Faiedi one

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It was a sunny day where I walked this. It's almost entirely very accessible, with just the one climb where I think you would not be able to take anything but the most all terrain wheelchair or buggy. The rest is very good paths.

I finished my lunch at the start point at Fairmilehead Church of Scotland. I had just completed Faledi two in reverse and was using Faledi one to complete the loop back to the City centre. They were two very different experiences: Faledi one more urban in feel, Faledi more rural, making for a varied and enjoyable day.

From the church there were thankfully pelican crossings across the very busy junction to Oxgangs Road. Walking down Oxgangs Road wasn't entirely pleasant as it was so busy and if I wasn't following the route I would have cut through to one of the smaller streets. I was grateful to turn off onto Caiystane Drive.

At the end of the road I jinked left onto the tarmacked path that leads past Pentland Primary School to the Braid Burn at Oxgangs and joins an excellent set of routes following the Braid Burn from Oxgangs all the way to Blackford Hill.

The first part was through Braidburn Valley with steep slopes rising above up to houses on the roads above to either side. The way was a wide tarmac path with people of all ages walking, running, cycling and toddling along. At the junction across from Edinburgh Greenbank Parish Church the burn dives through an impressive looking culvert while the people route is a climb up to Comiston Road and a walk along Braidburn Terrace past the parish church to join the burn further on at the conveniently placed The Lodge Coffee House. I didn't stop there, but it was very much open.

Instead after climbing up onto the main road I threaded my way through roadworks and walked back on myself to the Shell garage to top up on snacks, and then worked my way back through the roadworks onto the right path along a quiet Braidburn Terrace dropping down off Braid Road.

Past the Lodge Coffee House the road is a choice. Hermitage of Braid road is a very accessible rough road on one side of the river, above and on the other side of this footpaths threaded through the woods and steep banks.

After the Hermitage the route becomes more track than road but is still very accessible and winding through a steep craggy gully into the Hermitage of Braid and Blackford Hill Local Nature Reserve. The only tricky bit is a steep climb where you cross a footbridge and turn up beside Corbies Craig onto the flank of Blackford Hill. From here it was a quiet level walk under the Iron Age fort site round to Blackford Pond, the far was crammed with families, the pond with swans, coots and ducks.

Faledi one now met up with Faledi two and I found my way following the route through to the path off Grange Loan, a secret seeming path between high old walls past the fields of Carlton Cricket Club and Marchmont St Giles Church's cemertary to the Meadows. Despite the cold there were plenty of people wrapped up sitting on the grass or benches taking advantage of the chance to enjoy the sun. I headed along Forest Park Road and crossed to the Museum of Scotland where I spent a couple of hours in the Design galleries. I was heading for the bus station at St Andrew's Square instead of the SlowWays destination of Waverley Station, so I took the South and North Bridges for my bus home.

This is a very accessible route with the exception of the climb on Blackford Hill, the only option I can see would be to go along Hermitage Drive and Midmar Drive instead of dropping down at the Lodge Coffee House, these do look like quiet roads.

This is a well marked route into the city centre using as much off road paths as possible (and quite ingeniously). It runs close to a main bus route and cafes at morningside , marchmont and hermitage of braid. Also the caiy stone , a roadside megalith in caiystane view near the start of the route. Four stars because there is indeed quite a lot of busy road at the start, and a steep climb around the side of blackford hill which would impact on accessibility (and there is an alternative)
https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/edinburgh/caiystane/index.html.

Cockmylane is a lovely tranquil departure from the busy Comiston Road, topped off by a pleasant wander through the Hermitage and Blackford Hill. Recommend the tea shop at the entrance to the Hermitage, lovely coffee and cake!.

It is difficult to avoid busy roads on this route but the urban scenery of the northern part is interesting. The route is straightforward with some possible options given below. If coming from Currie it is better to avoid Fairmilehead and follow Swanston Road to Oxgangs Road, thus avoiding some busy roads. Taking the first road right after the Fairmilehead crossroads into Fairmile Avenue then taking Caiystane Avenue and Caiystane Terrace before rejoining the route avoids the busy Oxgangs Road. The Cockmylane Path is an old path that was walked by Robert Louis Stevenson when he went from the house in Heriot Row to Swanston. There is a coffee shop in the lodge at the west entrance to the Hermitage of Braid. The road through the Hermitage is often busy with walkers, cyclists and dog walkers but there are paths on the north side of the Braid Burn that lead to Midmar Paddock where the mapped route can be rejoined. Where Lover's Loan reaches Grange Road, cross over and follow its continuation to Sciennes Road before a short left and right to Argyll Place. The rest of the route is straightforward. It is perhaps invidious to mention the many places to have a coffee as the centre of town is approached but Söderberg on Middle Meadow Walk does excellent Swedish buns.
The Cockmylane path is quite steep in places and the route up from the Braid Burn to Midmar Paddock is rough and quite steep so unsuitable for a standard wheelchair.

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