Water of Leith Walkway and Colinton Dell
A Country Walk by Canal, River and Old Railway in the Heart of Edinburgh
The Water of Leith flows from the Pentland Hills through central Edinburgh to the Firth of Forth, and its walkway forms one of the finest riverside walks in Scotland. Especially beautiful are the woodland sections where the river runs through Craiglockhart Dell and Colinton Dell. The mostly planted woods exhibit a tremendous variety of trees, and in early summer the smell of wild garlic can be intoxicating. In former days the river's power was used to drive water mills such as those at Redhall and beside Spylaw House (the weir and lade supplying Redhall Mill can still be seen above Spylaw House at Slateford).
Start Point
Visitor Centre
Grid Ref: NT 22252 70936
Total Distance
3.3 miles (5.3 km)
Total Climbing
131 metres
Estimated Time
2 hours
Difficulty Grade
Easy
Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000)
Essential paper map for exploring Edinburgh, Musselburgh and Queensferry:
