Cammo Estate, and more Trails on the Riverbank

Just a week ago today I have a lovely lunchtime run around Cramond Island and River Almond when I ran past Cammo Estate and was thinking to myself, nice off road running there, come back another day. I have a  free afternoon today and despite less than wonderful weather, winds and drizzle, I'm in the mood for about an hour of off road running. Easy decision to head out to Cammo Estate and combine with some more exploration of the riverside trails upstream of Grotto Bridge.

This afternoon I'll start at the car park for Cammo Estate on Cammo Walk heading along an easy hard tree lined path upwards.  I leave the path to the left across dry mud on ploughed fields to explore Cammo Tower and the little "hill" ahead. Among the trees on the "hill" it's delightful and the views are better than I had expected. I return across the fields to the trees with the decaying ruin of the estate stables in front of me, and shortly to my left the remains of the piggery.

Tree lined footpath away from the car park

Crossing fields to the tower and "hill"

Nice among the trees on the "hill"

Good view to the tower below ...

... across yellow farm fields ...

... and the Pentland Hill in the distance

The remains of the stables ...

... and the piggery.

I have some more delightful running through the tress and I reach another ruin, the estate house. Taking a left here I find a blooming colourful tree and soon a pretty wildflower meadow. I'm leaving the estate now at Cammo Road on a path which will take me back to the River Almond. The path here is through woodland high above the river and the flowers are gorgeous. In a few minutes I pass Grotto Bridge with the river crashing over the rocks far below me.

Beautiful running through the trees here ...

... and here as the trails are smaller ...

... to another ruin, the remains of the estate house.

Blooming beautiful tree.

Pretty wildflower meadow.

Footpath down to the riverside trails ...

... where the woodland scenes are enchanting.

Passing Grotto Bridge ...

... water crashing over the rocks far below.

I am now exploring new paths for me, always a special pleasure. To begin I continue through the woodland and more enchantment. The river seen through the trees is deep, wide and slow here. Then the trees are behind me and running on a narrow path through the undergrowth I reach a railway bridge. I had planned to turn back here, but the trails are calling me and I decide to continue a little further. I'm running on a narrow strip between the river and the perimeter fence of the airport, and it's really noisy. I was prepared, I have my media player pumping hard trance anthems, but the sounds or airplanes arriving and departing blast through anyway. The trail starts to break down, over grown, I'm thinking it's getting to be time to turn back, but first creep over to the fence and take a few snaps of the action at the airport.

Upstream from Grotto Bridge the woodland wonder continues ...

... the river through the trees, wide, deep, and slow.

The woodland behind me, a railway bridge.

I should turn back but the path entices me to continue ...

... until the path is almost lost in the undergrowth.

Airport action .. landing ...

... bump, touchdown.

Here I turn around and backtrack to return to Cammo Estate. The river scenes are a delight for my eyes. I spy what looks like a basic footbridge on the opposite back, perhaps there is some kind of footpath there, hmm, interesting, for another day. To my left is a small side trail, irresistible. This might lead nowhere, a dead-end, a track used by the river fishers, who knows, let's go explore, happiness.  Turns out to be a great call, I enjoy some "technical" running (i.e., hazards), sublime woodland scenes, and the river is divine. Just before the path turns up to meet route one, a great view of Grotto Bridge from below.

Returning the views over the river are a delight.

Looks like a footbridge on the other bank, more to explore, another day

Liking the look of the side trail to the left ...

... good decision, this is really beautiful ...

... and the river is so peaceful ...

... then a great view of Grotto Bridge from below.

I'm very soon back at Cammo Estate and at "Home Field" I'm running down to see some more abandoned buildings, I think this is the farmhouse, and then back up the field. There are some very fine old trees here.  I find myself back at the remains of the estate house, and then along another wide tree lined path back to the car park.

Back at Cammo Estate, Home field.

The farmhouse, I think, abandoned.

Some wonderful old trees here ...

.... really liking these trees.

Suddenly I'm back at the remains of the estate house ...

... and then on a wide tree lined path back to the car park.

Yay! That was a lovely easy bank holiday monday afternoon of trail running in such beautiful varied and interesting surroundings. Life is good. I've been out for a bit over one hour, about eleven kilometres, and apparently the total ascent was about 120 metres (so says garmin). Lots of dogs!

Enjoy!