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Dave Henniker Water of Leith
A compilation of pictures from other parts of the website plus some new and old ones. These are reasonably accurately sorted into order from source to shore, i.e. traveling where possible downriver on the Water of Leith Walkway. More pictures will be inserted when I rediscover them or take new ones... Updated again 27/7/2010
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Beside the cairn 561m above sea level. This hill has two cairns about 1km apart and both at the same altitude but the real summit is on the central plateau at 567m. This view is facing NNW to Harperrig Reservoir 2km away. | |
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Not accessible by public transport. You must drive or cycle miles past Balerno on the A70 Lanark Road, the Lang Whang until you're nearly at Harperrig Reservoir. The wee bridge pictured here crosses the Water of Leith near its source. | |
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Taken a year later than the Thieves Road pictures above, showing the same little footbridge over the Water of Leith. Up here, it's a small burn (stream) trickling from nearby Harperrig Reservoir. This view is facing north towards the Lang Whang. |
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In this south facing view both East Cairn Hill and West Cairn Hill are visible. The walk from the carpark on the A70 to the top of East Cairn Hill is 5 miles. | |
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At the start of the path at Bridge Street in Balerno is this stylised metal map set into the pavement beside Balerno High School. The label at this end denotes Leith Docks. | |
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Not far from the start the path is squeezed inbetween the river and Lanark Road West, the main A70 road or Lang Whang as it's known locally. | |
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A pipe crosses the river here supported by girders. Anyone considering this as a convenient bridge into Malleny park is thwarted by the radial railings in the middle. | |
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From Balerno to Colinton Dell the path is mostly on the former railway line. This block of stone may be a remnant of a platform edge. Someone has chiseled an image of a steam train into it. | |
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Magnificent trees line the riversides giving relief from the hot sun or temporary shelter from rain. | |
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Reminiscent of a milestone or headstone - but it has a metal plate embedded in it. | |
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On closer inspection the pattern and some text is revealed: RIVER RUBBINGS Water of Leith Conservation Trust 2001. Visit their website here but do come back! | |
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If walking from Balerno to Currie there's a fenced off vacant site left of the path. Another fenced path leads through the area to this bridge which will take you away from the river and up to the main road at Currie. The correct path is over by those trees. | |
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When we walked this way on a Sunday in August 2010 we crossed that bridge and climbed up these steps. A short walk along Lanark Rd West took us Kirkgate and we rejoined the Water of Leith Walkway there. | |
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2 km east of Balerno High School is the road called Kirkgate which winds down from Lanark Road West near the centre of Currie. The wooden steps provide access to the path on the former suburban railway line. | |
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As seen having walked down from Currie. To the right, off-camera, is the track to the site vacated some years ago. | |
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I focused on the spider's web in this shot with Currie Kirk in the background. | |
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Currie
Kirk |
Photographed from the Water of Leith Walkway where the old railway bridge crosses over the road from Currie village (same spot as previous picture). |
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Blinkbonny village is nearby on the south side of the river. This sign tells us we're 1½ miles from Balerno and 11 miles from Leith. | |
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Another helful sign has similar information and also points to the Pentland Hills. This isn't our favourite access to the hills as there's a fair walk uphill on tarmac farm roads before you get to the hills. Hunters Tryst or Colinton at Bonaly both give easier access to the Pentlands. | |
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December sunshine on the trees on the southern banks of the Water of Leith. This former industrial site has lain vacant for some time and the wall has been decorated with some colourful graffiti. December 2006. | |
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A charming old house on the north bank of the river. | |
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Under the bypass as traffic thunders overhead, the river is calm as it approaches a weir. On the left there's a temporary fence round new construction work in September 2005. | |
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December 2006 and the same scene looks different in the low winter sun. | |
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Back in 2005 this sign proclaimed the features of this development at Woodhall Mill, including distant laughter presumably refering to the pub up the hill on Lanark Road. I did mention that traffic thunders overhead - not particularly quietly. | |
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Unauthorised personnel entering the site will be recorded on computer disk... It goes on to say that the police may prosecute - presumably if they knew what to do with the disk. They'd probably say haven't you just got a SD card? To be fair this was in 2005. | |
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Gillespie Road descends from Lanark Road to cross the Water of Leith at Colinton Village. The footpath now overhangs the side, allowing the carriageway to be wider. Before the Edinburgh City Bypass was built, this road and Craiglockhart Avenue used to carry most of the traffic trying to cross the city on its southern side. | |
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A little eco-system on a log between Colinton village and the weir downstream. | |
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This is invariably a damp and squelchy spot near the bottom of some steps. This path comes from Dell Road near the church and runs parallel to the main path. Steps lead down. | |
