Hot ideas for making the most of Spring sun

EDINBURGH’S three-day summer has arrived early and our advice is to get out there and enjoy it before the grey skies and showers return.

With the mercury nudging 20 degrees for most of the week, our sun-deprived shores will experience temperatures normally associated with Mallorca and other Mediterranean hotspots. So, here’s how to make the most of the heat wave.

Get snappy at the Botanics

The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is holding its 2012 photography competition and is calling for budding talents to capture its landscapes, plants and wildlife on film.

Winning pictures will be in the running for a range of prizes including a top-of-the-range digital camera.

For details, go to www.rbge.org.uk.

Get a taste of the farm in the city

Gorgie City Farm’s chickens and ducks have all recently given birth and the farm is preparing for the arrival of four sets of lambs this week.

The good weather makes this the perfect time to take in the buzz and, if it all becomes too much, there’s a brand new cafe to kick back and relax in.

Take the day off on Wednesday

Edinburgh is set for good weather until the weekend at least but it looks like Wednesday will see the last of the above-average temperatures before they begin to dip.

If you can, why not persuade the boss to let you have tomorrow off so that you can enjoy the best of the rays?

Take tea with the royals

The royal barge has just returned to Edinburgh from London following fittings and trial runs ahead of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant and will be out for more trials in May.

For now, however, it can be seen by visitors on the tour route at the Port of Leith. Why not catch it there before it heads back to London for the Jubilee celebrations? For more information, visit www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk.

Exercise those green fingers

The wartime garden at the Almond Valley Heritage Centre in Livingston is expecting a “bumper” display of home-grown fruit and vegetables this spring, thanks to grants from Central Scotland Forest Trust and Scottish Natural Heritage.

The centre plans to use the new funding to encourage volunteers to “get back to the soil” and learn how to grow their own produce in the garden and in an adjacent orchard. Why not head down and lend a hand?

Hit the beach

A no-brainer in good weather but it’s worth pointing out that Yellowcraig in East Lothian offers sand and culture along the length of its seaside award-winning beach, with spectacular views to Fidra lighthouse – inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

It’s a combination of qualities that led travel industry bible Conde Nast magazine to name Yellowcraig “Best Beach for an Urbanite in Search of the Sea”.

Get up close and personal with some feathered friends

The Bass Rock’s 150,000-strong population of gannets – the world’s largest – has just been brought closer.

The Scottish Seabird Centre’s family boat trips to the rock and Craigleith kicked off this month, making the island’s colonies of gannets, guillemots, puffins and razorbills more accessible than ever.

To book, call 01620-890 202.

Barbecue at Vogrie Country Park

Vogrie Country Park will provide perfect walking territory for all the family this week, as it does throughout the year. Even better, the park authorities have set aside dedicated barbecue sites for private hire. To make sure you can feed your brood after their exertions, book a site on 0131-663 1103.

Munch a springtime salad

When the weather heats up, your body needs to cool down – time to reach for the salad bowl. Sprouts and shoots have emerged as the salad ingredient of choice this year.

Quaff a glass of Pinot Grigio

After being shut up in a stuffy office, why not take time in the evening to relax with a glass of wine?

Ian Pirrie, of the Edinburgh School of Food and Wine, said: “In this weather, it’s got to be a fresh Pinot Grigio.”

Watch the city’s flora come to life

It’s the time of year when Edinburgh’s bare and barren landscape begins to burst into life and colour – a process which this week’s warm weather will help nicely.

Why not head down to the city’s Royal Botanic Garden to watch the unfolding spectacle? To aid your learning, the Botanics is also exhibiting images of wild and garden plants associated with spring.

Devour a book

Whether you’re in the park or lazing on the beach, a good book is often the best companion on a sunny day.

“Trackman by Catriona Child is one that my staff recommended strongly as a hot-weather read,” said bookseller James Anderson. “It’s set in Edinburgh and has a character who’s trapped in a downwards spiral but then suddenly receives a magical MP3 player.”

Indulge in a spot of al fresco dining

It’s not often you have favourable conditions for eating outside.

Loch Fyne Restaurants’ Newhaven branch, which accommodates 32 outdoor diners, now offers a £9.95 set menu until 5pm. The perfect excuse for taking in the sun and sea air along with some award-winning oysters.

Golf for all the family

With the temperatures rising and the days lengthening, this week is the perfect time for a leisurely round of golf.

Edinburgh Golf Coaching offers one-to-one tuition, group and taster sessions at Prestonfield Golf Club.

Take a walk on the wild side

Forget the pandas, Edinburgh Zoo has a host of exotic creatures to view. And the hot weather means they’ll be out and about more than normal.

Look out for Ellen the pygmy hippo – her calf, Eve, was born on the last day of 2011 and has just taken her first steps in the outside enclosure.

Take an outdoor science class

Take in the rays and learn about the world around you at the same time.

Invisible Worlds sees scientists and artists use a range of cutting-edge techniques to reveal sights usually invisible to the naked eye – from nature’s most powerful processes to the workings of the human body.

The results are free for all to see at St Andrew Square Garden as part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

Immerse yourself in the world of flight

If all that glorious blue sky doesn’t make you want to take to the skies, what will? Head to the National Museum of Flight and hop on board a Spitfire or Tiger Moth for a 15-minute introduction to each aircraft and how it works. Talks are held daily and included in the cost of admission.

Check out the street artist action

From sword swallowers to stall keepers, the Royal Mile hosts a diverse array of performers and craft sellers throughout the year and the spring-time sunshine provides an ideal excuse to sit back and enjoy their displays.

Grab a free outdoor art display

The sunshine provides ideal conditions to view the grounds of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, currently hosting Roger Hiorns’ Landform: Modern One sculpture.

And if you have time, why not head down to the Water of Leith Walkway and follow the trail to see Antony Gormley’s 6 Times series of bronze figures?

Cast a fly

If you haven’t tried fishing before, this week’s weather provides the perfect opportunity to have a go.

Harlaw Reservoir is stocked with rainbow trout every two weeks, meaning even the beginner has a decent chance of landing a catch amid the stunning Pentland Hills.