(S/E) From the bus stop at the junction between Bonalty Road and Woodland Road, begin by heading South-West (Left) up Woodhall Road. Soon on the right, after houses and at the top of steps, take the level path, in trees, high above the Water of Leith. After this emerges turn right, and right again, down the steep West Mills Road.
(1) Continue Westward passing mill re-developments to a pedestrian bridge across the river. Go under the old railway underpass, and turn left upstream. Continue for 1.5 km, under the noisy by-pass and past more mill re-developments.
Just after passing beneath the electricity power-line go under, and then left up steps onto, the Blinkbonny Bridge. From now on our route, by and large, progresses to the north- north-east.
(2) Climb Blinkbonny Road up to the busy A70. Go slightly right and cross very carefully to take Muir Wood Road. Follow as the road swings left, and then cross to the Wilderness Wood footpath. Take this, negotiate the unmanned level-crossing, and continue on the minor road between fields.
(3) On reaching Riccarton Mains Road cross, go slightly right and then left into the grounds of Heriot-Watt University. Bear right almost immediately through car parks and alongside Murray Burn. Steer a North- Westernly course between research buildings to Hermiston Walk.
(4) At the North end of Hermiston Walk pass the entrance Lodge to cross the A71 at a pedestrian island. Turn left for 50 m then 90o right passing old terraced cottages on a quiet, minor road. On reaching the Union Canal join the towpath on the northern bank and follow it Eastwards, re- cross the busy by-pass using the aqueduct. Where the canal swings South we take a rough footpath which diverges off to the left to join Cultins Road.
(5) Turn left along the broad, grassy border. Pass the Business Park to find a narrow alley that takes us into Hermiston Gait Retail Park. Turn right along the footway through the Retail Park to Edinburgh Park Railway Station.
(6) Go straight across the road/tram-track, enter the station, and go up either the stairs or lift to cross the line. Descend and continue on, on a generally North-North Easterly course. After 500 m turn 90o left onto a narrow path. This leads between buildings to re-cross the tramline and reach a pleasant water feature at Edinburgh Business Park.
(7) Turn right along the water’s edge, tracing it Northwards for around 500 m. At an appropriate point cross back over the tram-tracks and proceed to the large roundabout on South Gyle Broadway. A convenient underpass leads us underneath. Strike up half-left and so arrive at the Gyle Shopping Centre.
(8) Skirt the Centre on its left. Take the footpath which rises behind up to the busy Glasgow Road. We are heading out towards the old airport along Turnhouse Road.
However here, by far the best plan is to walk in towards central Edinburgh along the Glasgow Road, passing the nightmarish Maybury roundabout until a pelican crossing is reached. Cross, go back to the Maybury roundabout. Negotiate it using its various pedestrian crossings, and then proceed along the pavement of Turnhouse Road facing the traffic. A 1 km stretch brings us to Meadowfield Road.
(9) Turn 45o right up this quiet minor road. Go right at the top. After 150 m find a way into the road leading to the Braehead dump/quarry. Immediately before the quarry entrance a narrow lane diverges off left.
Follow this alongside the Turnhouse Golf Course, through a damp patch, and along a field edge to enter the Cammo Estate through a back entrance.
(10) Keep on North-North-Eastward through woods, for 500+ m, to emerge at the Cammo road. Various paths converge at this point. We want to go sharp right here to follow a dog-walkers’ path down through the field, heading for the clump of trees at the far left-hand corner.
(11) Get over the broken-down fence to find a partially concealed snicket, between houses, which leads to the River Almond. We keep to the riverside path all the way to Cramond Brig. (S/E)
