June

George

Waverley Station – Fleshmarket Close – Royal Mile – Holyrood – Radical Road – Arthur’s Seat – Duddingston Village - St Margaret’s Loch – Regent Road Park – Calton Hill – St. Andrew Square - Waverley

Better than expected. Cloudy at first, but the sun came out after lunch – with long sunny periods in the afternoon.

George, Ron, Sandy, Diane, Richard.

Ashley - visiting his favourite chiropractor

Mike and Michelle - beside Lake Maggiore

Bernie - family party

Lance and Julie - entertaining friends

Comments

Excellent walk – “a grand day out.”

We left the cars at Tweedbank and came up to the Waverley on the new Border Railway. A walk with a lot of ups and downs – 1517ft of ascent in total over 6.4 miles. It started with a steep shortcut up Fleshmarket Close to the Tron before descending down the Royal Mile to Holyrood. Then we started to climb Arthur’s Seat up the Radical Road beneath Salisbury Crags. At Gutted Haddie we started a much steeper stepped ascent to the summit. The summit was very busy – lots of tourists and lots of languages. There were fantastic 360 degree views throughout the walk including the new bridge at Queensferry.

We descended to Duddingston Loch for lunch. There was ample seating pre-warmed by the sun. We fed the jackdaws. After lunch we wandered around Duddingston Kirkyard, while a wedding was in progress inside. We saw the “louping stane” at the churchyard entrance and the collar and chain fixed to the wall. We passed the Sheep Heid inn which dates from the 16th century and is known to have been visited by Mary, Queen of Scots and James IV. The latter is said to have played skittles there - their skittle alley still exists. We climbed back on to the north east flank of Arthur’s Seat through the young orchard of Duddingston Community Garden before descending down to Holyrood Park with good views of a blue Firth of Forth, Fife, Berwick Law and the Bass Rock. We made our way to Calton Hill by St Margaret’s Loch, Croft-an-Righ, and Regent Road Park. We then climbed Calton Hill where there were more stunning views over the city. The crowds ascending Arthur Seat seemed like a horde of ants. We inspected “Edinburgh’s disgrace” and the Nelson Monument. Finally we descended to the east end of Princes Street and to the Abbotsford pub for a meal and refreshment.

Birds: Jackdaws (hungry), greylag geese, swans, mallards, magpie, fulmar, coots, blackbird, herring gull, heard skylarks.

Abbotsford, Rose Street, Edinburgh – nice friendly atmosphere with good food and excellent service.

June group

Radical Road

Calton Hill from Radical Road

View west from Salisbury Crags

View east from Salisbury Crags

View west from Arthur's Seat

On top of Arthur's Seat

Arthur's Seat from Dunsapie

Duddingston Kirk and Loch

View east towards Midlothian

St Margaret's Loch

Ascending Calton Hill

Nelson Monument, Calton Hill