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8 of Edinburgh’s Sensational Strolls

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been doing my government sanctioned exercise religiously and have exhausted pretty much every possible walk around me. In doing this, I have found a number of walks I did not know existed before lockdown. I started this post a few weeks back before the loosened restrictions and as keen as I am to get up a hill with the 5-mile limit being lifted this weekend, this will bring with it chock-a-block car-parks in the highlands and the question of where to use the facilities when public toilets are closed and you’re two hours from home… In short, it still seemed relevant!

Holyrood Park
Holyrood Park is known for the stunning walk up Arthur’s Seat, a now extinct volcano giving magnificent 360° views across the city, especially at sunset. However, there are a number of walks that can be taken; from the Salisbury Crags to the far flank of Arthur’s Seat. Head further down the low road to Duddingston Loch where you can spot swans and geese, and possibly even otters and deer! Loop back by heading along the main road and returning via the Innocent Railway.

Water of Leith

The Water of Leith is one of Edinburgh’s most beautiful walks, taking you away from the business of the city centre until you stumble upon the charming residential area of Dean’s Village. Walking from the shore in Leith to Dean’s Village takes the best part of 2 hours as you meander along with the river and pass through the New Town.

Blackford Hill
Blackford Hill is a beautiful walk in the south of Edinburgh which again gives incredible views as Arthur’s Seat emerges prominently from the cityscape. Wander through wooded areas and flowering glens before reaching the trig point and enjoying a well deserved break.

Time for a break – did anyone bring snacks?

Cramond Island

Cramond Island is a tidal island that during low tide allows for you to walk out to it. Be sure to check the tide times and ensure you have enough time to get there and back – or you’ll risk getting stuck out there until the tide wanes hours later.

Calton Hill
Enjoy the short walk up Calton Hill at sunset and take this opportunity of empty streets to get some incredible pictures of Princes’ Street. Modelled upon the Greek Parthenon, the National Monument of Scotland sits at the top, built to commemorate the Scottish soldiers who fought in the Napoleonic wars. However 3 years after beginning its construction in 1826, it was left unfinished due to lack of funding. Calton Hill is arguably the best place in Edinburgh to watch the sunset due to the easy 5 minute climb up and the panoramic views across the city.

Edinburgh’s Old Town
If you’re not close enough to any of the incredible viewpoints in Edinburgh, you can still enjoy a scenic walk. Stroll through the streets of Old Edinburgh, taking time to wander down narrow alleys and into the closes. Dunbar Close on the Royal Mile offers an oasis of calm in the city, with flowering public gardens that’ll have you wishing you had brought a picnic! Wander through the Meadows or Princes’ Street gardens – which used to be a lake until it was drained in 1820.

Portobello

My current go-to walk is a 12k route around Arthur’s Seat, taking the low road out to Duddingston and then continuing through Figgate Park and out to the Promenade at Portobello before returning down London Road. This offers the best of Edinburgh’s volcanic rocks and historic buildings. Bonnie Prince Charles himself held a war council meeting in Duddingston village prior to the battle of Prestonpans! Even better than that, Portobello currently has a number of small cafés offering socially distanced coffees and ice-cream. And cocktails.

The Pentlands
Walk Highlands is a wonderful resource for anyone looking to get out and get walking, with an exhaustive list of potential walking routes around Scotland. The Pentlands are the closest hills to Edinburgh and offer gentle paved walks around the reservoir, steeper hikes up and over the hills and off the beaten track marches through the country.

I’m sure I’ve missed a number of walks – especially in the west of the city so let me know in the comments where your go-to walk is! For more detail on any of the above walks, check out Walk Highlands’ walk descriptions.

Scotland

Top 10 NC500 Highlights

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Scotland’s answer to Route 66, North Coast 500 was launched in 2015 to attract more tourists to the magnificent north coast of Scotland. The 516 mile trip starts in Inverness, heads up north to John O’Groats, bears west across to Durness then turns south back down to Applecross before returning east to Inverness. It can be completed clockwise or anti-clockwise and is a wonderful starting point for many trips further afield across to the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Skye.

It must be noted that the NC500 is largely comprised of narrow and single track roads which have ‘passing places’ to allow vehicles to overtake or pass each other in opposite directions, and have an etiquette along with them. Please make sure to familiarise yourself with how to drive on such roads, as well as with the Outdoor Access Code which applies to wild camping and parking camper vans. These areas, although sparsely populated belong to the locals and all attempts should be made to be respectful tourists during your visit.

I have had the distinct pleasure of completing the NC500 twice – once in April and once in August. I’ve comprised a list of my top 10 highlights for the NC500. For me, the beauty of Scotland’s untamed wilderness is largely found in long hikes, but given the temperamental weather here in Scotland not quite as much hiking was done as desired!

  1. Stac Pollaidh
  2. Sandwood Bay
  3. Wailing Widow’s Waterfall
  4. Bone Caves
  5. Ceannabeinne Beach
  6. Smoo Cave
  7. Duncasby Stacks
  8. Dunnet Head
  9. Bealach na Bá
  10. Dunrobin Castle

1. Stac Pollaidh

Stac Pollaidh is definitely one of the most beautiful walks we took during our road trip – perhaps it was the unseasonably warm weather, but this relatively easy hike has unrivaled views across Assynt and Achiltibuie. Reaching the true summit requires a challenging scramble which we did not manage – the path is unclear and a little daunting although there were a few folk looking statuesque, lording over their kingdom from the summit.

