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After a delay of over a year I decided it was time to resume my tramp across the central belt with Day 6 of the John Muir Way from Linlithgow to South Queensferry. I parked up in Linlithgow and headed for Linlithgow Bridge to pick up where I left off last summer. The sun was just starting to rise and I was soon leaving Linlithgow behind, crossing the M9 and heading for the countryside.
Bridge over the M9 at LinlithgowAlong minor roads and tracks, the route heads north and is well signposted. It was a glorious (and chilly) morning with perfect light for taking photos.
Leaving the road and heading across the fieldsTrack through the fieldsLooking back towards LinlithgowAfter crossing a minor road, it was back into the countryside, skirting Bo'Mains Meadow, which looked a bit bleak but the information board assured us was a riot of wildlife in the spring. Once past the meadow it's time to head into Kinneil Estate and head for Kinneil House.
Bo'mains MeadowEntrance to Kinneil EstateApproaching Kinneil HouseThe Kinneil Estate seems to be mostly a conifer plantation, and you're not in it long before Kinneil House comes into view. It has an interesting history which is detailed in various information boards, including its role in the development of Watt's steam engine.
Cottage where James Watt worked on perfecting the steam engineKinneil HouseLeaving the grounds of Kinneil House you emerge into the outskirts of Bo'ness. Follow the main road briefly and then head north through a small nature reserve until you arrive at Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway - a heritage line that presumably runs trains in the summer, but there was no sign of activity today.
Once over the railway line the John Muir Way signs point you in the direction of Bo'ness along a well made path, but I decided to take a small detour to follow a circular path out to the Forth estuary and back.
Waymarker - either follow the path to Bo'ness or head uphill for views of the estuaryViews of GrangemouthThe path now follows the railway line towards Bo'ness, hugging the shore. There were plenty of waders probing the estuary mud - curlews, redshank, oystercatchers - and lots of shelduck and wigeon too. I didn't venture into Bo'ness itself, but the shore path and surrounding area seemed very nice and well-kept.
Looking over to FifeLeaving Bo'ness behind - after negotiating various slipways, boatyards etc - the views down the Forth really open up for a while until the path takes you into some woodland for a stretch.
Leaving Bo'ness and first views of the Forth bridgesShore WoodsLeaving the woods, Blackness Castle looms in front of you, looking impressive with the Forth Bridges behind. The path takes you round towards the castle, but I missed the turning so instead headed up through the village and then into a longer stretch of woodland heading towards Hopetoun House.
Blackness CastleBlackness - 5 miles from South Queensferry and 1247 miles from St TropezThe path leads through the Wester Shore Woods and then turns uphill into the grounds of Hopetoun House. There were loads of red deer visible on the approach to the house and the trees were looking magnificent in their late-autumn finery.
Hopetoun HouseGrounds of Hopetoun HouseTree-lined driveGatehouse at entrance to Hopetoun HouseOn leaving the grounds of Hopetoun House the choice is whether to walk along the quiet road or the path through the woods that runs parallel to it - I chose the latter. On leaving the Easter Shore Woods the views of the Forth Bridges (and the finishing line) really start to dominate.
Forth BridgesThe final stretch of the walk involves walking under the new Queensferry Crossing and then through a housing estate on the outskirts of South Queensferry before entering the old town proper. It's a lovely town, quite artsy-crafty by the look of it and plenty of fish and chips options if you're feeling peckish after 25km of walking. I was on a tight schedule though, so I just had a quick look around before heading for the train station at Dalmeny.
South Queensferry harbourHigh Street, South QueensferryForth BridgeTo get to the train station, walk under the Forth Bridge and look for a path heading uphill on the right. There are plenty of signs pointing the way, but it is quite a rough path...I wouldn't fancy doing it in the dark.
Start of the path to the train station at DalmenyI arrived at the station with ten minutes to spare before jumping on a train to Haymarket and then changing for the Glasgow train that took me back to Linlithgow and my starting point - about half an hour all in.
This stage of the John Muir Way marked a real change of character in the walk. Gone are the canal towpaths and disused railway lines...the real star of this section was the Forth estuary and the birds that call it home at this time of year. The calls of the curlews and oystercatchers were ever present. It's quite a busy stretch compared with what has gone before, but an enjoyable one.
So six stages done now and it's only taken me about two and a half years! Next stage is South Queensferry to Edinburgh, which I'm hoping to get done before the end of the year...weather permitting.