Just time on the feet: Sunday, January 5

I set out early Sunday morning for a long mixed run-walk over varied terrain, starting in the Pentland Hills Regional Park, leading to a long largely urban section taking in stretches of the Water of Leith, the Union Canal, some little strips of muddy dirt around the city, and a few paths along the old city branch railway network. I'm catching the #44 bus from home around 8am to the terminus on Cockburn Crescent in Balerno. Its still dark as I board the bus and hand over my £1.50 (great value!), the half light as we are arriving at the terminus, sunrise will be 8:42am this morning.

The wonderful #44 at Cockburn Crescent

Leaving the terminus I'm briefly heading along Mansfield Road which leads up toward Threipmuir Reservoir, then a left onto Malleny Millgate which will take me onto the Harlaw Road, and up to Harlaw Reservoir. The trees along Malleny Millgate are full of noisy crows. I'm leaving the Harlaw Road as it bends to the left, looking forward to the first strip of dirt today. There's a footpath here which will take me to the visitor centre at Harlaw. I've been along this path on the mountain bike a few times and its always been a bit of a mudbath, this morning is no exception. The rosy colours of dawn are coming along nicely in the little puffs of cloud, apart from that I have clear blue skies overhead this morning.

Leaving Mansfield Road for Malleny Millgate

Cacophony of crow calls from the trees

Leaving the Harlaw Road ...

... into the mud

Rose coloured clouds of dawn

Harlaw Visitor Centre

I'm going to make a circuit of (most of) Harlaw Reservoir this morning. There is a hard track available but of course I choose the softer muddier paths through the trees where possible. On the return, the brooding bulk of Black Hill is above to my right, lesser Bell's Hill and Harbour Hill either side of the Maiden's Cleugh in the distance. I'm leaving the reservoir tracks now over an old stone stile, then heading over footpaths through the fields, and a turn to the right and upward in the direction of another stone stile at the top of Maiden's Cleugh. The sun has just risen over the skyline of the hills, my shadow is long in the frosty grass. Its a bit cold at the moment, hopefully the rays will soon give some warmth.

Harlaw Reservoir, early morning

Good paths through the trees

Black Hill ...

... Bell's Hill, and Harbour Hill.

Fine old stone stile

Footpath leading to Maiden's Cleugh

The sun rises over the skyline of the hills ...

... a long shadow on the frosty ground

This morning I will not ascend further, I would only have to back-track, instead I'll take the left turn, signposted for Currie, and more muddy fun through the trees until I return to the Harlaw Road at the junction of the road down to Kirkgate beside the river. I turn to the right on the Harlaw Road for about half a kilometre and then leave the road to the left along pretty little Poet's Glen, with gorgeous descending dirt trails and waterfall. The path here ends with a rough stoney section alongside the wall, this part is great fun on the mountain bike. The end of the glen deposits me on the Blinkbonny Road for a few hundred metres, passing another waterfall, and then steps and paths left down to the Water of Leith.

Left at the wall toward Currie ...

... with more lovely muddy rooty tree lined trails

Down the road for the river at Kirkgate but there's a nicer route to the right ..

... down the charming Poet's Glen

Lovely trails ...

... and waterfalls.

The stoney path by the wall is great fun on the mountain bike

More waterfalls from Blinkbonny Road ...

... then steps and gravel/dirt down to the river side.

If you're ever wandering along the Water of Leith here and you spot this sign, well there's a great route up into the hills waiting for you, highly recommended. I'll head along the river back toward the city for a few hundred metres until I reach the Blinkbonny Bridge. Here steps will take me back onto the Blinkbonny Road, over the bridge, over the Lanark Road and down Muir Wood Road for a moment. Hidden down here is another nice strip of dirt, with the charming name Donkey Lane.

Reaching the river side, a good sign to follow.

Heading along the riverside toward ..

... steps up over Blinkbonny Bridge

From Muir Wood Road, the entrance to Donkey Lane ...

... another lovely tree lined strip of dirt.

Donkey Lane ends at the knee of a small farm road, to the right West Hailes, to the left a pedestrian level crossing on the main railway line, to Riccarton and the Heriot-Watt University campus. The first time I ever arrived here I had planned to return through Wester Hailes, but the sign had been turned, I had a bit of a longer run than expected! Just beyond Riccarton, the little hamlet of Hermiston with pretty white-washed cottages. Can it be simple coincidence that looking down the street the horizon is Arthur's Seat?

