LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I started my adventure by travelling to Scotland and parking at Edinburgh Hermiston Park & Ride and caught the Bus 25 to Princes Street, the City Centre, near St John’s Scottish Episcopal Church. I walked east on Princes Street, passing the famous shopping area on the left and the picturesque Castle perched high on the castle rock on the right. The vista was also enhanced by Princes Street Gardens in the valley below the rock. I passed the impressive Monument to the Royal Scot Greys and then continued along Princes Street to a right turn along The Mound with The Royal Scottish Academy on my right. Because of the relatively unknown time to complete the day’s walk I had a quick visit to see the exterior of the Scottish National Gallery Building and the Scottish National Gallery, before returning to Princes Street. I stopped for a quick view of East Princes Street Garden before I continued walking east along Princes Street again to the impressive but dirty Scott Monument. My next destination was the Castle Esplanade, so I passed the Livingstone Monument, the entrance to Waverley Train Station, Balmoral Hotel, National Scottish Records Office, North Bridge, The Inn on The Mile, St Gile’s Cathedral, Walter Scott Monument and The Hub, via North Bridge Street, Hunter’s Square, High Street, Lawnmarket and Castlehill. When I arrived at the Castle Esplanade I was surprised to see that the area was being prepared for the Edinburgh Tattoo event. After admiring the Castle I returned to the south east corner of the Esplanade to descend the Castle Wynd North Steps to Johnston Terrace. I walked west down Johnston Terrace to Spittal Street where I turned left to Bread Street for a few metres (yards) to East Fountainbridge, leading to Fountainbridge (road) and after 350 metres (yards) to the Union Canal Lochrin (Edinburgh) Basin on the left down a short but broad passage. Here, at Millennium Link, the scenery completely changed from the hustle and bustle of the City to a leisurely and slow world of narrow boats. A contour canal follows the contours of the land, so therefore there are no need for any locks. The canal distance is usually longer than a canal using locks, but saving time operating the locks. The downside, apart from the extra distance, is the extra construction and maintenance costs, especially aqueducts. The other benefit of a contour canal with no locks is the width of the canal vessels. Normally the width of the pleasure crafts or narrow boats is governed by the width of the locks, but on the Union Canal, in theory, a vessel can be almost the width of the canal itself. I walked along the towpath on the North West side of the contour canal bank following the John Muir Way and National Cycle Route 754 The canal scenery changed from shops to offices to Industrial units and then apartments, before reaching the countryside. There was lots to see and hear on the journey along the towpath, especially as I reached Leamington Lift Bridge, which allows the canal craft to pass under the lifted bridge. This was a strange contraption which had two huge metal girders in the shape of the letter ‘n’. The bridge was obviously very substantial and sturdy to take the weight of the bridge and any passing vehicles. When in use, the bridge section does not pivot to a near vertical position, but the whole of the bridge is lifted vertically. If time allows and a vessel is approaching, it is worth waiting to see the bridge in action. An attractive footbridge spans the canal alongside the lift bridge to allow pedestrians to cross when a slow canal craft is passing. As I approached Viewforth (road) Bridge, I could see that the apartments opposite had been built for the boating enthusiast because of the mooring spaces and the usual car parking spaces provided for each apartment, probably around the other side of the residential block. How thoughtful, but I’m sure the purchase prices reflected the additional benefits. Beyond Viewforth (road) Bridge, the canal started to become more rural because grass was growing on both sides of the towpath instead of purely tarmac or concrete. To add to the local residents amenities, some of the apartment blocks had some benches alongside the canal. I was impressed with the cleanliness of the delightful surroundings. Beyond Bridge No 1, the canal seemed to be narrower because the non towpath side of the canal was thick with trees and bushes in front of the apartments. As I approached Bridge No 2, I saw Polwarth Village Church, easily visible due to its tower high above the surrounding trees, and immediately to the right was Harrison’s Park East, surrounded by attractive apartments. Just after Harrison’s Road Bridge No 2, I was surprised to find a floating boat mooring platform, with Mallard Ducks enjoying their afternoon snooze in the sunshine. After the Ashley Terrace Bridge No 3, the canal was perched on a long high embankment, with an aqueduct over the junction of two railway lines. I was impressed by the canal’s engineering, such a great feat, built in four years between 1818 and 1822. The aqueduct was obviously constructed later when the railways were built. I continued the walk passing under the Footpath Bridge to Allan Park Crescent, Slateford, then to the Prince Charlie Aqueduct, over the busy Slateford Road. A short distance after Prince Charlie Aqueduct, I passed another floating boat mooring platform. In the distance I could see another aqueduct, the Selateford Aqueduct. I stopped just before the aqueduct to notice that the John Muir Way leaves the canal down steep steps and continued north along the Water of Leith River. The aqueduct was huge, running adjacent to a railway viaduct that crossed over the Inglis Green Road, as did the canal aqueduct. Two minutes further along the canal, I passed a Union Jack flying over a building, a rare sight in Scotland. I continued walking westward passing Millenium Acres Community Woodland to the Railway Bridge 135 and shortly after Kingsknowe Road South Canal Bridge No 5 by Kingsknowe Railway Station. The next surprises for me were the Street Exercise Apparatus peeping their head above the hedge in Hails Quarry Park, yet another park adjacent to the canal. The next bridge was the Dumbryden Road Canal Bridge No 5AA and the adjacent footbridge also to Dumbryden Road, the original old unnumbered bridge. The area around these canal bridges changed again to traditional old blocks of residential flats. I passed under several more bridges, all of the same design which provided access to the flats on both sides of the canal. Between two of the bridges were several swans feeding on the shallow canal vegetation. They all had their head and necks well submerged. After the Wester Hailes Road B701 canal bridge the canal turned north towards East Hermiston, passing Temporary Accommodation Units for families, possibly the latest batch of asylum seekers, then the Calders Community Garden. I continued north under the A71 road bridge and the footbridge to Cutlins Road, Bridge No 8, to a finger post for the direction to Sighthill. After a long slow curve to the west was the impressive Scott Russell Aqueduct over the A720 by the M8 motorway at Junction 1. From the aqueduct I immediately passed under a footbridge No 9 and then within 400 metres (yards) another Bridge No 10 to East Hermiston. Immediately after this bridge I came to a Boat Turning Circle (canal speak ‘Winding Hole’). Within another 400 metre (yards) I came to Union Canal Bridge No 11, where I left the towpath and the National Cycle Route 754 to walk yet another 400 metre (yards) south to the car in the Park & Ride. An excellent varied walk in the sunshine, which I recommend strongly. A perfect walk would be to park at the Park & Ride or Bridge No 10, walk into the City, returning with a boat trip back to the car. A PERFECT day out.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk, - Start: at Princess Street .
Finish: Hermiston Park and Ride .