The 13-mile Water of Leith Trail ends at the historic Leith Shore, now a thriving leisure quarter. On the three previous occasions I've done the complete walk, it was a case of being too weary to properly explore the Shore area, instead seeking out a pub or café in order to flop into a seat and rest up, before taking a bus back to the city centre.
Today Nicole and I were tackling a popular stretch of the walkway - from the charming Dean Village down to Leith. At around three miles, we could stroll at our leisure and hopefully observe some wildlife on the way. I have written extensively about this part of the trail in other posts, so I won't go into any great historical detail here about the sights encountered. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon as we boarded a bus for Edinburgh at Ferrytoll Park & Ride. A "driverless" electric vehicle pulled up at an adjacent stance as we waited. The total number of passengers onboard numbered four. The service has been billed as the first full-sized fleet of buses to function in an autonomous manner and provide a regular timetable. Operated by Stagecoach on a two-year trial basis, the buses run from Ferrytoll to Edinburgh Park Station - a distance of 14 miles. Almost the entire journey takes place on the motorway and the speed limit has been pegged at 50mph. A human back-up driver sits behind the wheel at all times and an additional member of staff - known as a bus captain - sells tickets and deals with passenger queries. An interesting project and one I plan to experience. However, I remain convinced that we are decades away from fully-autonomous vehicles roaming free on all roads, rather than following pre-selected routes with rigidly defined lanes, well away from town centres. We disembarked from our non-robotic bus near Dean Bridge and walked down Bell's Brae to the historic urban village. Several listed buildings are tucked away in this quiet oasis beneath the throbbing approach road to the heart of Edinburgh. We strolled around to sample the atmosphere then joined the river path, almost immediately spotting a dipper paddling in the water. We progressed downstream past St Bernard's Well and climbed to street level in Stockbridge. A busy open-air food market was in full swing and we checked out the wares. There were also a few craft stalls. Needing only a light snack, we each purchased a vegan savoury potato roll which topped up the tank. Moving on, we returned to the riverside and passed the Grange Cricket Ground - home of the Scottish national side. The path took us by the Stockbridge Colonies - affordable housing for skilled tradesmen erected back in Victorian times. A short detour was required, due to a bridge being inaccessible. As we returned to the regular route, the serious birding action began.
A mallard and her ducklings swam by. The fluffy youngsters were enjoying the afternoon swim and spread out in all directions. A heron stood ominously further upstream but fortunately the mallards didn't proceed in this direction. Herons are well capable of scoffing several ducklings in one sitting - and they don't pause to add plum sauce! Disaster averted more by luck than design, we then enjoyed the spectacle of a moorhen powering past us (the crystal clear water allowing a great view of the non-webbed feet) while two chicks hung around the water's edge. I had only brought my phone camera and therefore wasn't able to take any close-up shots, but it's nice to just take in the entire scene through your own eyes without constantly fiddling with gadgetry. The final push to Leith was just around the bend and we switched to the trackbed of an old railway line. They say good things come in threes and the old adage held firm today. A female goosander was ushering her ducklings against the current and once again we were treated to an underwater show as the mother dived below the surface and we witnessed her swimming in the relatively shallow depths. All good fun.... and then we noticed another heron casting it's eye over the scene. The goosander chicks were being kept in a tighter formation than the mallards but the heron stood upright in the centre of the river, blocking the family's path. We - and several others - watched avidly and wondered how this drama would play out. A few shrill calls from mother goosander failed to perturb her much larger adversary. She then made couple of vaguely threatening runs upon the water's surface in the direction of the heron, but he remained stock still. Finally the goosander puffed out her feathers and made a noisy beeline towards her foe. Miraculously, the heron flapped its wings and took off, flying right past our eyeline. The feisty little lady had won this battle. We hadn't expected to see a major bird conflict, but nature is full of surprises. We pressed on, opting to chop out a river meander by staying on the railway path, which in any case reunited with the official route a little further on. Leith Shore was in sight and we had the good fortune to stumble upon an ice cream parlour as we reached the cobbled streets.
Suitably refreshed, we walked the full length of the historic quayside, which features several pubs and cafés, a far cry from the industrial dereliction of not so long ago. A docked ship named Ocean Mist trades as a 17-bedroom boutique hotel, following previous incarnations as a restaurant and nightclub. A modern deep-water dock complex lies beyond the historic quarter and a harpoon-gun sculpture marks the end of the walking trail. Ports on the east coast of Scotland played a key role in the Arctic whaling industry through Victorian times and up until the First World War. Perhaps less well known is the fact that Edinburgh shipping firm Christian Salvesen ran a whaling station in Antarctic waters until 1965 and employed many Scottish workers, some of whom are still alive today. Named after the company's home turf, Leith Harbour was situated on the remote British overseas territory of South Georgia and now lies abandoned. In this country, we regard the whaling trade as something best consigned to history, but unfortunately it hasn't been completely eradicated. I wandered over to the Victoria Swing Bridge, completed in 1875. The counterweighted wrought-iron crossing has a clear span of 120 feet (the longest in Scotland) and it provided road and rail access to the evolving outer docklands. The last reported opening of the hydraulically powered swing section occurred in 1985. The bridge was succeeded in the mid-90s by a modern structure further downstream and gradually fell into disrepair. It is currently undergoing restoration and will provide a link for walkers and cyclists. I also checked out the Scottish Merchant Navy Memorial - a sandstone obelisk decorated with bronzework. Standing five metres tall, the memorial was erected in 2010 and pays tribute to the seamen who perished while serving their country. It also commemorates 132 years of education at Leith Nautical College. It was time for dinner and a number 16 bus took us back to the city centre. Nicole was celebrating her birthday in two days time and we headed for a sushi restaurant. A perfect end to an interesting day.
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