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Bruntsfield is an area around 2 miles south of Edinburgh City Centre.

It is mainly a residential area, but has a main road running through it which houses many independent businesses. This road is a main artery out of town, and stretches from the West End out through Bruntsfield, Morningside and Fairmilehead, eventually reaching Biggar.

Although the main shopping street is what most visitors to the area see, a short walk down side streets will lead to buildings providing landmarks, known to locals.

In Montpelier, sits Bruntsfield Primary School- a red sandstone building, built in Victorian times and sporting a bell tower complete with bell. There is a door at each end with the words ‘Girls’ and ‘Boys’ above them. When I started attending this school in 1975, girls and boys did enter by separate doors, and had their own playgrounds too!
Next door to the primary school sits the St Oswald’s Hall. This had been a church from around 1900 until it merged with Viewforth Church in the 1950’s/60’s. By the time I was at primary school, it was used by the local High School as an annexe, but not occupied all the time. It was used as an exam facility, so not in constant use.

Because of this, it always had a neglected look and air about it. It didn’t have huge grounds and certainly didn’t have a churchyard! However, as primary school kids with very fertile imaginations, we use to weave all sorts of tales about the place. At the side next to our school was a wall that must have had a door in it at one time. This door had been removed and the space bricked up using different bricks. Rumour had it that this wall could turn around if only you knew which bricks to press. Further rumours claimed that beyond that wall was a secret graveyard where skeletons could be found and where ghosts would moan and groan!

Needless to say, this building always featured heavily in Hallowe’en essays. I’m sure the Bruntsfield teachers could have filled several books based on what they read each year on the topic of the ‘Haunted Churchyard.’

Going along Montpelier in an easterly direction, on reaching the junction with Viewforth you will find across the street, a building which used to be Boroughmuir High School. This building dates from c1910’s and sports 2 towers. These towers can be seen from various points of elevation across the city and for me, have always been a good landmark. Along the edge of the roof there are ornamental stone candles, reputedly to signify ‘ The Torch of Learning!’ This was according to my father, who had attended the school in the 1940’s.

The opening shots of the film ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ were filmed from one of the classrooms on the top floor of this building, and the exterior of a house in nearby Admiral Terrace was used as the home of Miss Brodie. It featured a wall which was painted red, and to this day, that wall remains red. The author of the book on which the film was based was a local girl- Muriel Spark, nee Camberg, who grew up on Bruntsfield Place.

Circling back up to Bruntsfield Place, on the south side is Bruntsfield Links, one of the city’s many parks. Memories come thick and fast from childhood- summer afternoons spent playing with other children while the mothers, and it was always mothers in those days chatted. In the winter, Tumbler’s Hollow was a good area for sledging. There used to be a putting green, however that closed a long time ago. The ‘Links’ does have a short hole golf course in he section that stretches down to Melville Drive. The whole area of the ‘Links’ is well utilised by all ages and for all sorts- joggers, cyclists, walkers and people who play a strange game with poles- maybe it’s some sort of Martial Art- I’ve never stopped to ask them.

heading along Bruntsfield Place, I am always so grateful that the area is thriving with shops. While the majority of the shops from my childhood are long gone, it gives a sense of continuity knowing that they have been replaced by others and that there continues to be generations of children walking around the area navigating their way to Bruntsfield Primary.

Whoever you are, on a visit to Edinburgh come to Bruntsfield, browse the shops, dine in a local cafe or restaurant and look at the buildings. Enjoy the green space of Bruntsfield Links and admire the city skyline seen from this area.

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.

This blog aims to chart my walks around the City of Edinburgh, it’s suburbs and areas beyond.

Edinburgh is the city of my birth and where I have lived most of my life. I think it is a beautiful city with so many fascinating aspects- lovely buildings, historical sites and green spaces.

it is also very easy to navigate- on public transport and on foot.

Come with me as I explore the city and suburbs.