An evening stroll along Edinburgh’s Promenade – Cramond to Granton, 3.25 miles
We are used to unpredictable weather in Scotland, with no two years ever the same. But even so, spring has been a long time coming this year, with blossoms and leaves all struggling to burst out until way after they usually appear. So it was with surprise that a few mild days reminded me that the season is actually now in full swing and we’re well on our way to the longest day.
In the depths of winter in Edinburgh we struggle by with just 7 hours of daylight, so we should take advantage of the months around the summer solstice, when we are compensated with over 17 hours of daylight each day. Particularly after the extended colder spell we’ve just experienced, it now feels even more important to get outdoors over the next few months and take advantage of the fresh air and sunlight, storing it up to get us through next winter.
If you’re busy indoors at work all day, it can be difficult to get outside on a regular basis. So this is a seasonal reminder to make the effort to enjoy an evening walk at this time of year; we deserve it! It’s light until long after 9pm and Edinburgh isn’t short of great places to go, so find your local park and get out there. For me, the shore is a big draw on a summer evening – where better to catch the sun’s last rays than a walk along the seafront?
Edinburgh’s Promenade is a 17km route running from Cramond to Joppa, and while some sections are currently aspirational and will take a few years to complete, much of the route is already there and traffic-free. On a mild evening, the section from Cramond to Granton is busy with joggers, cyclists, dog walkers and families out enjoying the softer evening light as the sun sinks behind the Forth Bridge.
This route starts at Cramond, which you can reach on Lothian Bus 41 from the city centre. Get off at the end of Cramond Glebe Road and walk down the road through the village to where yachts and dinghies bob in the mouth of the Almond. You can look over the causeway to Cramond Island – accessible at low tide, but make sure you read the tide tables before heading out if you decide to have a go! Bearing right from Cramond, walk along the promenade enjoying views across the Forth to Fife, and ahead of you to Leith.
After about 2 miles, turn left at a junction signed for Granton Harbour and continue on the promenade path until it runs out and you meet the road. Here, turn right for about 50 yards towards the gas holder and then take a path to the left (currently behind large concrete bollards), which bears off uphill to the left. Through the trees you’ll see the 16th century Caroline Park House on your left.
Continue straight ahead to emerge by the Scottish Gas building where you can catch Lothian buses 24 or 47 back to Princes Street.
You can find more information about organised local walks here
LOTHIAN AND BORDERS RAMBLERS ASSOCIATION