There are also public swimming sessions which you can book into which are far more cost effective if there are only a few of you. These cost £15 per person
Changing Facilities: There are warm showers and cosy communal changing facilities available 15 minutes before and after your session. The changing room is divided into 2 sections so you can always designate a male and female area if you are a mixed group. Hairdryers are also available.
Top Tip: If you really want that perfect insta shot, you can even buy floats and balls which match the artwork! So cool!
Afternoon
Continue your wanders around the park in the eastern section of the park. The Cells of Life designed by Charles Jenks are nothing short of mesmerising and I could easily stroll around the 8 landforms and 4 lakes for an hour. Different perspectives are awarded from each part of the display. This area is also sure to be a big hit with children who can race each other round the spiraling pathways.
The Wilderness and Badger Wood are scattered with more artworks to explore, inspire and contemplate.
On the way back to the car park, kids can feed the pygmy goats and sheep if they have stocked up with a bag of feed from the shop.
Opening Times
Jupiter Artland is open 7 days a week 10am – 4pm from April to September.
Tickets
For the 2024 season the ticket prices are currently for tickets bought online in advance:
Adult £11.80
Concession £10.80
Child/Student/Blue Badge/Carer £7.50
Child under 3 Free
Dogs £10
Tickets bought on arrival costs £2 more than those bought in advance.
Getting there
The easiest way to get to Jupiter Artland for your perfect day trip from Edinburgh is definitely to make the quick 25 minute drive by car and there is plenty of free parking available in the car park. It is, however, possible to get here by public transport and indeed, you will get a 20% discount on entry tickets if you do.
Trains to Kirknewton Station run from both Haymarket and Waverly around once an hour and take around 20 minutes. To get to Jupiter Artland from Kirknewton Station is a bit of a hike or you could arrange for a taxi to pick you up.
The X27 bus leaves from Princes Street and takes about 30 minutes. Get off at Coxydene, East Calder and it is just a very short walk to the entrance of Jupiter Artland.
Summary
I would highly recommend a trip to Jupiter Artland as a perfect day trip from Edinburgh. Everyone will get something out of this trip whether you are a couple, a family with children or a group of adults looking for something a bit different to do.
Also check out their website as they run a great programme of events throughout the year.
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