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I used the weir as a backdrop to show off the moss and plants growing on the log. | |
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A wide angle view of the western entrance. | |
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As seen from the right side of the path. | |
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A monochrome view from inside the tunnel taken in 2002. | |
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The water provides a soft background to better show the ivy on the stone parapet on one of the bridges where steam trains once crossed. | |
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There's no shortage of helful signposts in Colinton Dell. The steps lead up to the former railway line which leaves the Water of Leith valley and crosses Lanark Road via a footbridge to join the Union Canal towpath at Redhall. | |
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This was a working river and powered mills from Colinton to Gorgie and beyond. This is on the left bank facing upstream beside Kate's Mill. | |
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A tiny bridge crosses the millstream and the downstream path continues up these steps before cutting back down to the left again. The Water of Leith flows down from Colinton Dell to Craiglockhart Dell. | |
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A tree seed germinated in a crack in the stone parapet and slowly (over the course of a few years) prised it apart. The tree was neatly sawn off but it's started to regrow. | |
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When walking downstream there are paths on both sides. The leftmost path follows the old railway line and leaves the Water of Leith valley and crosses Lanark Road via a footbridge to join the Union Canal towpath at Redhall. Cross to the right to stay with the river and to see this folly. You'll emerge behind the Dell Inn onto the main road and a pedestrian crossing. | |
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The scene was looking rather splendid when we passed by in August 2010. | |
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The interior of the building is decorated with seashells. | |
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Cross the road to the Visitor Centre. Another stylised metal map is set into the pavement. The copper coloured sections represent Slateford Viaduct (where the trains run) and parallel to it, the Union Canal Aqueduct. A little to the south is Lanark Road. | |
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In this second shot showing the river's end at Leith Docks, I've highlighted the river to make it stand out. Numerous bridges are depicted in copper - or perhaps bronze as its zinc content makes it a bit tougher... | |
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After passing the Visitor Centre the walkway continues under the Union Canal aqueduct and the railway viaduct. | |
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Shot in June 2001 on a very early Nikon digital camera. The brand new Water of Leith Walkway is suspended here under the viaduct arch. It also has steps leading up to the canal aqueduct. If you branched off to the canal earlier you can rejoin the river here. The canal route is quicker. | |
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Also shot in 2001 on my Nikon Coolpix E900 which boasted 1.2 Megapixels. | |
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Aqueduct on the left, railway viaduct on the right. Down below, the river flows downstream from left to right. At the back of the yard, Inglis Green Road passes through two arches. There is a path from that road at the back of Saughton Prison which joins the river further down. | |
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It flows west briefly before turning north where Inglis Green Road changes its name to Longstone Road. | |
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July 2001 - a look at the back of Saughton Prison as seen from the Water of Leith. | |
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Saughton Allotments and Saughton Cemetery are close by. Wooden walkways and fences separate walkers from gardeners and cemetery visitors. | |
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Whilst approaching Gorgie Road the Water of Leith passes between the areas of Stenhouse Mill and Chesser. Some non-essential businesses have fallen on hard times in 2010 and urban decay soon sets in, usually assisted by disillusioned adolescent males who'd rather destroy than do something creative. | |
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Arnold Clark haven't been selling enough used cars. A heated indoor showroom is all very well but more people are using public transport these days and car sales have fallen. | |
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Having crossed Gorgie Road this is the view back towards Stevenson House which stands next to Arnold Clark's abandoned premises. | |
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The footpath continues adjacent to Stenhouse Avenue before reaching a stone bridge that crosses into Ford's Road - often confused with Forbes Road in Bruntsfield. | |
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After a brief meander around Ford's Road area the river runs parallel to Gorgie Road before a sudden bend to the left. | |
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Looking across the weir towards Gorgie Road. At the corner of Gorgie Road and Balgreen Road the river is diverted around the left edge of its natural floodplain until Roseburn. | |
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Saughton Park is right next to the river and has formal gardens behind a wall. There's also this bust of Mahatma Gandhi which was unveiled by an Indian Prime Minister. There's now a skatepark as well. Click here for the skatepark homepage. | |
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These bowling greens are at Balgreen immediately to the south of the main east-west railway line. Jenners building can be seen through the gantries over the train tracks. | |
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350m east of Jenners building is Pansy Walk and this footbridge over the Water of Leith, leading to Murrayfield and further down river. Turn right for Balgreen or cross the river then turn right for Westfield Avenue. | |
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The south view from the footbridge in the previous picture shows the 3 arches of the rail bridge. | |
