Water of Leith Walkway
Water of Leith Walkway
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- PWNottinghamNottingham, United Kingdom149 contributionsA great walk that at times could have been out in the highlands of Scotland.We really enjoyed this walk from the centre of Edinburgh to Leith. It is a lovely pathway along the river and at times we could have easily been out in the mountains of Scotland as there was no sign that we were near/in a capital city. It made an excellent break from the busyness of the city centre and there were enjoyable places to stop at along the way including Dean Village and Stockbridge and Leith when we got there. We then got the tram back. This was an excellent way to experience the walk because it was downhill all the way. It made a lovely day and we got plenty of exercise!Visited April 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten April 18, 2024
- Lydie la miniBrittany, France111 contributionsMore than 20km on foot 😉What a fabulous walk, recommended by the staff at the Edinburgh Tourist Board. We left Balerno to our apartment. More than 20km on foot along the river. No difficulty on the route. Accessible to everyone and you can leave the path whenever you want to return to the city.Visited February 2024Traveled with familyWritten April 21, 2024
- Alma DMillet, Canada13 contributionsSounds of natureWe stayed at the brittanica hotel just right next to the Leith walk. It is a great short cut to many areas. Nature, birds, water and when you feel the need to get out of the city. We walked it every day using google maps to lead the way.Visited September 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten September 11, 2024
- Mike ORoanoke, Virginia1,344 contributionsGreen OasisIn a city with so many green spaces, the Water of Leith Walkway stands out. It stretches from the Leith waterfront for 12 miles to Balerno at the edge of Pentland Hills. Some sections are suitable for bicycles. Virtually all are alongside the Water of Leith and are tree covered.Visited November 2024Traveled soloWritten November 21, 2024
- HegeEidsberg Municipality, Norway633 contributionsQuiet break from the noise of the cityWe walked along the river from downtown Edinburgh to Dean Village. It is a cozy and quiet break away from the noise of the city. Popular hiking trail, and you can also see birds and squirrels. Postcards beautiful when you get to the village.Visited December 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten December 13, 2024
- Matthew PBrighton and Hove, United Kingdom850 contributionsFantastic Rural Corridor in Heart of EdinburghTerrific, little known, riverside walk which goes from Leith, on the coast, to Balerno which is about 12.5 miles along a largely flat and well kept path. The walk can be done in sections as there are mulitiple exit point and we essentially walked from Leith to Dean Village which was around 8 miles. The scenery is beautiful with lots of wildlife, mostly birds, to be seen but apparently otters are a regular thing to be seen. The pathway is open to walkers and cyclists but it's wide enough to be accomodating and for the most part is accessible to all although there are some steps in places.Visited January 2025Traveled as a coupleWritten January 10, 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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carol h
1 contribution
Sep 2023 • Family
We have done part of this walk before..last time the sun shone brightly, the sky was blue. It made for a very beautiful few hours walk. This time it was overcast, and drizzly. So take a raincoat. The statues in the water are a novel way of marking the depth of the water. Lots of stunning photo opportunities. Highly recommended.
Written September 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Frankie T
Belfast, UK1,383 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
After browsing the shops and stocking up on coffee at Stockbridge we walked to Leith along the pathway. It is very well maintained and was quiet when we used it on a Monday morning.
This is an interesting, flat easy walk of approximately just over two miles. Lots to look at along the way and some great coffee shops in Leith at the end.
This is an interesting, flat easy walk of approximately just over two miles. Lots to look at along the way and some great coffee shops in Leith at the end.
Written May 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian K
Bolton, UK386 contributions
Sep 2021
I had previously walked the "lower" part of the walkway from Leith & back up to the city. This time I decided to do the upper part & back into the city probably some 8-9 miles. I caught one of the frequent bus services (no. 44) from York Place in Edinburgh to Balerno where the official start start of the walkway is. It's easy to find just off the main road just before Balerno itself. There is a noticeboard & ample signage to indicate the start with indications to various points of interest along the way.
The route quickly becomes quite scenic whilst at the same time being easily walkable & well maintained. The underfoot conditions suit both walkers & cyclists & seems quite popular amongst locals. There are plenty of small villages / locations along the way where you can find a deli or cafe for a coffee etc & I stopped at Juniper Green & found a nice Cafe. Further along the walkway yo go through Colinton Tunnel which has been superbly restored as a community artwork for all its length & is wonderfully colourful. This is a must see & worth a bit of research beforehand.
Pathway pretty much keeps to the side of the river & you can't really go wrong. It leaves the river temporarily about 5 miles or so down & directs you to the visitor's centre which has guides, information etc & there is a cafe for refreshments, you then rejoin the walkway again next to the centre via a decked section where if you fancy you can join the Canal instead & go back to the city that way.
