Start Time: 11:00
Distance: A circular walk of 3.5 miles, approximately
Duration: 2 hours, approximately
Start at: Braid Hills Hotel, 134 Braid Road, Edinburgh, EH10 6JD
Ignoring
the weather forecast for heavy rain and gale force winds twenty three Strollers
gathered at the Braid Hills Hotel for coffee and biscuits on what turned out to
be a bright sunny day. Thankfully the weather front had settled elsewhere
and so all was fair for a walk round the Braids, Blackford Hill and through the
Hermitage of Braid.
Setting
off along Braid Road and on to the bridle path skirting the Braids golf course,
waiting for stragglers who can’t tie shoe laces, skipping over puddles and
avoiding the trail markers left by the horses it was time to cross the road to
head down the Lang Linn path to Hermitage of Braid.
Crossing
the Braid Burn we climbed the path up towards Blackford Hill, an early factor 5
on the puffometer, and followed it round above the allotments and Blackford
pond. Stopping here to allow the more leisurely to catch up and make a choice
of continuing on or taking the lower route back to the start. Ian passed on
information here which was obviously interesting as we gained the attention of
a little dog who was all ears as Ian spoke.
From
here it was up again, skirting the Royal Observatory Edinburgh building, built
here in 1896 with support from the Earl of Crawford who gifted his library and
equipment from his own Aberdeenshire observatory. The Royal Observatory
Edinburgh has been in existence since 1786 and is still highly regarded in the
world of astronomy today.
Blackford
Hill itself being one of the ‘7’ hills of Edinburgh
with its typical volcanic shape of crag and tail. Coming back round the hill to
rejoin the path just above the Braid Burn we headed back down the path to the
burn and along to past the Hermitage of Braid, built in 1785, and now a visitor
centre.
From
here it was along the path and back up the hill to the Braid Hills Hotel and
time for a quick lunch before heading home.
Thanks
to Ian K********** for arranging the weather to be so nice and for arranging
the walk.
Here’s
hoping November will be as nice!
