Edinburgh once boasted a network of suburban passenger railways and a comprehensive tram system. The latter was removed in the late 50s and the trains disappeared a decade later. The trams made a 20th century comeback and - after a protracted (and expensive) construction phase - have gone on to win public approval. A welcome development, but the reality is only one core route has been built. Much of the city-centre railway trackbed survives in the form of walking and cycling routes.
These trails pass through some very busy areas yet perhaps aren't well known to non locals. As to why the old lines weren't completely lost to developers, I would hazard a guess that they were already hemmed in by the city's infrastructure and what exactly do you do with a long narrow strip and no room to expand sideways? The first walk I planned was around the Restalrig loop, starting at Easter Road and finishing on Leith Links. I had actually done half of this before but on that occasion had proceeded along the promenade to Portobello. This time I would almost double back on myself before passing through Leith to seek out another old line. But first on today's agenda was a trip to the Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street. I have been fascinated by this place since I was a child and endeavour to visit at least once a year, always keeping an eye out for special exhibitions. The collection is vast and varied: science, natural history, early Scotland plus much more. There are two buildings, the original Royal Museum premises being augmented by a modern extension around the turn of the century. It's the old place that really grabs the attention though. The entrance hall - flooded with natural light - is simply stunning and it's easily worth going in for a wander around the ground floor alone. Admission is free and I firmly believe that national museums should be accessible to all. However, these places also need financial support and I am perfectly happy to shell out a tenner for a special event, or purchase food and drink from the café. I've always believed you should put something back in. En route from the station, I stopped at Piemaker on South Bridge, one of my favoured haunts and enjoyed a snack on the steps leading up to the old museum entrance - the famous revolving doors. Disability regulations now dictate street-level access.
The temporary exhibition on robots was informative from a computing and engineering point of view, as well as having enough interactive features to keep the kids amused. I had a wander around a few of the permanent galleries but my enquiry about the UK birds display revealed it had been scrapped during renovations a few years ago. I suspected this was the case but it would have been nice to see some of my feathered friends, now that I actually know who most of them are! I often make a point of climbing up to the roof terrace on a nice day to take in the Edinburgh skyline. I enjoy descending to the basement to look at the recreation of a Highland forest from centuries past. Featuring wolves, bear and wild boar, I could never tire of looking at this scene. It was time to move on and I was working to a loose schedule, having arranged to attend the German meetup in the evening and meet organiser Peter for a pint and something to eat beforehand. Heading down the Royal Mile, I had a quick look at the Parliament building before going up and over Abbeyhill to reach Easter Road and find the starting point of my railway trail. Now traversing the tarred trackbed, I wound my way past the football stadium (Hibernian FC) and passed under the usual assortment of bridges carrying the city streets over the old line. After rounding the lengthy curve, I enjoyed walking along an elevated section which offered extensive views of the sprawling Seafield Cemetery to the left and the Firth of Forth on my right. The path petered out at Leith Links and I set a course for the Foot of the Walk (and the Wetherspoons pub of the same name). As a solo wanderer, I often enjoy a quiet refreshment stop and love tucking myself away somewhere. After a leisurely sup, I negotiated the main streets of Leith and picked up another railway route. The path soon brought me to Fiveways Junction - where the stated number of rail tracks actually did converge. The web is now fully walkable.
I worked back on myself and paralleled the Water of Leith as it flowed down to the Shore. One thing I had planned was a visit to an old graveyard on Coburg Street which features stones with skull & crossbones motifs. Apparently nothing more sinister than a symbol of mortality but a spooky sight nonetheless. I had made good time but now faced the long uphill hike back to the city centre. With legs wearying, I was glad to find a table in the George Street 'Spoons where I'd arranged to meet Peter. Some stimulating sporting chat ensued and we headed over to the meetup a couple of streets away. The usual mix of native speakers and those with other connections to the German language. I returned to Edinburgh a few weeks later to undertake another railway walk. Again beginning at Waverley Station, but this time pushing north to the Granton waterfront. I made a quick breakfast stop at Snax Cafe, just a stone's throw from the station steps yet concealed behind the Princes Street shops, basically just around the corner from the legendary Guildford Tavern (now there's an ale palace!) I do like the fact that a tiny greasy spoon continues to trade right in the heart of the city despite assaults on all sides from popular fast-food chains. I reached King George V Park which is interesting for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it was once the home of St Bernards, the great lost Edinburgh football club. The team competed reasonably well before the war, reaching the Scottish Cup semi-final in 1938 yet never resumed after the hostilities had ended. Another highlight is the (now gated) railway tunnel that runs up a steep gradient to Waverley. This was worked by rope hauling and had a short operational lifespan.