Next notable points are Saughton Park where again you leave the river for a while but roadside is well signposted & then on past Murrayfield Stadium. I managed to see the first of the wonderful "Gormley" figures (6 Times) which look quite eerie stood in the middle of the river, However once I got pretty much to the edge of the City Centre & before Dean Bridge a section of the walkway was closed & I decided to head back into Edinburgh & on back to my digs.
Very much preferred this part in preference to the walk upstream from Leith with the added benefit of the route being slightly downhill. Walkway is very walker friendly with good underfoot terrain & lots to see along the route & definitely recommended if you enjoy outdoors.
The route quickly becomes quite scenic whilst at the same time being easily walkable & well maintained. The underfoot conditions suit both walkers & cyclists & seems quite popular amongst locals. There are plenty of small villages / locations along the way where you can find a deli or cafe for a coffee etc & I stopped at Juniper Green & found a nice Cafe. Further along the walkway yo go through Colinton Tunnel which has been superbly restored as a community artwork for all its length & is wonderfully colourful. This is a must see & worth a bit of research beforehand.
Pathway pretty much keeps to the side of the river & you can't really go wrong. It leaves the river temporarily about 5 miles or so down & directs you to the visitor's centre which has guides, information etc & there is a cafe for refreshments, you then rejoin the walkway again next to the centre via a decked section where if you fancy you can join the Canal instead & go back to the city that way.
Next notable points are Saughton Park where again you leave the river for a while but roadside is well signposted & then on past Murrayfield Stadium. I managed to see the first of the wonderful "Gormley" figures (6 Times) which look quite eerie stood in the middle of the river, However once I got pretty much to the edge of the City Centre & before Dean Bridge a section of the walkway was closed & I decided to head back into Edinburgh & on back to my digs.
Very much preferred this part in preference to the walk upstream from Leith with the added benefit of the route being slightly downhill. Walkway is very walker friendly with good underfoot terrain & lots to see along the route & definitely recommended if you enjoy outdoors.
Written October 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ian C
London, UK23,667 contributions
Feb 2020
I was visiting the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art on my way from the airport and took the opportunity to walk along the Water of Leith Walkway to reach it. It is a enjoyable walk along the water, albeit probably best done in better weather - parts of the path were flooded from the recent storms. Fortunately I had pretty sturdy shoes so didn't mind taking muddy shortcuts through the vegetation.
The airport bus dropped my off and I had to admit that I nearly missed the walkway as the entrance at this location (Magdala Crescent) is fairly small and discrete, and then down what, after the rain, was quite a slippery stairway.
You do feel that you are away from the city, yet still in it as you catch glimpes of stone towers and steeples beyond the trees. When you arrive near the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, you know you have arrived by Antony Gormley's statue standing in the Water, one of six between here and Leith, with another at the pedestrian crossing between the two buildings in which the gallery is housed, as Gormley invites you to conside the relationship between these figures and the environment in which they find themselves.
Enjoyable, and I can imagine in good weather it is thoroughly enjoyable.
The airport bus dropped my off and I had to admit that I nearly missed the walkway as the entrance at this location (Magdala Crescent) is fairly small and discrete, and then down what, after the rain, was quite a slippery stairway.
You do feel that you are away from the city, yet still in it as you catch glimpes of stone towers and steeples beyond the trees. When you arrive near the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, you know you have arrived by Antony Gormley's statue standing in the Water, one of six between here and Leith, with another at the pedestrian crossing between the two buildings in which the gallery is housed, as Gormley invites you to conside the relationship between these figures and the environment in which they find themselves.
Enjoyable, and I can imagine in good weather it is thoroughly enjoyable.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neil McBeath
Muscat, Oman36 contributions
Jun 2022
I visited Dean Village by the Water of Leith, having seen a video about it on Youtube. It was one of the highlights of my recent visit to Edinburgh. The upper end of the Royal Mile has become a tourist trap, and Princes Street offers no shopping that cannot be found in any other city, but Dean Village has a unique, and highly un-Scottish flavour. It was almost like being in one of the owns of Alsace or the Rhineland.
Written June 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leslie W
166 contributions
Oct 2021
Dean Village is lovely and picturesque, but it’s very small, and there were no shops of museums. A nice description of the historic buildings was in the tiny park. From there I walked the Water of Leith trail, a beautiful, woodsy riverside path. Two miles seemed like nothing, it’s such a pleasant stroll under the trees. I saw a number of walkers and joggers going in both directions. There was also one nice man, not a city worker, who was picking up and bagging trash down near the water. I called out a “thank you” and he waved. I came out in Stockbridge and made my way uphill to Princes Street.
