On a gloriously sunny and warm day fourteen Strollers met at the Commonwealth Pool for a walk round Holyrood Park. There were actually thirteen as Moira was coming towards us and the coordinator’s phone obviously had an ignore Moira setting as he didn’t notice the messages until the walk started. It was good to be back out again meeting up with people even while observing distancing measures.
Taking a slow stroll up the road into the park we followed the Queen’s Drive round to Dunsapie Loch we stopped to look at the views over Prestonfield Golf Course out to Midlothian and the Pentlands and also to the less scenic view of the new Millerhill Energy Centre where some of our recycling is used to create electricity and heat.
Arriving at Dunsapie Loch the walk
disintegrated as an ice-cream van was spotted and cones became the number one
priority. Strangely no-one took up the option to quickly go up Arthur’s Seat!
From here the walk progressed down the drive with lovely views down the coast
to Berwick Law before arriving at St Margaret’s Loch. There was a frenzy of
swans at the pond as they were fed by some children who were in danger of being
snaffled as well. Dunsapie and St Margaret’s Lochs, as well as the Queen’s
Drive, were designed by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria to enjoy the park.
From there the walk continued up past St
Anthony’s Chapel into Hunter’s Bog, named after John Hunter who received it in
the 16th century for draining a bog where Dynamic Earth resides, and not
because they used to go hunting there. We followed the path called The Dasses and continued up to
the edge of Salisbury Crags where the walk continued down the road back to finish
at the Commonwealth Pool and time
For tea and a scone.
Our thanks to Drew for arranging a walk
on a very hot day.
