Ratho to Edinburgh (8 miles)
The final canal leg begins at the Ratho Bridge Inn. Off we toddle along the towpath to skirt Ratho golf course before entering a rural section. The tranquillity draws to a close as we approach the Edinburgh Bypass. An aqueduct takes us across the dual carriageway. As we enter the housing estate of Wester Hailes, we learn that the canal was filled in here back in the 60s and had to be re-excavated when the Millennium project restored the waterway in its entirety.
The impressive Slateford Aqueduct spans 500 feet and contains eight arches. The structure straddles the Water of Leith and a railway viaduct runs parallel. We pass a stretch of canal used by rowers for training purposes as the city surroundings become ever denser. The terminus is at Lochrin Basin which has undergone considerable redevelopment in recent years. There are many eating and drinking options in this area. Lothian Road is just a 10-minute walk away, as is Haymarket Station. Congratulations on traversing the length of an early industrial marvel now redeployed as a leisure route in the 21st century.