Written November 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
_orlando_arnold
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates98 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
We stayed in Leith for a week and took the walkway route one day into Edinburgh. The walkway ends in Leith, but we took the reverse route and found some amazing little gems en route, including these two bronze statues by Antony Gormley. The walk only took around 90 minutes including a pit stop for coffee and a few photo oops. We would like to take the whole walk another time, starting in Stockbridge. A nice, easy and interesting walk suitable for all ages.
Written August 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bsandrs
Portsmouth, UK22,587 contributions
Aug 2020
We explored a short section of the Walkway on a previous visit to the City, so that it was particularly good to be able to continue the journey through Stockbridge to Canonmills. We followed a meandering route, sometimes beside the water and at others deviating into local fascinating areas. In that way we came across the Victorian built “Colonies” . We passed several chatty fellow walkers which added to the experience. Check the information board image for the background story. On a further visit we will travel onwards to Leith itself, always with a convenient coffee or lunch break.
Written August 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joyce M
20 contributions
Dec 2019 • Couples
We parked at ingliston park and ride and caught tram to Balgreen, then walked for few minutes to the walk which is signposted , a few people where walking with children and dogs.
We just walked slowly and followed the paths, we saw few birds and some lovely old buildings as we got nearer to Edinburgh city centre, diversion in effect as has been for along time apparently near Dean due to landslide, but again it is signposted and you are soon back to the river walk.
When we reached end of walk in Leith my aching legs dictated bus back to city centre. Really enjoyed the walk, shame about some of the rubbish thrown about, in and around the river but seems to be everywhere nowadays .My better photos are still on my camera these taken with phone
We just walked slowly and followed the paths, we saw few birds and some lovely old buildings as we got nearer to Edinburgh city centre, diversion in effect as has been for along time apparently near Dean due to landslide, but again it is signposted and you are soon back to the river walk.
When we reached end of walk in Leith my aching legs dictated bus back to city centre. Really enjoyed the walk, shame about some of the rubbish thrown about, in and around the river but seems to be everywhere nowadays .My better photos are still on my camera these taken with phone
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
inhorto
Edinburgh, UK38 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
A five mile walk we often do - park at Balerno, walk to the Canal centre at Slateford for coffee, then catch the 44 bus back to Balerno. Picnic in Spylaw park. A woodland walk, cool on a hot day. Full of wild flowers and birds, with interesting houses and gardens to inspect. And it's all down hill! Feels like you're not in a city.
Written July 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does any know if the visitors centre at Slateford is open at the moment on weekdays?
Written September 23, 2020
If you look up the water of leith website and then “centre” this should help you, sadly I am unable to give the full link on this response. However there does seem to be limited opening although any exhibition is closed. Hours are limited.
Written September 24, 2020
I am so excited about this walk but I have no idea what the best route to make THE MOST OF IT. I will be staying in Edinburgh, Cityroomz and I appreciate if you can guide me through this. And how much time do I need if I am willing to take the whole walk? Thanks.
Written May 9, 2018
Hi, from where you are going to stay, the best route is from Modern Gallery on Belford Road, if you join here you can walk along to Stockbridge which is a lovely little village within the town. This isn't a particularly long walk, but it would give you a feel for it. You will pass St Bernard's Well with the amazing statue of Hygeia. From Stockbridge, where I suggest you have a look around, you can then join the path again to Canonmills, again another small part of Edinburgh with nice cafes and a few shops. I hope you enjoy your stay.
Written May 17, 2018
Im travelling there at the end of August with a teenager and my husband wh's not a keen walker. I heard the entire walk takes about 2 1/2 to do, and that it's possible to choose any section. What would be the best recommended stretch in terms of history and scenery?
Written August 2, 2017
The stretch from the Modern Art gallery to Dean village is not too long and very pretty and then you can go back into the city quite easily!
Written August 3, 2017
Is there access to both Edinburgh centre and Leith using this walkway? If I were to stay in one could I use this to get to the other?
Written April 10, 2017
Yes there is. The walkway ends in Leith (next to a multitude of bars and restaurants) and you can access the city centre at Haymarket or Stockbridge. Both are a short walk into the city and signposted
Written September 27, 2017
is the walkway safe for solo female?
Written February 17, 2017
We were there on a cold morning and did not see many other people. Only a local could tell if it's ok at all times. I would not go there after dark, but rather in the middle of the day. It is a popular walkway as I understand.
Written February 18, 2017
Is the guided walk from Colinton to Slateford still on today?
Written June 12, 2016
Can I arrange Halong Bay tour through hotel or am I best to book online before travelling ?
Written September 8, 2015
You can indeed, however if you are worried about being lonely then I wouldn’t as if you went by yourself you’d be alone
Written June 2, 2018
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