I only did a small portion of the 22 mile long walk, but the section I waked was lovely, and a nice green corridor within a bustling city. I started at Dean Village, and walked through Dean Garden to the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. It was a nice alternative to walking the city streets or taking transport to the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, which was my destination. It took me just about an hour at an easy stroll with brief stops to take a few pictures. I sent a few of those pictures to some girlfriends and their comments were, "It's like you're in a storybook" and "Gorgeous, that can't be real." Take a look at the pictures and see if you agree. Or better yet, take a walk and see for yourself! read more

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The Water of Leith is my happy place. Anytime I'm having an off day, it's a perfect little refuge just steps from my door for a wander and a think. The fact that you can traverse most of the city via its paths? Well sheesh, like I needed another reason to love Edinburgh... read more

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The Water of Leith is a fantastic place to spend a weekend morning exploring. Catch a bus down to the Shore, and then stroll along the Water of Leith, feeling like you are a million miles away from the city centre. The walkway itself is clearly signposted, and has distance markers so you know roughly where you are and how far you have to go at all times. You can detour slightly from the water into Stockbridge for a coffee, before continuing past the absolutely beautiful Dean Village, and then onto my favourite part near the Gallery of Modern Art. The walk then takes you past Murrayfield Stadium, beyond cute allotments, over a viaduct and then onto a beautiful walled garden at Redhall. This is as far as I've walked, but walking the full length is very much on my to-do list! read more

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I love the water. So much so, I actually live along it (makes it very easy to check in on yelp!) Its a nice path to walk along in Stockbridge. It's also a stunning running path, I usually enter from Dean Path and its like stepping into somewhere entirely different- its luscious, green, and the sunlight always manages to shine through. I think the water is hard to miss since walking along it can take you all over Edinburgh, but if you're up for an adventure just stick with it and see where you end up- I've done it a few times and I've never been disappointed! read more

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Why did I wait so long to write this review.. I don't know. I haven't walked the breath of this wonderful piece of nature and urban mix, but I sure have walked it many times! It is difficult to add what has already been said by my fellow Yelpers over the years and i will only try to describe the effect that WoL has on myself. It helps me escape the city. I even can get as far to state that it sometimes helps me forget what decade (century) we are currently in. Walking here on a quiet evening or early morning gives you the impression of a time warp. (without pulling you knees in tight..). I tend to imagine what it would be like walking here in more historical times and you know what - it works. The bridges, the nature, the buildings and sometimes even the people you encounter - they bring up images of a long forgotten past. The walk may be the same distance or on the same location, but the images and experiences it evokes differ every time. They are improving the waterway and building flood defences on several parts of the water. Animals can be found here like fish, storks, otters and many birds and butterflies. Oh and mosquito's.. or worse midges.. But that doesn't happen often and hey.. it's nature. I can easily imagine that people have made part of Water of Leith their own. I tend to prefer the Shore to Stockbridge - as I am most familiar with it. One time Anita & I walked home from the Stockbridge back to the shore start on sunset and dusk with an orange & pink sky. The silhouetted trees, the blackbird and owls and the sheer emptiness transported us into a world of our own and it was one of the most romantic and personal bubble walks I have ever had. *deep sigh* read more

The Water of Leith - Hiking Near Me

Lovely, nature in the middle of a busy city. Good for walks, short cuts and forgetting your worries. take your time here and a camera. read more

The Water of Leith - Water of Leith - Hiking Near Me

The Water of Leith is one of Edinburgh's gems! Running from the Pentland Hills, right through the city to the Firth of Forth, the river slithers through many parts of the city including Gorgie, Slateford, Stockbridge and finally, Leith. Once used to power the old shipping and paper industries of Leith, the water is now used as a place to relax and enjoy! The river is a marvel when the sun is bouncing off it, and furthermore it is a place of life! It is home to many birds and insects, and even fish (very typical for a river, but not so much for a river in the middle of the city!). The water of Leith adds so much to the city, and it even has a visitor centre, located in the south of the city. The river is looked after by the local conversation trust, and hats off to them, because they help keep this gem what it is...one of Edinburgh's main features! read more

