The Cammo Estate is an 85 acre public park run by the City of Edinburgh council. It's a quiet spot with meadows, dykes, and mature, open woodland, situated in the Barnton area on the North West edge of Edinburgh. Forming part of the city green belt, it is bounded by the River Almond, Turnhouse Golf Course and residential suburbs.
You may have passed this former aristocratic pleasure ground when arriving or leaving Edinburgh by car along the A902. From the road, you can see what looks like a folly, a small tower, surrounded by greenery. This is the old water tower, part of the original estate. In the eighteenth century, the estate had large avenues of plantings and elaborate garden features that were popular at the time including a rectangular waterbody known as "the canal".
In the twentieth century, the estate fell into disrepair and a much smaller remaining parcel of land and ruins was bequeathed to the National Trust for Scotland in 1975, who feued it to the Council in 1979.
Cammo estate has been farmed by a tenant farmer and still retains a pleasant, rural feel with some large impressive trees. You can find the ruins of estate buildings, the big house, stables and walled gardens.
You can access Cammo Estate by bicycle, bus, or by car at the end Cammo Road. There is a free car park on Cammo Walk. The Visitor Centre and W.C. is open on Tuesdays and Sundays from 2-4pm, and on Thursdays from 10am-4pm.