Craiglockhart Hill Easter

Let me start with a walk up Easter Craiglockhart Hill. This is in the Craiglockhart area of the city, and comprises woodland, a pond and the elevated hill.

I accessed via Craiglockhart Terrace into a wooded area with various walking options. I took the option signposted ‘hilltop’ and proceeded through the woods and up a series of steps onto a grassy area. What struck me was the silence- the woods muffle out the sounds of the city and it’s as if it didn’t exist.

More steps take you to the summit of the hill- I am not including heights or elevations on this, as they can be found elsewhere, and this blog is about the experience of the sights and sounds. At the top, there is a wide expanse of grass and panoramic views across Edinburgh. From the top, you can see all the other hills of Edinburgh- Corstorphine, Craiglockhart Wester, Calton, Arthur’s Seat, Castlehill, Braid and Blackford. Views also expand to the Pentland Hills- a chain of hills stretching from the southern outskirts of Edinburgh to West Lothian and Lanarkshire.

Although there were other people up on the hill, it was quiet and tranquil and I was able to sit on a bench and appreciate the surroundings amd the birdsong.

Despite the fact the sun was shining, there was a slight ‘haar’ lurking around- those of us on the East Coast are familiar with this, and this did prevent stunning views of the River Forth and Fife, and further afield to Ben Lomond and the Trossachs.

Descending, I opted for a different path which took me down steps hewn into the hillside, through woodland and alongside the pond, which had ducks and several pairs of swans. A notice indicated that they came here to mate!

A gate led out past the sports centre and back onto Colinton Road. A thirty minute walk took me back home.