Views from The Pentland Hills

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The Pentland Hills rise to the South of Edinburgh and became a regional park in 1986. Approximately 35 sq miles in size the park is used as farmland and open pasture, but also by walkers, skiers, mountain bikers and anglers for recreational purposes. There is evidence the land has been tended for several thousand years and there is archaeological proof of temporary Roman occupation after their arrival in AD79.

I was out over The Pentlands this week and took some photographs from the top of Harbour Hill.

The above pictures show the Forth Bridge (b.1890, in red), taking the main rail line north over the Forth Estuary from Edinburgh and the South to Fife, Dundee and Aberdeen and the North. Also the Forth Road Bridge (b.1964) which is a much used road bridge that substituted the ferry from South Queensferry to North Queensferry in Fife. And lastly, there is the Queensferry Crossing (b.2017) which is to open imminently. The last bridge has been built to take traffic pressure from the Forth Road Bridge.

Then I turned to get a view of Edinburgh and it was looking great against a misty slate grey sky.

As well as the tree plantation and reservoir in the foreground, you can clearly see Edinburgh Castle to the left of mid-ground and the rest of the Old Town to its right. To the far right of mid-ground, the volcanic Salisbury Crags of The Queens Park is clearly visible. Then in the distance the Forth Estuary and over to the Kingdom of Fife.

From a wider viewpoint, the City of Edinburgh.

It is easy to get out to The Pentland Hills from Edinburgh by public transport and if you get this opportunity to see Edinburgh from another angle, then give it a go.

 

Ducks….!

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I thought I would share with you some of the images from the Stockbridge Duck Race that was held this week in Edinburgh. Stockbridge is a lovely part of the city, an old village enveloped by the encroaching New Town in the late 19th Century. It still has a village feel about the place and has some great shops, bars and restaurants that are well worth a visit.

The Stockbridge Duck Race was started 28 years ago and is a major fundraiser for local charities. Leading up to the race, you can buy a duck – in reality a number that corresponds to one written on a yellow plastic duck. On a chosen Sunday in the Summer, thousands of yellow plastic ducks are thrown from The Stock Bridge into The Water of Leith and they float for 150 metres or so until they are collected in a net stretched out over the river, by local volunteers.

The winning ducks are upended and the number noted. The first 100 or so ducks that came down win the prizes donated by local businesses and services.

Of course, some times a duck makes a ‘big bid for freedom’ and has to be chased downstream and returned to the fold………

If you’d like to visit Stockbridge come along on one of our guided walks. See www.edinburghwalks.com for more details.