2. Sandwood Bay

Located just south of Durness, Sandwood Bay boasts beautiful sand, tropical turquoise waters and the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen in my life. Don’t let the colour of the water fool you however – the North Sea is absolutely baltic and not at all the refreshing dip in the water you hoped for! Access to the beach is granted after a gentle 4 mile walk which we completed with all our camping equipment in order to wild camp there that evening. I would strongly recommend double checking you have everything to avoid adding an extra 4 miles to your journey when you realise you forgot the stove…

This photo was taken at 10pm…

3. Wailing Widow’s Waterfall

There is something enchanting about this 15m waterfall. Legend has it that a young man was out hunting when he fell to his death from the top of the falls. Distraught with grief, the following day his mother took herself to the falls and threw herself off to be reunited with her lost child. The falls are not found on Google Maps, but can be accessed by Loch na Gainmhich. There’s a parking place just around the bend of the A894 (coordinates here) which leads into a gorge – a short walk down there leads you to the bottom of the falls. Alternatively, you can reach the top of the falls by parking up by the lake and traipsing across the boggy land.

4. Bone Caves

My expectations for Bone Caves were far too high – I read that polar bear and reindeer skulls were found here and in my head, that meant they were still there. Oh how wrong I was, rather than relics of eras past, the only thing we found in the caves was evidence of a camper who couldn’t quite wait to get to the toilet… Why exactly are these on my list? Well, if you hadn’t gathered by now, I love a walk. And this walk takes you through a stunning U-shaped valley, bringing me back to high school geography where we learned about glaciers shaping the terrain of our country and to be honest, that’s pretty fricking cool. The route begins beside a gently murmering stream, past rushing waterfalls and steeply up a hill to the dens of animals long extinct on this island.

5. Ceannabeinne Beach

Ceannabeinne Beach is found just before Durness and is the perfect wild camping spot – be careful as during summer this fills up fast. Parking can be found just across the road and you can easily pitch up in the grass. There’s not much more relaxing than watching the sun go down with a beer in hand and waking up to the sound of waves lapping the shore. In the morning stop off at Cocoa Mountain in Durness for luxuriously rich, creamy hot chocolate and home made treats sure to warm your freezing bones.

6. Smoo Cave

About 5 minutes drive from Ceannabeinne beach you reach Smoo Cave, the largest sea cave in the UK. In the summer you can hop on a boat and take a tour through the cave run by local cavers for only £6. It’s worth not only taking the tour but also walking up to the top (on the opposite side of the road) where you can watch the waterfall into the second cavern.

7. Duncansby Stacks

A trip on NC500 would be incomplete without heading up to John O’Groats. Just a short drive east brings you Duncansby Head where you will park up next to the light house. A well-trodden path across the fields gives way to the impressive sea stacks, home to thousands of seabirds including puffins in the correct season. Not that we’ve ever been lucky enough to spot them despite visiting twice, but I’m not bitter…

8. Dunnet Head

Ok, if I’m honest there’s not a lot at Dunnet Head. It’s a great spot for bird-watching if that tickles your fancy, but the real pull to it is that it’s the most northern point of mainland Britain. We also wild camped on the road up here in the hopes we would see the northern lights but had no such luck.

9. Bealach na Bá

Bealach na Bá (The Cattle’s Pass) has the greatest ascent of any road in the UK, despite only being the third highest road in Scotland. Laden with hairpin turns and gear-grinding hills, I haven’t actually driven it; preferring instead to blast ‘500 miles’ and ‘If It Wisnae Fur Yer Wellies’ while Kerry does the hard part. A viewpoint at the highest point rewards you with breathtaking views over to Skye before the steep descent into the sleepy village of Applecross – where we wild camped on the beach. Be sure to check out The Walled Garden for great coffee and bacon rolls (among many more gourmet options for lunch and dinner).

10. Dunrobin Castle

As you might have noticed from the rest of the ‘must-see’s on my list, I’m not really one for architecture. I do however, fancy myself a bit of a princess and Dunrobin’s round towers and conical turrets are straight out of a fairy-tale. Does the owner have any sons? Asking for a friend.

The truth is, 10 highlights really isn’t enough for NC500. There are so many beaches that would make you swear that you were in a tropical country (so much so that Thailand actually used a picture of one in their tourist guide – don’t believe me?) as well as beautiful road-side stops, delicious restaurants and quaint villages that it’s impossible to create the perfect itinerary. My advice? Choose one or two main landmarks a day that you want to visit, and leave yourself plenty of time to detour at your leisure. You never know what you might find…

Planning a trip round NC500? Let me know where you’re planning to go in the comments, or drop me an email on theflightinstinct@gmail.co.uk.

Why not check out my post on trekking in Laos – a magical country with rugged mountains and their own version of whiskey!

Read ‘Trekking in Laos – Waterfalls, leeches and lao-lao whiskey’