The annual circumnavigation of the city’s least visited corners enjoyed reasonable breezy weather. The clockwise version delivers the strenuous White Hill traverse early. Thereafter, the route becomes an inspection of the rapidly changing built-landscape of the city. Torduff, Torphin and Donkey Brae led us to Heriot Watt campus, then canal towpath and the Gogarburn culvert under the city bypass into the forlorn South Gyle Business Park with little evidence post-Covid business and vast amounts of empty office space. A brief lunch snack at the Gyle shopping centre refreshed us for a visit to the deserted Edinburgh Gateway Railway interchange.
The vast West Craigs new housing development had chopped off our usual tram-depot and airport perimeter fence route ((padlocked gate, barbed wire and gorse bushes). We diverted east to rejoin our usual route at the Lennie Park city rubbish dump then the nettle and swamp link to the sylvan Cammo estate. The Tapering Passage links to the River Almond footpath where a very swollen river enhanced the descent to Cramond via the numerous flights of steps contrasting with the rather tame going since Juniper Green.
Large crowds of dog and children walkers limited pace along the coast to Newhailes House via Granton prom, railway tunnel, new tramlines. Portopolis, Leith Links, methane-free sewage plant and Portobello prom. A coffee stop at Newhailes House revived spirits for the growing gusty headwind through the new Shawfair/ Danderhall housing labyrinth to the old Gilmerton – Loanhead railway (now cycle track) to Straiton. A late route-choice rebellion took us back under the city bypass through the new Burdiehouse housing estate and Broomhill farm track in a now violent gusting headwind back to the Steading. Two punctures and a few stumbles.
54km + 1600m,
Adam, Andy, Angela, Bob, Colin L, Des, Gio, Jane R, Joanne T, John C, Jon W, Keith, Nicki I, Tom, Willie M.
Keith Burns