Right for Wester Hailes, left for Riccarton ...

... over the pedestrian level crossing

Entrance to Herot-Watt University campus at Riccarton

White-washed cottages at Hermiston ...

... being enjoyed by the pigeons.

Looking down the street, Arthur's Seat on the horizon

Just a stone's throw from Hermiston the Union Canal is reached and I'm going to follow the canal back toward the city. The Scott Russell Aquaduct crosses the city by-pass and although its only a quiet Sunday morning the traffic noise is somehow much less pleasant than the crows on Malleny Millgate around dawn. The canal now meanders through the west of the city passing a few wooden sculptures. There's nobody at the outdoor gym in Hailes Quarry Park and the swans are a-sleeping.

Heading back to the city along the canal ...

... over the by-pass with added traffic noise

Wooden sculptures beside the canal

Two swans a-sleeping

Frog!

Nobody using the outdoor gym here

Two workers

There are a couple of links between the Union Canal and the Water of Leith around here. For the walker or runner, the wooden steps above the visitor centre in Slateford are the best choice. For the cyclist the bridge ahead is better as it crosses onto an old branch railway line cycle path. Its a cycle path, its asphalt, its hard underfoot, the curse of urban life. I'm leaving early down the delightfully named Bogsmill Road onto the gravel and dirt beside the river. I pass the Redhall Walled Garden (closed today) and on delightful soft wood-chip trails through the nearby community woodland. The river is regained and crossed after passing through an old stone doorway and in a few minutes I come by the weir and arrive at the visitor centre in Slateford, the double bridges of the canal and railway tower above. There's a fine heron on the river near the wooden steps between the bridges.

Bridge over the canal here leads ...

... to an old branch railway line cycle track

I'll drop down onto the Bogsmill Road ...

... back to the riverside

Passing Redhall Walled Garded (closed today) ...

... to the community woodland ...

... with gorgeous wood-chip trails.

Leaving through the old stone doorway ...

... back along the riverside ...

... to the visitor centre in Slateford, two bridges tower above.

I spy a heron on the river, opposite ...

... the wooden steps between the bridges leading up to the canal.

The riverside path crosses Gorgie Road before it heads into Saughton Park, but there's another footpath on the other side of the river so I'll stitch a loop here heading up Stenhouse Mill past the historic mansion house. For some reason unknown to me, in this little back street there are two very ornate old lamp posts. There was another heron on the river island here, but it flew away before I could fumble with my camera. The footpath is called The Burnside and comes out on the Longstone Road by a pub. I have a couple of hundred metres along the road back toward the double bridges. There's a supermarket on my left. and its got a cafe, and its lunchtime, and I'm hungry ... time for some refreshment.

Stenhouse Mansion

Surprisingly decorative lamps on Stenhouse Mill Lane

The heron on the river island flew away

The Burnside at Longstone Road, a narrow entry beside the pub

Approaching the double bridges from the other side, and time for lunch

Fed and watered and all warmed up I might have sat around indoors a little longer than I should, the old legs are starting to feel a bit stiff. Well anyway, time to close the loop, I'll just cross the road and head along Kilncroftside into Redhall Park. The other end brings me back to the canal at the bridge I crossed earlier. I make left across the aquaduct now and then onto Harrison Park at the end of Memory Lane. The section of canal here is popular with rowers, the St Andrew's Boat Club has a base here and there are a few folk out this afternoon. The bridges here, first the Allan Park footbridge and then the Meggetland bridges, are useful links between the canal and the delightful trails on the little Craiglockhart Hills.

Memorial in Redhall Park

Return to the canal, loop closing

Now over the aquaduct at the double bridges

Rower at Allan Park footbridge

Rowers at Meggetland bridges

I reach the end of the canal section of Memory Lane and make left between the trees. The last time I came down here, in the autumn, I ran on a carpet of golden orange leaves. Today the leaves have blown away already, the earth is very soft, welcome relief for the feet. To the right off Harrison Place is another strip of disused railway line, hardly maintained it is beautifully soft and often very muddy. Leaving the dirt I have some road work to do around Murieston Park and then onto Russel Road, under the railway and tramway, to ascend ramps onto another old branch railway line. This is the Roseburn Path, a cycle path, and miles on the asphalt are ahead of me now. The railway path crosses high over the river and steps lead down to the river path. I'm not going down them today, I've already decided to continue on the cycle paths, and pick up the riverside to return home. I'll see them again later this afternoon from the bottom in the last hour or so of daylight. The cycle path leads through a cutting between trees and all is peace here, the city streets are very close but seem so very far away.

