THE sporting enthusiast will find a wealth of facilities available in Edinburgh.

For the swimmer, there is the splendid Royal Commonwealth Pool, in Holyrood Park Road, which was built for the 1970 Commonwealth Games. In addition to the main pool, in which competitions of international status are regularly held, there is a separate diving pool, a teaching pool and sauna facilities. A spectacular added attraction at the Commonwealth Pool is a flume, or waterslide, in which the swimmer is propelled at speed along a variety of enclosed watercourses before being shot, exhilarated, into a pool.

The city's swimming facilities also include six neighbourhood swimming centres: these are at Caledonian Crescent, Dalry; Glenogle Road; Infirmary Street; Junction Place, Leith; Bellfield Street, Portobello; and Warrender, in Thirlestane Road.

There are a number of sports centres in the city, all operated by the City of Edinburgh Council. The biggest is Meadowbank, in London Road, built for the 1970 Commonwealth Games (and again the principal venue when the Games returned to Edinburgh in 1986). Meadowbank regularly hosts sporting events at international level, for its excellent facilities extend to a number of indoor halls also. More than 80 sports can be catered for at Meadowbank throughout the year.

Craiglockhart Sports Centre, at no. 177 Colinton Road, has a delightful rural situation, a boating pond, and is noted for its tennis facilities. The tennis played at Craiglockhart includes tournaments at international level.

The modern Jack Kane Centre, which stands amid parkland at Niddrie Mains Road, is an important focal point in the life of Craigmillar. One half of this complex is a well-equipped sports centre, in which a wide programme of sports is available; the other half of the building is a community centre, which plays an active role in encouraging the arts.

At Saughton Park there is a multi-sports complex operated by the City of Edinburgh, while there are two further neighbourhood leisure centres, at Gracemount and Ainslie Park.

Golfers, as one would expect, are well catered for in Edinburgh. There are no fewer than six municipal courses, quite apart from the 28 private clubs within the city, many of whom also welcome visitors. The publicly owned courses are Braid Hills (two full courses); Carrick Knowe, at Balgreen Road; Craigentinny, at Craigentinny Avenue; Silverknowes, at Silverknowes Parkway; and Portobello (nine holes). In addition, there is a short-hole course at Bruntsfield Links, near Tollcross. At Fairview Road, Newbridge, the Port Royal Golf Range offers floodlit bays, practice bunkers, a putting green and professional tuition

Braid's Hill golf course

Sailing on the Firth of Forth is available from a number of bases within the city boundaries. Port Edgar, near South Queensferry, has a first-class marina. There are walk-on pontoon berths usable at all states of the tide. Ashore, there is ample space for outdoor hardstanding and for some 150 yachts and dinghies in sheds. A cafeteria, picnic area and a woodland walk overlook the harbour. Cramond, at the mouth of the River Almond, is a popular spot with sailing enthusiasts, and Granton Harbour is the home of the Royal Forth Yacht Club.

All-year-round skiing is available at Hillend Park, situated a short distance south of Fairmilehead crossroads. In the park, which is on the slopes of the Pentland Hills, is an artificial ski slope that enables devotees to pursue their sport in summer as well as in winter. There is also a chairlift.

Scotland vs Zimbabwe

Murrayfield, Scotland's international rugby ground, has been developed by the Scottish Rugby Union into a first-class modern stadium. A short distance away, Murrayfield Ice Rink offers ice-skating and curling and is also the base of the ice hockey club, Murrayfield Racers.

Heart of Midlothian vs Hibernian

Edinburgh's leading football clubs are Hearts, whose home, Tynecastle Park, is in Gorgie; Hibs, whose base at present is Easter Road Park, Albion Road; and Meadowbank Thistle, whose home fixtures are played at Meadowbank Sports Centre.

A number of sports, including football, rugby, hockey, tennis, squash, bowls, putting and cricket, are followed both in public parks and in private clubs.

For followers of horse racing, both on the flat and over fences, meetings are held regularly at Musselburgh, just beyond the Edinburgh city boundary.