In the other direction, the 200-yard Rodney Street tunnel heralded the start of the trackbed excursion proper. The underground space is well lit and the path hosts a steady stream of walkers and cyclists. Prams, wheelchairs and mobility scooters too. The Water of Leith is crossed on a viaduct and I decided to branch off here and pay a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens. A quarter-mile detour brought me to the entrance gate. As I walked along Eildon Street, I looked down upon the
Warriston Playing Fields where a baseball match was in progress. Certainly not an everyday occurrence in Scotland! I've never followed the sport and wasn't able to determine what was happening in front of me. Admission to the gardens is free although a charge is levied for the hothouses. I enjoyed a pleasant stroll among the trees and shrubbery and there was plenty blossom in evidence. Back on the old railway, I approached Fiveways Junction and wandered through another tunnel as I continued northwards. There are a few remnants of old stations on these city paths and you have to question the wisdom of closing the system, particularly when you consider just how well patronised the Glasgow suburban lines are. Infuriatingly, one live loop for freight does still exist in Edinburgh but passenger traffic has never been reintroduced, despite regular campaigning.
Eventually I emerged on the waterfront at Granton, where the railway once ran to the harbour. Nice views are available across the firth to Burntisland - easily identified by the TV transmitter above the Fife town. Ferries operated here until 1952, my dad informing me the next day that he could remember using the service as a boy. Granton has seen some attempt at redevelopment but has a rundown feel overall. The pier juts out a considerable distance into the Forth but I'd been all the way to the end before and decided to omit the wander today. I did resolve - on a whim - to drop into the local Go Outdoors branch as I was on the lookout for a pair of walking shoes. My trusty boots are still in good nick but rather heavy for the summer months and long flat treks. One pair caught my eye at £50 but the size 11 was way too tight and the 12 rather loose. Upon advice from Nicole, I plumped for Merrell whose range is rather pricey but apparently of excellent quality. I anticipate doing a lot of walking this year so I splashed the cash. I can confirm the shoes performed brilliantly on their maiden tramp (another railway trail, this time in Dundee) and proved to be a very snug fit. It was time to cut back inland towards the city centre. I passed by a derelict factory with a couple of wide open windows at ground level. Too tempting to ignore, as I don't mind a bit of the old urban exploring malarkey.
I never take any great personal risk and stick to places that are easily accessible. I find it thrilling to discover a location that has been more or less abandoned. It was easy enough to hop into the building and the interior was surprisingly bright due to glass panelling on the pitched roof. Just a basic shell of the factory remained and the upper floor was a large sparse area. Later research revealed I had found a vehicle plant constructed right at the end of the Victorian era. It later became a wire works. As I left the site, a group of youngsters made their way inside. None of them were old enough to pose any threat but I had thought to myself beforehand that I would never attempt to visit this place after sundown. This ain't the most salubrious part of Edinburgh, to put it mildly. The next part of the walk was a shared-use path alongside a busy road. The original trackbed had probably disappeared under the highway. However, I was soon back in the leafy cuttings. Most of the Edinburgh lines must have been below street level, as I didn't encounter many embankments. The quiet sense of semi-isolation returned and I saw Murrayfield Stadium while crossing an overbridge. Eventually I reached the jumping-off point for the pavement back to Haymarket Station. However, a new cycle route hugs the tram tracks leading to the same destination and I decided to stay with the rail theme of the day.
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