Caution: Muddy When Thawed

What would a weekend be without walking the dog? Yes, it’s that time again, another Monday and I’ve done very little of interest over the weekend and so talk about where it was we walked the dog this weekend*. 

At Christmas time I came across a little book of 40 walks to do in Edinburgh online and promptly bought it with the vague hope that we hadn’t done all the dog friendly ones. It turns out we’d done quite a few of them. The Hermitage of Braid, however, was entirely new to us. None of us had ever been there. Ever. To put this into context between the three of us walking the Spotty Pestosaurus (her new official title – who is, at time of writing, curled round my ankles, snoring) we’ve lived in Edinburgh for a combined total of about 70 years.

The book suggested that it was a gentle walk, ‘flat with a few steps’ (Read there’s a rather steep slope half way round, if you follow the book’s little map), but that it can ‘get a little muddy’. Well, it’s winter and the ground is currently solid so we didn’t have to worry about that, but when we go back in the spring I think it will be rather different.

Once private property, this canyon on the south side of the city is now a local nature reserve (and property of our… esteemed … council). Following the path at the side of the burn is pretty flat (and the bridges are all built to take small vehicles, so no two-planks-held-together-with-spit-and-prayers affairs – well, apart from this one) and fairly solid. When frozen. In fact it was rather sheltered, if a little hidden away from the sun for the most part.

It was actually another really calming walk. It’s hidden away from all roads and houses (with one obvious exception), so without any wind the place was pretty quiet, only the trickle of running water – or the crashing as it comes over the miniature, somewhat redundant looking weir – and the occasional dog barking to fill any lulls in your conversation. Who needs expensive spa days when you can take a stroll down the side of gently rippling water? Perhaps all it needs is to be a little warmer… Perhaps I have a bit of an obsession with running water…

The Braid Burn meanders its way down through the Hermitage for about two miles, and far beyond all the way down to Portobello, and is well worth a little stroll if you desire a gentle walk in the park (literally). Although, given the state we would have been in if it wasn’t for the ice I’d urge caution: it’ll be be muddy once thawed.

Cr

*For those who are concerned I should stress that we do take the dog out more than once at the weekend. But only if she’s good…