I had a belter of a little loop this morning. Went up to Harlaw then along the top road (note kirkgate (thanks @jonty)closed at top on 20th Oct, big water pipeline going under the road). Passed Mount Parnassus then round the back of the farm cottages and round to torduff and torphin. I used to do this route when the kids were wee and I had limited time. It is lovely in the autumn. Descent impaired by many dog walkers but you can't have everything. Descent continued down from Bonaly to Colinton. I was going to come back up the WoL path, but nosied along the road to the houses that were built into the water of leith riverbed. You can cycle through these houses and there is a short path that takes you to footbridge over the river but I doubled back as I had spotted steps. These took me up into the wood hall housing estate where Campbell Park is, possibly the least used park in Edinburgh by acreage?
I then proceeded along Woodall road until I reached the ultra smooth Tarmac of the JK Ridng Centre. I was Rolling along there sheltered by the mature hedge she put in (causing local planning objector Archie C to salivate with admiration). Rolling along, you see what I did there? Anyway the area was a little dilapidated until she bought it and now it is very spruce. Just before the gates to the big house I took the footpath to Blinkbonny. Went throught the hamlet then took the lymphoy road back to Balerno. All good surfaces and quite dry (even the surface of the moon craters after the farm cottages at torduff had some of the holes filled in). There must be a cycle or running race in this. Would involve JK allowing it and Woodall road being shut. Anyway, who needs to race, the route is nearly all private roads that walkers and runners and cyclists are perfectly entitled to access. How good is that?
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