Friday 11 March 2016

Strollers Walk No. 203 - Wednesday 23rd March 2016, Commonwealth Pool to Musselburgh

Walk no. 203:    Commonwealth Pool to Musselburgh via Innocent Railway path, etc.
Date:                 Wednesday 23rd March 2016
Distance:           5.25 miles approximately
Meet at:            Commonwealth Pool (outside main entrance in Dalkeith Road)

Finish at:           Fisherrow Harbour, Musselburgh
Thirty seven Strollers met up at the Commonwealth Pool to walk to Fisherrow Harbour, Musselburgh. It was very good of the schools to come along and entertain us with a swimming and diving contest while we were sitting and having coffee and bacon rolls. Dragging ourselves out in to the overcast day we set out on the stroll to Musselburgh. Walking along the Innocent Railway and passing Prestonfield Golf Course, home to a monastery at one time, watching the flight of the heron (sounds a good title for a book) and passing a tree full of bras. Obviously a hen night got carried away.
On past Duddingston Golf Course and down to Bingham and the Jewel, so called because of the quality of the coal mined there. It was there we encountered a field of shopping trolleys too numerous to count that had obviously escaped from their normal habitat at Asda. Crossing the Borders Railway line we continued on down the path of the Brunstane or Braidburn or Niddrie burn depending on what map you look at, passing the private golf course at Milton Glen and the big houses with some features including a dry-stane wall. Finding a tree filled with trainers, obviously the marathon runners having had enough and throwing them away.
Spotting a rare looking bird in a tree which turned out to be a pigeon, must get new glasses before the next walk, it was then time to finish the walk at Fisherrow Harbour and find a cafe for a well earned tea and cake.. Hope you all enjoyed the rather quicker stroll than normal and thanks again to Drew for organising the walk. Look forward to seeing you all at Kinross in April.