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A wonerful and extensive walk. There are multiple access points and bike paths (I use it as a direct bike path to the Shore). Many beautiful views too. Looking forward to enjoying it more as the weather improves. read more

The Water of Leith - Hiking Near Me

This is a beautiful activity to take up a few hours on a sunny Edinburgh day. The Water of Leith is a pathway along the river stretching all the way from Balerno in the far West of the city to Leith on the Eastern seaboard. One sunny Saturday, a group of four of us decided to do the walk from Balerno to Slateford, with a couple of pub breaks involved, naturally! I chose this part of the walk due to the comparatively rural nature of the area. Although we could unfortunately still here the cars on the nearby road for most of the way, we did enjoy seeing farm animals and plenty of trees during our walk. The path is fairly well maintained by the Water of Leith Conservation Trust, who also run a visitor centre in Slateford. This closes at 4pm each day, and we were unfortunately too late to visit on this day. Nonetheless, the walk is very nice from Balerno to Slateford, following close to the river at all points. Plenty of cyclists and dogwalkers use the trail as well, so you will always meet other people! Pub opportunities are in Balerno, Currie, Juniper Green, Colinton, and of course Slateford. I'm sure there are many more further along the walk, and I will have to return over the summer to go all the way to Leith. Excellent activity, that everyone should try! read more

I love the Water of Leith Walkway! I love having a fabulous mixed walk (13 miles from end to end I believe) that goes through the heart of Edinburgh. There is even a visitor center where you can get a map for the inevitable instance when you pop out onto the street and have no idea where to go next because the sign posting is poor. I would love to try walking the whole thing without falling off course because there are so many walks that link up to the WoLW, it's easy to end up on the wrong one. Despite the lows, the walkway truly is fabulous and highly recommended! read more

An Edinburgh attraction that gets an instant plus point for being far more popular among locals than tourists, The Water of Leith is a meandering, scenic waterway that travels through much of the city. It's great for a stroll and at certain parts you can even get so lost in it's sea of tranquility that you forget you're only yards from a bustling, pollution ravaged metropolis. Beautiful. read more

Hands down one of my favorite bike paths in this city. Was taking my wee one to Stockbridge farmers market and took this path from murrayfield area. Absolutely lovely. She had a great time seeing the water and listening to the birds and other animals along the way. Truly a breath of fresh air right in the center of town! Looking forward to strolling along this path to discover all it's nooks & crannies. Lovely day out when the weather permits ;) read more

If you want to change the way you look at Edinburgh, take a walk along the Leith walkway. It's an absolutely gorgeous scenic route right through the heart of Edinburgh. Unlike the film depictions and misconceptions, you'll find yourself surprised and quite taken with the beautiful area, and seeing a side of Leith that you may never have seen before. The walkway itself is picturesque, and since it's full of friendly dog walkers whenever I take a stroll , I feel quite safe walking along it by myself. I love diving out the city for a while into a calm, tranquil wonderland of green and grey-blue. For that it can't be beat. Definitely one of the best alternative ways to see virtually undiscovered parts of the city. read more

The walk along the Water of Leith from the Shore all the way up to Balerno is a lovely way to spend a quiet afternoon. The entire walk is quite a challenge, but you can easily pick it up at points and only do part of it. Starting at the Shore the walk takes you past the waterfront and through the park with all it's ducks and swans. It's then on through Canonmills to Stockbridge where where the walk becomes particularly pretty. Passing through the Dean Village is one of my favourite parts as the area is so peaceful. As you make your way between the Dean Village and Murrayfield don't forget to look out for the Granary bar as a quick place to have a stop off, and the back entrances to the Modern Galleries. Once past Murrayfield the walk veers up past the stadium towards the Viaduct at Longstone. Here there is the Water of Leith visitor centre, which is another great place for a stop over. From here, it's a nice walk as you head out towards the countryside and the Pentlands and beyond. read more

