No Small Wander

My partner and I just got back from Edinburgh—it was his first time, and it quickly became one of his favourite cities.

One of the things he was really looking forward to doing was the Water of Leith walk. This is a nature-filled walk that’s a little out-of-the-way from central Edinburgh, but was absolutely worth the walk.

Edinburgh felt like there was a lot of greenery populating everything except the city centre. There were the rolling green hills that lead up to Arthur’s seat, and the monument-filled Calton Hill. In front of the Galleries, there green fields stretched out for at least a mile. But these lush spaces felt in sharp contrast to the concrete vibes of the middle of town.

I love Edinburgh’s gothic architecture. But sometimes the city felt like being surrounded by grey concrete, cobbled streets. Unless you count the graveyards, which had their own vibe to them.

So I was so pleased to find the Water of Leith walkway—or rather, that my husband did. It was a tranquil little oasis that took us through a forest, following a river into a small, fairytale-like town:

There’s also information provided about the watermills nearby: when they were in use, what purpose they served, and how Dean Village is still thriving today!

At the end of the walk there are two gallery options, but we didn’t go into either one. Instead we had a little coffee and cake at a nearby café—the perfect way to end an outdoorsy afternoon!

This felt like the perfect break in nature for us, before we headed back to the cobbled-stone city centre. I’d go back if I was looking to feel like I was in nature without straying too far from the city!

A word to the wise: this isn’t what I would call a difficult walk, but there were stairs and uneven terrain involved. If you’re unable to use stairs, or if going uphill/downhill is a challenge, I would say give this one a pass.

What’s your favourite natural escape from the city? I hope you’ll let me know in the comments—happy travels!