Craiglockhart Hills

A short but varied walk within the city of Edinburgh, taking in the peaceful nature reserve of Craiglockhart Woods and the viewpoints of East and Wester Craiglockhart Hills.

Terrain

Well-defined earth and aggregate paths, muddy in places.

Public Transport

There are bus stops on Colinton Road as well as plenty of onstreet parking. Traveline Scotland.

Start

Corner of Colinton Road and Lockharton Crescent (served by bus). Map and directions.

Users' reports

As well as reading our description of each walking route, you can read about the experiences of others users on this walk and others.
There are 1 user reports for this walk - click to read them.

Write your own report - there's £90 to win at Webtogs each month

Currently 3.67/5

User Rating
Log in to vote

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Walk Statistics

Distance: 4.5km / 2.75 miles
Time: 1.5 - 2 hours
Ascent: 133m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NT229709

Maps / GPS

WANT TO SPONSOR THIS ROUTE?

Accommodation

Walk Description

Stage 1

Leave Colinton Road at Lockharton Crescent and enter the nature reserve via a gate alongside the boating pond. Head along a cobbled path to the far side of the pond and turn right to skirt along the path on the southern bank. Craiglockhart Wood forms a wild haven within this built-up part of the city with many tracks threading through the woods offering a space for contemplation and relaxation not to mention exercise opportunities for the military personnel from the nearby barracks.

Stage 2

Keep on the lower path at the fork to pass behind the sports centre and gently ascend to a path junction by a stone wall and wooden fence. Go straight ahead, between the fence and wall, to reach Glenlockhart Road outside Napier University's Craiglockhart Campus. These buildings, now a juxtaposition of the original 1870s hydropathic institute and the modern business school, once housed shell-shocked military officers in the First World War including Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. Turn left along the pavement for a short distance before crossing to a wooden gate.

Stage 3

Once through the gate it's possible to turn left for a shorter ascent to the summit of Wester Craiglockhart Hill, but for a more relaxed (and scenic) route turn right. This path heads through the woods for a short distance before heading past the Napier University buildings and up a grassy slope to reach part of the Merchants of Edinburgh golf course. Keep tight to the gorse-covered hillside on the left to prevent disruption to the golfers, before heading up a path on the left to reach a wide track traversing the hillside. The views across southern Edinburgh are superb, with the twin aerials atop The Braids clearly in view and Allermuir, Caerketton and the rest of the Pentland Hills on the horizon. This wide path continues at a pleasant gradient before reaching a path junction immediately before re-entering the woods via a gap in a wall. Turn sharply left to follow a grassy path up to the summit trig point offering full 360 degree views over the majority of Edinburgh, with Arthur's Seat, Castle Hill and the rest of Edinburgh's Seven Hills visible.

Stage 4

Retrace your steps to the path junction and enter the woods through the gap in the wall. Turn left and follow the often-muddy path to the gate adjacent to the road. Cross and turn left along the pavement before taking the path on the right to re-enter the nature reserve. At the path junction at the corner of the stone wall, turn right and head up a flight of easy steps. This wide path ascends gently through the pleasant woods above the golf course before descending a short flight of steps on the right to pass through a gap in the stone wall. Leaving the woods, look for a grassy path on the right after a short distance and head up to the wide open summit ridge of Easter Craiglockhart Hill. There are several benches here, again offering panoramic views over the south of the city, including a different view of the north side of Wester Craiglockhart Hill. At the end of the ridge drop down through a gap in a wall and re-enter the woodland.

Stage 5

Turn sharp left to shadow the wall as the path descends easily through the open woodland before arriving at the entrance to Napier University's Craighouse Campus. These architecturally beautiful buildings - built in a 'free Renaissance' style - and used from 1878 as an old style asylum for paying patients before eventually becoming part of the NHS. It was renamed the Thomas Clouston Clinic in 1972 and later purchased by Napier University in 1994 to house social science and communication arts courses as well as a music school. The site was sold for residential development in March 2011. Turn left along a good path beneath the slopes of Easter Craiglockhart Hill towards the edge of the woods, before turning right down a few steps and along a grassy clearing. This path re-enters the woods and descends via a series of switchbacks to reach a wide woodland path adjacent to an information board and a cluster of houses. Turn left to follow the fence around the housing and drop down a flight of wooden steps to reach the boating pond. Turn right along the cobbled path through the reeds to Lockharton Crescent and the start point on Colinton Road.

Route: Phil Turner

Have you found an error or is any information wrong or missing? Please let us know by clicking here.