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Looking back towards the west arch of the rail bridge over the Water of Leith. | |
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The previously pictured footbridge was added to divert pedestrians from this one which serves the rugby ground. At the end of Baird Drive is Balgreen Road and the Jenners building. | |
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240m further north along the Water of Leith Walkway is the entrance to a large, private carpark. A bridge connects to Saughtonhall Avenue and Riversdale Road. | |
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A long-lens shot from the same standpoint reveals more detail of the stadium which dwarfs the adjacent ice rink. (skating pages here) | |
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This old tree on the banks of the Water of Leith arches over the pathway as it nears Roseburn Park and the bridge to Riversdale Crescent. | |
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Looking downriver from the bridge connecting Riversdale Road to Murrayfield Ice Rink. The river has been diverted around the northern edge of its flood plain but the concrete hasn't prevented a sandbank from forming and a tree is thriving on it in September 2009. | |
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In March 2010, the same sandbank as seen from the bridge in the previous photo and things aren't looking quite so healthy. That 'tributary' frequently has this colour but the ducks don't seem to care. | |
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June 2010 and the sandbank is a picture of health in this infrared shot. All that lush vegetation reflects the infrared light making leaves appear to glow white. A wider view of the same scene as the previous photo. | |
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Infrared view up-river from the footbridge. Riversdale Road is on the right and Murrayfield Ice Rink is behind the trees on the left. June 2010. | |
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In Riversdale Road outside the medical centre (on the left). Across the footbridge, part of Murrayfield Stadium can be seen. The ice rink is to its right. (The icy appearance of foliage is just the infrared reflection.) | |
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From the other (south) side near the Ice Rink. The river is behind the trees - the main reason for the picture. I wanted to capture these old trees in infrared. | |
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Looking downstream from the footbridge. The colours are autumnal in early November 2009. | |
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A popular east-west cycle route for those trying to avoid busy Corstorphine Road which lies on the north bank of the Water of Leith behind the railings. This area including the park and rugby ground is the river's floodplain and may indeed be flooded after long periods of heavy rain. | |
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If going downriver, keep left when leaving the park and cross at the pedestrian crossing. This bridge takes you north over the river if coming from Russell Road, Balbirnie Place or Wester Coates Terrace - but you can descend the steps on the left to reach the Water of Leith Walkway. | |
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If you kept hard left when leaving the park, this sign confirms your route after crossing the main road which is called Roseburn Terrace here. It changes its name to Corstorphine Road west of the river. | |
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Another picture included for reference. The cul-de-sac called Roseburn Cliff is next to a busy bus stop beside the river bridge. Walk up here to rejoin the footpath. | |
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November 2002 is when the next 2 photos were taken. To gain access to this path you would enter the street called Roseburn Cliff having crossed the main road at the pedestrian crossing. Under these conditions you would have to turn back and detour round by the high bridge above. | |
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The water is almost up to the top of the railing and is fast and turbulent. | |
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This picture was taken in November 2000. | |
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November 2009 and although the path is under water it's not so severe this time. Cumbria had devastating floods but once again Edinburgh's geography saved it. | |
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To reach this downstream end of the flooded path it's necessary to come from Belford or down the steps on the left from the high bridge which used to carry the railway line. | |
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These are the steps up the side of the bridge. Some cyclists may carry their bikes up and down here as it connects the cycle path to the Water of Leith Walkway - which isn't really suitable for cycling. There are better routes. | |
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Looking down the steps from the Cycle Path - Roseburn end. | |
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Another view down the steps. Not a wide angle view but zoomed in on the darkness under the bridge. | |
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The path from Roseburn to Belford was a green shady tunnel on this warm day in July 2010. | |
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Looking down on this street from the high bridge over the Water of Leith. | |
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January 2004 downriver from Roseburn. | |
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The water is quite high at this time and a duck rests on someone's back lawn. | |
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If you walk the riverside path between Belford Bridge and Roseburn you'll find this stairway up to West Coates area beside the former Donaldson's School. | |
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A recognisable landmark is this bridge across to the steps to the GALLERY OF MODERN ART. Photo from October 2001. |
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Sculptor Antony Gormley created the cast iron figures. Information from BBC News. This is the one nearest Dean Village. There is a path down to this point from the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, as well as the riverside paths from Roseburn and Belford Road Bridge. | |
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The iron man stands just above Skinnery Weir. My first picture of the weir is from February '02. | |
