There have been some really nice posts of things people have seen and done in the great outdoors - Stephen RB45, Jimboy and others, was it you Charlie who posted about the owl? - others too who I just can't remember. So I just thought I'd try to stir you all into showing us some more.
The idea is to describe a walk you take, with pictures, and share it with us. So I'll kick off with one I regularly take. A few minutes walk from home sees me heading down this lovely avenue of cherry trees past the crematorium. When in bloom they are absolutely gorgeous. Doesn't last for long and when the blossom drops it looks like it's been snowing!
Reaching the end of this road changes the "ambiance" completely as I dumps me out on the, very busy, Ferry Road: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferry_Road Looking east, towards Leith you see this:
The big block on the right is the one shown in the Wiki picture. Look west and you can see the flats at Golden Acre in the distance:
The road takes a slight dog leg there but continues straight on oncew you are through the junction. In total Ferry road is around 4 miles long and almost straight all the way. If you keep going west on it you'll eventually be directed, Via Telford road, up onto Queensferry Road and if you keep following that you'll end up at South Queensferry - where the old ferry boats went across the Forth in my youth, before the road bridges were built. Now there are 2 and the old rail bridge you see in all the tourist pictures (and the 39 steps film) to look at, and quite a sight they are too. Well worth diverting into the narrow streets of South Queensferry and stopping for a close up look.
Anyway, my walk goes east, towards Leith, for a few hundred yards, briefly suffering the noise and fumes until I can turn left (north) into Craighall road:
A wee way down it I can go into the park on the right and continue north parallel to the road:
until I have to get back on the pavement for the next few hundred yards until I come to the junction with East Trinity Road. Craighall road continues, now downhill, to the seafront:
And you can see the sea (Firth of Forth) in the distance. Sorry about the road works! what with the trams now being extended to Newhaven and the endless road repairs which seem to go on anyway, It's rare to find a road that's not being dug up in Edinburgh just now! I want to walk down through Starbank Park though so I don't go directly down this road but turn left and walk through the quite side streets, some pleasantly leafy, (I can go several different ways at this point) until I'm walking down Laverockbank road. Those of you living further south may be interested to know I took these picture just after midday. See how long the shadows are? That's as high as the sun gets at this time of year. Of course you'll be even more familiar with this effect Jimboy. Where this road starts to descend to the seafront is where the entrance to the park is. If you choose to go straight on you'd better have really good brakes! It's the steepest hill for many miles around - 1st gear needed in the Panda to climb up it and I wouldn't even contemplate a hill start! (in deference to the clutch). There's a very nice pub - Starbank inn - at the bottom of the hill and a wee bit along from it "The Old Chain Pier", another bar/restaurant, hangs out over the water.
But we are going right at the top of the hill into the park. It's one of my "special" places. Maintained by a voluntary group. There are several of them working here today so I passed a few minutes chatting before walking around in the top part of the park admiring all the winter weeding and preparation work being done:
The park is very child friendly and there are features in the side borders, nursery rhyme figures etc, to attract and amuse them. Also there are two free libraries to borrow from:
Walking behind the house you come, suddenly, upon a magnificent view of the Firth:
Looking over the brow of the hill from the other end of the house you can see the very steep path I'm going to walk, carefully, down and the wee gate at the bottom I'll be going through:
Through the gate, turn right and walking towards Newhaven harbour I realize I've just got to reveal Mason's Bakery to you and, Oh what the hell, I'll buy one of their excellent mince pies!
Over the, quite busy, coast road, carefully carrying my piping hot pie in it's plane white paper bag - trying not to burn my fingers, it's much too hot to eat yet - I walk down the steps to the dockside in the harbour and take a picture of the harbour. You can see the old Fishmarket in red with the newer building all around. The fishmarket has been refurbished and now has restaurants etc in it and Welch's fishmongers - an Edinburgh institution:
So, tell us more about the pie I hear you all saying. Well, the pastry is what is called "Cold Water Pastry" and the filling is often a closely guarded secret but mainly minced mutton. That description just doesn't even begin to describe the wonderful taste. I actually wouldn't thank you for a plate of roast lamb or any other lamb, but these pies! The only warning I would issue is that if you come to Scotland and decide to buy one ask some locals where to go first because they vary greatly in quality - I've had some pretty poor examples over the years, especially in the wee small hours, after having a good skinful, bought from an unknown back street chippie!
Oh good, seems to have cooled enough to eat - there is a pretty Baltic wind blowing in from the Firth today. Oh yes, that sure tastes good!
