Cramond Island and River Almond

I love running off-road. I love the hills best, they're hard work, they challenge me in so many ways. I also love a gentler trail, and I'm so lucky living here in Edinburgh where these are plentiful. Today I want to share with you a couple of the little gems of this place: Cramond Island and the River Almond.

I have a late afternoon start from the car park by Cramond Village, with a view up to Cramond Tower. Just a few steps down onto Cramond Esplanade, about here is the start and finish of the Saturday morning Edinburgh Parkrun. It's around low tide so the causeway out to Cramond Island is accessible with a little care down the slippery steps. The triangular concrete pillars are something to do with WW II defences, some sort of anti-submarine thing I think. Cramond Island has quite a few ruins of WW II defences, one stands above the beach near the end of the causeway. I'm running along the beach to the left and then up to the central viewpoint ... the views are good although a little hazy today.

Cramond Tower from car park near the village

Cramond Esplanade, parkrun here

Tide is low today ... 

... onto the tidal causeway down slippery steps ...

... and a short splish-splash over to Cramond Island.

WW II defence ruins greet me on arrival ... 

... as I turn left along the beach ...

... and on grassy tracks uphill to the central viewpoint.

The Forth rail and road bridges.

Islands in the Firth of Forth

Arthur's Seat in the distance

From the viewpoint I'm following an enticing narrow dirt track through the undergrowth. In just a couple of minutes I've reached some WW II bunkers, and dreamy views over Inchmickery Island with Fife in silhouette. I am soon back onto the beach and running on the coarse damp sand, it's a gorgeous running surface. There are two large concrete blocks on the beach, not sure what we have here, maybe some kind of mooring? There's a rain shower now, getting heavy, and I seem to be picking up droplets on the camera lens, some photos will be a bit smudged. The beach brings me back to the causeway for return from the island. I decided to run along the sand beside the causeway for a while, here there are patches of significant deterioration.

Enticing narrow dirt track through the undergrowth leading to ...

... WW II bunkers, and ...

... dreamy views over Inchmickery with Fife in silhouette

Back onto the beach, good running on coarse damp sand.

Not sure, some kind of mooring?

The beach returns me to the causeway in the rain.

I decide to run along the sand ...

... easier than negotiating the deterioration here.

There's a pipe which offers the chance for a little hurdling practice before the sand turns to stones and I hop up onto the causeway. I'll return on a narrow strip of concrete which avoids the slippery steps, then along the beach and up the slipway. Luckily, I do not slip. I'm heading up to the River Almond walkway from here with beautiful views of the river through the trees. It's a bit soft underfoot, I like that, and the river is in fine form today.

Little bit of hurdling practice

I'll return on the narrow strip of concrete to the right ...

... then along the sand and up the slipway.

The river, here peaceful and exquisite through the trees.

The path is nice and soft underfoot.

The river is in fine form ...

... and the islets are beautiful.

There's a ruined building, I'm not sure, remains of an ancient roman camp or some early industry, history was never really my strong point. The river is flowing fast and hard over the weir here. The rain is easing, the shower is stopping, and the sun is shining again. There's something special about those moments in sunshine after a rain shower comes to its end, I am loving the mistiness above the river water. Soon the river runs against steep cliffs and we have steps up above leading to lovely higher level trails with sun through the trees, and views to the river below, before another set of wooden steps leads back down.

Ruined building along the path

The river flows hard over the weir

Loving the mistiness above the water here

Steps up, keep running, ...

... to a lovely section of higher level trails ...

... views to the river below ...

... and what goes up must come down.

There are gorgeous woodland scenes to my left, ah the smells, the muddy rooty path is a real pleasure to run, and the river to my right crashes over the rocks. I soon reach a short road section along Dowie's Mill Lane, the old Cramond Brig comes into view. I'm crossing the bridge and then diving back into the trees with occasional views over the farmland to the right. I meet Ben, an interested Collie, alas he will not let me throw his stick. I decide to divert off the main track through the trees, good call, it's divine, and I'm closer to the river. The main path is a bit above me now, I have to slither up a steep muddy bank, the reward is beautiful bluebells.

Lovely woodland scenes to the left ...

... running along the delightful muddy rooty path ...

... with the river crashing over rocks to the right.

Short road section on Dowie's Mill Lane ...

... approaching the Old Cramond Brig ...

... crossing, and then ...

... diving back into the trees on the other bank.

Glimpses of farmland through the trees, fields yellow.

Ben, I really wanted to throw your stick!

Divine here on a side path through the trees ...

... with the river close to my left ...

... and a muddy slither back up to the main path ...

... rewarded with beautiful bluebells.

I soon reach my target, Grotto Bridge, I don't know anything about the history (it's not my strong point) but it looks really old to me, and it's tall, and the water crashes about below. It's the first time I've been here and I'm delighted by this discovery. I cross the bridge and start my return to Cramond. Soon I have a short section along Cammo Road, to my right is Cammo Park another great place for a little off road fun, for another day. There's a very narrow footpath leading back to the river side. I pass some more ruins, these I think are early industrial, and soon I'm back to the weir. There are a couple of ducks in the quiet water above, and then I see the heron below.

Grotto Bridge ...

... the river crashing about below.

Another short road section along Cammo Road ...

... and this tiny path leads back to the riverside.

More ruins, there seems to be a lot of history here.

Ducks in the pool above the weir ...

... and the heron.

I'm close to the end now, I have those steps to slog up and down again, and near to the village I pass a tree with an impressive exposed root system. I'm soon down the mouth of the river at Cramond, boats and white-washed old buildings. These steps will take me back toward the car park, I trot up them of course, and near the top I am treated to a riot of colour.

Exposed roots catch my eye.

Nearing the mouth of the river ...

... pretty old white-washed buildings ...

... these steps will take me toward the car park ...

... and near the top a riot of colour.

Ah, that was a great run, so beautiful, and the gentler side of life can be good sometimes. I've been on the go for about an hour and a quarter, covered a little over 11km, climbed a little under 150m due to the undulations. I've been soaked at first in the rain, and then second in my own sweat. I guess this was what we call a mixed terrain run today.

Enjoy!