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This photo from November 2005 looks across the weir to the other side. | |
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Also from November '05 are two pictures of artefacts connected with AIDS. | |
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The metal bench overlooks Skinnery Weir. The bridge to the Gallery of Modern Art is in the background. | |
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Another older photo from 2000. It shows the flood at Skinnery Weir has swamped the footpath. | |
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This part of the path heads downstream (east) at the back of Donaldson's and parallel to Douglas Crescent. The Water of Leith is behind the mossy wall on the left. | |
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Damp, green fur is what the moss resembles by sight and touch. | |
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The path wasn't always smooth, dry tarmac. In January '05 it was rather squelchy with some big puddles. | |
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A thistle sculpted from stone decorates the wall. Continue through the gap to descend to the lower path. October 2001. | |
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Having walked past that mossy wall the next part of the path is down the ramp shown here - to a lower level path with railings. Picture from 1999. | |
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This is the lower path referred to. This photo shows the high water level in 2000. | |
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Comparatively new blocks of flats overlook the river here. | |
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A remnant of an old mill building has been preserved. | |
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This is how the old mill building looked in 1999. | |
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This is also how the old mill building looked in 1999. The footbridge is visible at the right. | |
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The water was perilously close to the metal footbridge in the floods of November 2000. I do remember a great feeling of relief once I got across. | |
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This footbridge leads across to the Hilton hotel. Compare the water level with the previous picture. | |
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Before crossing the footbridge I took this picture of the bridge carrying Belford Road across the valley. It connects the Gallery of Modern Art on the left to Dean Village on the right. | |
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This wide angle view from December '07 shows the vantage point for the previous picture. The steps here lead to private gardens behind Douglas Crescent. | |
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After crossing the footbridge the path continues downstream along this wooden walkway which is supported by steel girders where it passes below Belford Road. | |
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An early shot from 1999 showing the brown water flowing over the weir. | |
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The same spot in January 2005 with a grey heron waiting for passing fish. | |
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On the bridge looking upriver. The walkway is down below on the right beside the hotel grounds. | |
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On the bridge looking downriver. The comparatively recent houses of Sunbury Place are on the east bank of the river. | |
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Facing upstream towards Belford from Dean Village direction. The gorge is steep here where the river bends and prone to landslides. | |
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I balance precariously to take these two pictures back in 1999. We couldn't continue this way but found a short detour instead. | |
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Our detour round the flood was via Damside to Dean Path, the main road through the village. After crossing the river the road continues up Bell's Brae. The Water of Leith Walkway continues from the Bell's Brae side. | |
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Another flood in January 2004. It wasn't quite as bad so I was able to get this picture of the weir in spate. | |
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This picture from December 2007 shows the weir's more usual appearance. | |
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The sign indicates the path to the Gallery of Modern Art and Balerno but the gate is closed because the path is underwater. January '04. Another route is nearby. | |
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The tall tenements of Rothesay Terrace overlook the village. | |
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The same viewpoint but with the camera lowered to show the footbridge. Cross here to continue through Dean Village. If you don't want to continue down to Stockbridge and beyond then you can climb up Bell's Brae to the West End and Princes Street. | |
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Dean
Village 3 1024 x 698 184K |
Included here for historical reasons because the overgrown site to the left of the footbridge has long since been built on (2 previous pictures). The children are my son and daughter as they were in the late '70s. |
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Photographed from the north end, looking back over towards Randolph Cliff on the other side of the gorge of the Water of Leith. | |
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On the west side of the bridge facing south towards Lynedoch Terrace. Bells Brae and Belford Road begin just behind the house. The Water of Leith flows down below. The yellow lichen is the same level as the pavement but on the other side of the stone parapet. | |
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Bridge View 1 1280 x 854 348K |
Before continuing down the path, some views from the Dean Bridge. The viewpoint here is directly over the route downstream. |
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Bridge View 2 1280 x 854 348K |
A slight variation in the above shot, showing yellow lichen growing on a ledge on the other side of the wall beside the bridge's footpath. |
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Bridge View 8 1280 x 1016 426K |
On the other side of Dean Bridge facing downriver. The New Town streets on the right are Randolph Crescent, Great Stuart Street and Ainslie Place. |
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Dean Bridge 1832 1280 x 854 141K |