The approach to my Memory Lane, another runner has just finished this afternoon

Muddy dirt along the old railway by Harrison Place

Russel Road underneath the rails, ramps up to the Roseburn Path

Steps down to the river side paths, but I'll continue on the cycle paths today

So peaceful through the tree-lined cutting

There is a really good network of cycle paths around the city using the old branch railway lines. The Spokes Map is very much recommended. The left fork here is the Blackhall Path leading out toward Cramond Brig and the delights of the River Almond down to Cramond Island. I'm taking the right fork, the Telford Path, heading north toward Crewe Toll. Yet another fork, the left leads down to the waterfront at Granton. I'm taking a right again along the Ferry Road Path heading toward Newhaven and Leith. From time to time there are reminders of the urban railways of long ago here. It seems to take an age but I eventually reach the Five Ways, well its a five way junction in the cycle path network. Hmm, decisions, decisions, I plump for a hard right up the Goldenacre Path heading toward Canonmills. There's something a little bit special near the end of this path, the Rodney Street Tunnel. Not the longest railway tunnel in the city, but I just like the line of the arch. The path ends at little King's Park in the Canonmills area, and time for an afternoon snack. Long ago as a student I lived across the road from here for a short while. There's a great pub "Smithie's" and a superb chipper "Alba Doro" around here. Hmm, memories of student life ...

Left along the Blackhall Path, for me right along the Telford Path ...

... left for the seafront at Granton, for right on the Ferry Road Path

Here some evidence of the railway past

The Five Ways, hard right onto the Goldenacre Path for me ...

... leading to the lovely Rodney Street tunnel ...

... and ending at King's Park in the Canonmills area.

So I'm here in Canonmills, and now I have to turn for home ... easy, I'm just near the Water of Leith again. I head down to the local landmark, a clock, and down steps back to the river path in the direction of Stockbridge. Reaching Stockbridge another landmark clock and the local market is on, looks very pheasant (ouch!) and the smell of hot food, I'm almost tempted to stop for a second snack. Leaving Stockbridge the scaffolding and covers over St Bernard's Well have been removed.

Canonmills Clock

Here steps down to the river side again heading ...

... for Stockbridge and another landmark clock.

Game on at Stockbridge market

I'm soon passing underneath the grand arches of Dean Bridge and into pretty little Dean Village. There's something to see in a courtyard here, a little bit of history. Its an old communal drying yard for the tenement dwellers, still in use today. Leaving Dean Village the river is full of water and crashing over the weirs. I see another heron standing over the fishing pool at the large weir near bridge over to the Gallery of Modern Art. Then all of a sudden I am at the bottom of the steps leading down from the Roseburn Path. There's a runner coming down, we exchange a few friendly words before he leaves me for dust :)

The grand arches of Dean Bridge

History at Dean Village

The river runs loud over the weir

The is another heron at the fishing pool above the weir

The steps down from (or, up to) the Roseburn Path,

The sun is low now and the light is fading as I pass Murrayfield stadium. The soft earth of the public sports fields are briefly very welcome underfoot. Continuing along the river I'm delighted that a section of the river path here which was long closed due to tramworks, has now re-opened. The amusingly named Pansy Walk leads under an old stone railway bridge, I am almost done, the camera is stowed for the day in the weak light. I carry on through trees alongside the river to Balgreen and Saughton Park, and then some roadwork home. The night is dark already before I reach the front gate.

Respite from the asphalt and gravel, over the sports fields at Murrayfield Stadium

Pansy Walk, now re-opened after tramworks

The day is almost done, the light is failing, under the old stone railway bridge

That was a good long day of run-walk, time on the feet, 6:54:45, distance 43.3km. The route contains some ascent, lots of undulations, but overall is a descent. So according to Garmin, the total ascent is 718m and the total descent is 869m. Doesn't feel right to me, 2360 feet of ascent, I'd have felt that for sure. Google Earth says total ascent 346m and total descent 493m. I reckon Google must be closer to the truth than Garmin for this one. Well, anyway, no matter, a bit on the cold side perhaps, but I'm pleased there wasn't much by way of wind or rain today. I seem to have had a bit of luck, and made the most of a brief break in the weather. The old legs are a bit tired now.

Enjoy!