Now a walk up to the other end of the Harbour, where the slipway is, munching on the pie as I go. Hope none of Mrs J's friends are around to witness my "indiscretion" and report back. - She doesn't approve of the pies which she describes as "mobile heart attack food"! Where I take another pic of the harbour looking out towards the entrance from the firth:
Not many fishing boats these days. The row of black stakes is where a, rather smart, floating pontoon is moored in the summer for the cruise ship tenders to dock to. In the summer the roadside parking is restricted for the tour buses which is an annoyance to some. Now where's that pie? Oh, is that all that's left? Oh well, all good things come to an end. Now where's my hanky to wipe the grease off my fingers!
Back across the road and through Newhaven village to the old "Newhaven Road" leading up the hill:
Quite steep, wish I hadn't had that pie Ha Ha!
Then onwards towards Ferry road until I can turn into the other side of that park I walked down the edge of earlier. Across the park and up this avenue of trees:
where there is a riot of daffodils and crocuses in the spring, to emerge onto Ferry road a bit nearer the Leith end. As I start to walk homeward there is one of the saddest sights on the other side of the road:
This used to be a business. My pathetic excuse for a brain is failing me but I think it was called "Brakes and Belts" It was the only place I ever found where you could buy generically made DAF drive belts - even just one at a time, but you wouldn't want to do that (anyone that knows about Variomatics will tell you) - and far cheaper than DAF/Volvo sold them. He imported them directly from the continental belt manufacturer. For years these two old Mercs have laid here being steadily abused by local yobs but he wouldn't sell. There used to be an old Transit van too but it disappeared some years ago. I believe he's passed on some time ago but still nothing seems to be happening with either cars or house and I'm watching with interest every time I pass to see if anything has moved (maybe his widow, if he was married? is still there? I don't know, but the place looks very run down.
Then, a little further on, just a few hundred yards from the cherry tree avenue up past the crematorium, so not that far from home now, a glimpse of a car I've been aware of for a few years. It's often parked down the side road opposite where I came out of the park so I tend to notice it. Also it's in the same colour as my old "Toany" the Cordoba estate:
It's an 05 plate Ibiza and it looks really "loved" - nice, not too "blingy" alloys, always clean, and it hasn't been "pimped" which is a plus in my book. It's the last of the ones before they started to look "pregnant" and "fat" and I would quite like to say hello to whoever owns it. I may just leave a note under a wiper blade one day.
On the last laps now, turn and up the road to the "CREM" nearly there now. Wonder if Mrs J has the kettle on, it's just about time as I've been out for over 2 hours now. Ooops, shouldn't have thought about anything to do with waters, better hurry!
I'm easy to recognize because, in the cold weather, I wear a red and black checkered Lumberjack type cap on these walks - No Monty Python jokes please - do feel free to say hello if you spot me.
The idea is to describe a walk you take, with pictures, and share it with us. So I'll kick off with one I regularly take. A few minutes walk from home sees me heading down this lovely avenue of cherry trees past the crematorium. When in bloom they are absolutely gorgeous. Doesn't last for long and when the blossom drops it looks like it's been snowing!
Reaching the end of this road changes the "ambiance" completely as I dumps me out on the, very busy, Ferry Road: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferry_Road Looking east, towards Leith you see this:
The big block on the right is the one shown in the Wiki picture. Look west and you can see the flats at Golden Acre in the distance:
The road takes a slight dog leg there but continues straight on oncew you are through the junction. In total Ferry road is around 4 miles long and almost straight all the way. If you keep going west on it you'll eventually be directed, Via Telford road, up onto Queensferry Road and if you keep following that you'll end up at South Queensferry - where the old ferry boats went across the Forth in my youth, before the road bridges were built. Now there are 2 and the old rail bridge you see in all the tourist pictures (and the 39 steps film) to look at, and quite a sight they are too. Well worth diverting into the narrow streets of South Queensferry and stopping for a close up look.
Anyway, my walk goes east, towards Leith, for a few hundred yards, briefly suffering the noise and fumes until I can turn left (north) into Craighall road:
A wee way down it I can go into the park on the right and continue north parallel to the road:
until I have to get back on the pavement for the next few hundred yards until I come to the junction with East Trinity Road. Craighall road continues, now downhill, to the seafront:
And you can see the sea (Firth of Forth) in the distance. Sorry about the road works! what with the trams now being extended to Newhaven and the endless road repairs which seem to go on anyway, It's rare to find a road that's not being dug up in Edinburgh just now! I want to walk down through Starbank Park though so I don't go directly down this road but turn left and walk through the quite side streets, some pleasantly leafy, (I can go several different ways at this point) until I'm walking down Laverockbank road. Those of you living further south may be interested to know I took these picture just after midday. See how long the shadows are? That's as high as the sun gets at this time of year. Of course you'll be even more familiar with this effect Jimboy. Where this road starts to descend to the seafront is where the entrance to the park is. If you choose to go straight on you'd better have really good brakes! It's the steepest hill for many miles around - 1st gear needed in the Panda to climb up it and I wouldn't even contemplate a hill start! (in deference to the clutch). There's a very nice pub - Starbank inn - at the bottom of the hill and a wee bit along from it "The Old Chain Pier", another bar/restaurant, hangs out over the water.