The union canal - I used to love walking along here as a kid it was like a mini adventure. Great walks long or short - cycle if you prefer. Wander along without a care in the world and take a breather from the hustle of the city centre. Really good on a sunny summer day. Spot wild life such as fish (trout) and many species of birds. read more

I've tackled this walk from Balerno to Leith, and it's a great way to spend a day feeling like you're in Stand By Me. I would like to point out that it is NOT the Union Canal, it is a river called the Water of Leith. The Union Canal does pass over the Water of Leith when you get to the visitor center at Longstone, look out for the aquaduct! The nicest parts are probably Balerno to Longstone and Dean Village to Cannonmills. It's nice to stop in Stockbridge for a break, however my friends and I managed the whole thing in 4 hours when it was very icy and snowy and then had a drink in Leith. It's awesome when you get to the end and see the smiling face of Sandy Irvine Robertson welcoming you to the Shore. read more

Sounds exciting and a place I would love to explore. I would like to know more of the history. It sounds so magical.

Leith gets a bit of a bad press, but a wee stroll down the Water of Leith and all those Trainspotting-esque thoughts will melt away. The waterway is very scenic and calm, and such a different atmosphere from the City centre shops and noise. It is actually quite romantic, so much so that my Mum often tells us the story of when my Uncle proposed to his wife on this very Waterway, so it always holds a special place in the heart of a lot of my family. read more

Lovely walk or cycle. Fun day for the family if you bring a PicNic and eat around halfway. Try and spot some fish and i THINK you are aloud to fish! but careull because there is quite alot of rubbish in the water although you often cant see it. read more

The Water of Leith winds it's way inland from the Firth of Forth in a leisurely and round-about manner. It predominantly passes through quite suburbs, flanked by walking paths and the odd bench seat to soak up the serenity and sunshine. Take a picnic, a good book and some bread to feed the ducks, and while away a sunny afternoon in peace and tranquillity. read more

This is a great place to walk, feels like you're in the countryside even in the sections right in the centre of the city. Around Dean Village it descends into a glen with great trees. There's always a lot of wildlife to view, lots of herons as well as ducks. Great for cycling as well although access generally by steps. read more

Great beauty that runs right through the centre of Edinburgh linking east to west. Perfect for a short or long cyle or even for a relaxing stroll. Brilliant beauty in the water and the wildlife in the trees. Something you really wouldnt expect to find in a busy city. read more

Cycling from Edinburgh city centre to Balerno using the water of Leith is a three hour round trip with plenty of trees rocks and water falls. Starting either early or late can help you avoid getting in the way of walkers. It is worth bringing a torch for the dodgy lights in the tunnel at Collington. read more

Great recreational walk along the waters of the canal. The surrounding scenery is picturesque and if you are bit of an explorer you could find yourself thrilled by the many old architectural buildings perched on the bank as you pass by. It is tranquil and peaceful apart from the wild bird cries or the rushing by cyclists, but usually the cyclopaths are well marked and out of the way of hikers. It is a grand place for a leisurely afternoon on a weekend day. Bring comfy footwear as at times the terrain could be slightly uneven, steep or slippery. Don't forget your camera too. read more

Very nice and convenient riverside walk through Leith and Edinburgh. Lots of trees and grass and plenty of wee parks and other adjoining paths for picnics, random exploring and curious dogs. I've found the vast majority of dogs on this walk are very well behaved. Done it every day with the dog for the last year, never any complaints. read more

a very nice place to take long nature walks. great whether it be in winter or summer. so much to see. Nice to take a picnic and enjoy the scenery, sitting for awhile taking in nature's beauty. Not sure how it at night as i've never been there @ this time. read more

The Water of Leith - Hiking Near Me

love going hear with kids lots to see and swans and duck for kids to feed recommend to all for a lovely walk and day out

A wonderful walk! If you're a nature person, then this is a must see in the city.