Top 10 active days out near EdinburghJournal

There are dozens of walking trails from the doorstep. With maps, guidebooks, flasks, tin cups and rucksacks all provided, you'll be ready to hit the hills.

Local alternatives to the Pentlands are; Rosslyn Glen, worth exploring if you are visiting the chapel. Penicuik House has a carpark and tarmac paths into the Estate, the restored remains of the grand country house, and varies follies. Dalkeith Country Park has miles of woodland to explore and a delicious coffee shop when you're done. Both Penicuik House & Dalkeith Country Park have walks that are wheelchair & buggy friendly.

There are an abundance of golf courses available locally. If you're up for a challenge, Open Championship courses are now accessible to visitors. Take a day trip to Gleneagles, Muirfield or the historic town of St. Andrews - full of local shops and eateries - as well as the famous golf course.

Coast to Coast surf school has a brilliant reputation for high quality teaching from their base in Dunbar. Their team of experienced instructors offers lessons and courses in surfing, body-boarding, stand-up-paddling, and coasteering.

They host fantastic beginner surf lessons for adults on weekday evenings at 7pm from May to August. Explore the Scottish coastline and improve your surfing against a spectacular sunset backdrop.

Fox Lake offers Wake boarding and aerial rope courses (over water) for those that insist on getting wet, or zip line trails and Sedgeway rides for those that don't!

The newly opened Lost Shore surf resort is an incredible surf facility built within a disused quarry. The state-of-the-art Wavegarden technology allows them to adjust the size, power, and shape of the waves - perfect for lessons and for finding the perfect wave.

Mountain bikers are well provided for, not only with the Pentland Hills on Eastside Cottage's doorstep, but also with world-class mountain biking tracks slightly further afield. Glentress and Innerleithen are both only a 30 minute drive away. Both places offer many different purpose-built routes from novice runs to downhill "black" runs. Bikes can be hired locally - or you're welcome to bring your own.

Try indoor climbing at the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, Ratho. The climbing walls are all built inside a disused quarry (with a roof), and so are perfect for rainy days. Lessons are available and both roped-climbing and unroped 'bouldering' are catered for. They even have soft play-climbing for the younger enthusiast! It's a truly a world-class facility and we're lucky to have it so close to us.

For bouldering, EdenRock is perfect (and even closer to Eastside).

There is wonderful trout fishing in our local lochs in the Pentlands. Alternatively, organise a few days' salmon fishing on the river Tweed with a guide or instructor.

If you dream of cantering along a sandy beach on horseback then look no further than Seacliff Stables. Based near one of the most picturesque Scottish beaches with views out to the Bass Rock and beyond to Fife, the family-run stables cater for all levels of rider.

Bobcat Alpacas offer alpaca trekking in the Pentlands, 90 minute treks in lovely hill country with the most wonderful animals.

To explore rural Scotland on quad or the iconic "Landy", head out to MadMax. Madmax Adventure’s quad biking or 4x4 off-roading experience days have extensive and exciting trails, winding its way through the beautiful Kirknewton Estate grounds by Edinburgh.

Polish up your skills on the UK's biggest dry ski slope - which is (conveniently for Eastside) set into the Pentland Hills. Midlothian Snowsports Centre has a range of slopes, a freestyle area and tubing (or sledding) area! There are ski schools for both adults and children so you can learn new skills to take on to the snow. Want to avoid the crowds? Private lessons are available where you can practically have the place to yourselves.

Glenshee is our closest Scottish ski centre for winter skiing on snow. It's just over two hours away but, if you head off early, you can make a day of it. All equipment, boots, skis, helmets and poles can be hired from both establishments.

Hillend has just finished a brand new Alpine Rollercoaster, perfect for an alternative (and slightly more speedy!) descent from the Pentland Peaks!

For everything from alpaca trekking, sailing, coasteering, scuba diving and everything in between, see the VisitScotland website.