But we are going right at the top of the hill into the park. It's one of my "special" places. Maintained by a voluntary group. There are several of them working here today so I passed a few minutes chatting before walking around in the top part of the park admiring all the winter weeding and preparation work being done:
The park is very child friendly and there are features in the side borders, nursery rhyme figures etc, to attract and amuse them. Also there are two free libraries to borrow from:
Walking behind the house you come, suddenly, upon a magnificent view of the Firth:
Looking over the brow of the hill from the other end of the house you can see the very steep path I'm going to walk, carefully, down and the wee gate at the bottom I'll be going through:
Through the gate, turn right and walking towards Newhaven harbour I realize I've just got to reveal Mason's Bakery to you and, Oh what the hell, I'll buy one of their excellent mince pies!
Over the, quite busy, coast road, carefully carrying my piping hot pie in it's plane white paper bag - trying not to burn my fingers, it's much too hot to eat yet - I walk down the steps to the dockside in the harbour and take a picture of the harbour. You can see the old Fishmarket in red with the newer building all around. The fishmarket has been refurbished and now has restaurants etc in it and Welch's fishmongers - an Edinburgh institution:
So, tell us more about the pie I hear you all saying. Well, the pastry is what is called "Cold Water Pastry" and the filling is often a closely guarded secret but mainly minced mutton. That description just doesn't even begin to describe the wonderful taste. I actually wouldn't thank you for a plate of roast lamb or any other lamb, but these pies! The only warning I would issue is that if you come to Scotland and decide to buy one ask some locals where to go first because they vary greatly in quality - I've had some pretty poor examples over the years, especially in the wee small hours, after having a good skinful, bought from an unknown back street chippie!
Oh good, seems to have cooled enough to eat - there is a pretty Baltic wind blowing in from the Firth today. Oh yes, that sure tastes good!
Now a walk up to the other end of the Harbour, where the slipway is, munching on the pie as I go. Hope none of Mrs J's friends are around to witness my "indiscretion" and report back. - She doesn't approve of the pies which she describes as "mobile heart attack food"! Where I take another pic of the harbour looking out towards the entrance from the firth:
Not many fishing boats these days. The row of black stakes is where a, rather smart, floating pontoon is moored in the summer for the cruise ship tenders to dock to. In the summer the roadside parking is restricted for the tour buses which is an annoyance to some. Now where's that pie? Oh, is that all that's left? Oh well, all good things come to an end. Now where's my hanky to wipe the grease off my fingers!
Back across the road and through Newhaven village to the old "Newhaven Road" leading up the hill:
Quite steep, wish I hadn't had that pie Ha Ha!
Then onwards towards Ferry road until I can turn into the other side of that park I walked down the edge of earlier. Across the park and up this avenue of trees:
where there is a riot of daffodils and crocuses in the spring, to emerge onto Ferry road a bit nearer the Leith end. As I start to walk homeward there is one of the saddest sights on the other side of the road:
This used to be a business. My pathetic excuse for a brain is failing me but I think it was called "Brakes and Belts" It was the only place I ever found where you could buy generically made DAF drive belts - even just one at a time, but you wouldn't want to do that (anyone that knows about Variomatics will tell you) - and far cheaper than DAF/Volvo sold them. He imported them directly from the continental belt manufacturer. For years these two old Mercs have laid here being steadily abused by local yobs but he wouldn't sell. There used to be an old Transit van too but it disappeared some years ago. I believe he's passed on some time ago but still nothing seems to be happening with either cars or house and I'm watching with interest every time I pass to see if anything has moved (maybe his widow, if he was married? is still there? I don't know, but the place looks very run down.
Then, a little further on, just a few hundred yards from the cherry tree avenue up past the crematorium, so not that far from home now, a glimpse of a car I've been aware of for a few years. It's often parked down the side road opposite where I came out of the park so I tend to notice it. Also it's in the same colour as my old "Toany" the Cordoba estate:
It's an 05 plate Ibiza and it looks really "loved" - nice, not too "blingy" alloys, always clean, and it hasn't been "pimped" which is a plus in my book. It's the last of the ones before they started to look "pregnant" and "fat" and I would quite like to say hello to whoever owns it. I may just leave a note under a wiper blade one day.
On the last laps now, turn and up the road to the "CREM" nearly there now. Wonder if Mrs J has the kettle on, it's just about time as I've been out for over 2 hours now. Ooops, shouldn't have thought about anything to do with waters, better hurry!
I'm easy to recognize because, in the cold weather, I wear a red and black checkered Lumberjack type cap on these walks - No Monty Python jokes please - do feel free to say hello if you spot me.
