We were up at the trig point on Dalmahoy Hill which lets you see just how large Dalmahoy Quarry actually is. large enough to go in and scramble round it all day on your motorbikes as seven lads were doing.
This route is theoretically circular by going down from Dalmahoy Hill onto the Kirknewton back road and then Using the Scotway path back to Balerno via Hannahfield (some houses and a smaller quarry just west of Balerno right at the Gateway to the Pentlands sign). However we decided to retrace our steps,
After lunch I took the tricross out and cycled to Belstane Store where the Womble sculpture is and then down Leyden Hill and through Kirknewton via the fake standing stones then along the back road to the path I was looking for,
I have been told by Balerno locals the path takes you back to Ravelrig Hill road, it does not.
The sign at the start has actually fallen down so if you are daft enough to follow this route then it starts immediately west of the bridge over the railway.
I took my tricross which is good for lugging over stiles and gates of which there are several. Including right at the start. You then swing south back to the Dalmahoy quarry. Hay bales and rock slabs to stop scramble motorbikes? But walkers and cyclists fine. The path is cyclable and obvious to begin with but degenerates into a track through the boggy woodland of Ravelrig Wood. Every so often there is a sign post which stops you from just going back. Also a series of bits of railway embankments but I think these were for quarry work and maybe link the various different old quarries of which only Dalmahoy remains.
In the middle of this there was a grass land rover track, probably linking pylons. So I cycled for a bit again. But soon went back to boggy woodland. I kept veering east and south to try to avoid the worst of the water. Eventually the path became more distinct again and I could see my pal lauchie’s house which used to have a great view over to fife but Roseberry has sold another Balerno field to Cala before he pops his clogs. I then spotted a dog called Dougal and eventually it’s owner out with a baby strapped in a papoose.
He had wellies on which was sensible. Much chat with him and I worked out the next bit Mostly cycled on railway trackbed up to Hannahfield quarry. This has a house in it now and fence and no entry. Cycled round this then over another style which is not long for this world then down through the field and out at kissing gate right at the gateway to the Pentlands sign west of Balerno. An adventure and recon. I imagine we will never go this way but maybe a dry summer will make it possible on foot.
However from the kissing gate at least 500 yards of no pavement until back at Balerno proper.
I think the guy with the baby maybe lived next door to Lauchie and the dog Walker I said hello to right at the end maybe from the stables.
There is something gloomy about boggy woodland in winter and old industrial workings but the ravine cut to get into Hannahfield quarry was neat. The noise of the motorbikes was annoying.
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