Edidan three

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Edidan here.

I agree with the previous reviewer, this is an excellent route which makes very good use of quiet paths and has good views and points of interest along the way. It is on tarmac paths for its entire length, it has no steps and all road crossings are either very quiet streets or have lights. I walked it from Edinburgh to Danderhall on a cold and sunny Saturday morning in March. No concerns at all.

The route immediately starts climbing up Cockburn Street. This is the steepest part of the whole route - on the plus side, that's an excuse to pause and peer into the many shops and cafes on Cockburn Street. The next section is along South Bridge, which can be very crowded. It was fine on a Saturday morning, and it's very easy to spot alternative roads slightly to the East if necessary. The route turns towards the Pleasance and St Leonards, both quiet and largely traffic free, with an eclectic mix of old and new buildings.

The city walking stops when the route joins national cycle route 1, then unexpectedly dives into the Innocent Railway tunnel at the end of a residential parking area (don't worry, it stopped being a railway in 1968). The tunnel is well-lit and straight, so you can see where you're headed for its entire length. The Innocent railway was built to carry coal from Midlothian to Edinburgh, and anecdotally got its name from the fact that no-one was killed while building it. It was originally horse-drawn, but succumbed to steam quite quickly. Exiting the tunnel, the path continues along the line of the railway, passing under the Southern flank of Arthur's Seat.

At Duddingston Road, the route turns right, then crosses Peffermill Road and continues up the road to Craigmillar Castle Park, home to the "other castle" that the route description and previous reviewer describe. The route goes through the park, then crosses the road and continues across Little France Park, which lurks quietly behind the Edinburgh Bio Quarter, home to two hospitals and an increasing number of related businesses. The views are unexpectedly grand, taking in two castles (as promised), Arthur's Seat, the Forth and the hills of Fife. This section would be even better walked from South to North - I had to keep turning around to admire the views.

At the Wisp, the route reaches Danderhall, an old mining village, presumably the source of some of that coal that traveled along the Innocent Railway. The route goes down Edmondstone Road to Newton Church Road, where a small parade of shops and a cafe mark the end. On the way, it passes the lively-looking Danderhall Community Hub, which also features a cafe.

Lovely route taking advantage of as many traffic free options as possible and giving great views of the city as a bonus. There aren't many places when you can see both castles at one time!.

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