The text reads: DEAN BRIDGE 1832 DESIGNED BY THOMAS TELFORD BORN ESKDALEMUIR 1757. This plaque was erected in 1957 by the Institution of Civil Engineers to commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of Thomas Telford, first president of the institution. [my lower case] |
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The Water of Leith is down below on the right, overlooked by the rear of Randolph Crescent. The tenement houses to the left are Great Stuart Street. The gardens in the foreground are private - but the Water of Leith Walkway on the other is public. | |
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Looking down to this monument, nestling in the trees. Chancelot Flourmill and Inchkeith Island can be seen in the distance. The walkway passes close by the well. This website provides information, thanks to JK Gillon. | |
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path to St Bernard's Well 1280 x 854 344K |
Back down on the path, having passed below Thomas Telford's Dean Bridge, this is the view approaching Saint Bernard's Well. |
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Saint Bernard's Well 783 x 1080 210K |
The statue at Saint Bernard's Well. |
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Saint Bernard's Well Statue 600 x 800 116K |
An earlier picture taken in May 2002 when she wasn't damaged quite so badly by vandals. |
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Saint Bernard's Well 2002 450 x 600 106K |
As seen from the lower path. |
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Saunders Street Steps 1280 x 850 479K |
This picture should probably more accurately be named The Dene as the sign on the next picture names it thus. This is the view you would see when walking downstream from Dean Village. |
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The Dene 1280 x 850 336K |
The same two arches as in the picture above but large and small - instead of small and large. This is at the end of Saunders Street facing upriver. |
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Stockbridge 3 545 x 864 82K |
A diagonal view across Deanhaugh street's bridge. At the bottom of the clock tower there are steps down to the riverside - see the next picture. |
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Stockbridge
4 950 x 1024 357K |
If you're walking on this stretch of the Water of Leith footpath then it's necessary to cross Deanhaugh street at the bridge. The steel stairs descend to the path once more which continues to Arboretum Avenue and Bridge Place. Glenogle Road leads to Canonmills. |
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Gormley 00 1280 x 735 294K |
About 200m along Saunders Street is the main road from the city centre; this section is Deanhaugh Street and it crosses the river here where you can see this Gormley statue. BBC info on Antony Gormley here. |
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Gormley 01 1280 x 850 367K |
Zoomed in closer to better see the texture of rusting iron. |
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StockBridge 08 1280 x 850 518K |
I had to go behind these railings to take the Gormley photos. Summer vegetation may have blocked some views from the bridge. |
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Further downstream in Stockbridge there are a variety of building types overlooking the Water of Leith. | |
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This shows the footpath from Deanhaugh Street bridge to Bridge Place and Glenogle Road. | |
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Some interesting balconies and verandas with good views of the river. | |
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Water
of Leith 6 1280 x 947 450K |
Same buildings, different viewpoint, different light. |
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Bridge Place 1280 x 850 378K |
Crossing Bridge Place continues the Water of Leith path downriver. |
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As the path continues east there are views of the Stockbridge colony houses across the river. | |
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Another view of one of the colony streets. | |
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Stockbridge |
This attractive footbridge leads from Rocheid Path to Bell Place. |
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Looking towards Inverleith Row from the window of a second floor flat. The main road crosses the Water Of Leith, just beyond the clock. | |
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A similar picture to the one above, but this time with a standard 50mm lens instead of a wide angle one, and taken after dark. The Water Of Leith flows parallel to the road, on its left side. | |
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Again, looking along Warriston Road but the opposite way from the former railway bridge connecting Canonmills Tesco to the Ferry Road area. The wall along Warriston Road has been strengthened to form a flood barrier. Edinburgh Castle can be seen in the distance. | |
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A small photo from 1998 in the St Mark's Park area. There's a glimpse of comparatively recently built houses whose occupants get a little bit anxious if the river is high. | |
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Mulberry Place is the name of the block of flats on the west side of Newhaven Road. The sign indicates the Water of Leith Walkway under the bridge. | |
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90 metres south of the bridge in the previous picture lies the bridge (built 1902) from which this picture was taken. Residents of these houses and the newer ones on the opposite bank must worry when the river is high. | |
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A double decker LRT bus passes over the Water of Leith. The footpath comes to Leith all the way from Balerno. This view is downstream. | |
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An early photo from 1998. | |
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The rubbish that has floated down the Water of Leith gets trapped behind this floating boom. It used to be further back and has presumably been relocated to this less obvious place where Ocean Drive crosses the entrance to Victoria Dock. A coot seems unperturbed by the junk and dives for fish nearby. | |
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This is a lock gate where the water coming from the Water of Leith is held back. Just like Holland but not on such a grand scale. |
The map below is from Wikiloc and shows the walk as far upriver as Currie.
There are more photos of the Water of Leith at the Shore in Leith in the Leith pages.