Start : Junction of Barnton (Av. West) and Whitehouse Rd. EH4 6EB
(S/E) From the junction of Barnton (Av. West) and Whitehouse Rd. follow cycle route #1 down Brae Park Rd.
(1) Keep left at a Y-junction. On reaching a grassy meadow follow its left-hand edge to reach the River Almond. Turn left upstream. Pass beneath the A90 overpass. Keep on upstream to exit right between housing. On emerging turn right.
(2) Beyond the housing, on the right, the road bends gently left and soon a gateway leads left into Cammo Park. Study the map at the entrance gate. Our route keeps up high, and exits through the far right-hand corner through the area named High Park.
(3) Keep right at a path junction. Follow paths, with trees on the right. Keep going to find a wall gap. Exit to encounter a golf course (over the wall to your right) and a meadow (to your left). Follow a rough path alongside the golf- course wall. The path (possibly wet where it crosses a small dip) continues ahead to join an old lane, which is followed to disused gates. Bypass the gates to escape onto Craigs Rd.
(4) Turn left, 600m leads over the brow of a slight rise to the busy A902, Maybury to Barnton Rd. Cross and carry on straight ahead until Craigmount High School is reached. Turn right passing play areas with the school on your left. Bear right.
(5) The path drops left through housing. Exit and turn left to follow along N. Gyle Loan for a few paces. Go right, straight down Dechmont Rd. At the main road, cross it using the pedestrian lights. Go right a couple of paces to find the entrance to Gyle Park.
In the park bear half-left and pass the entrance to the David Lloyd Centre. Pass exercise machines. Keep ahead, diagonally across the Park. Aim for a 1970’s housing scheme. Enter the scheme. Once well inside, go right to exit at the far right-hand end.
(6) Turn left onto the platform of South Gyle Railway Station. At the far end of the platform, rise up and cross over the railway. Once over the railway bridge descend steps to the right. Go through the station car park and follow alongside the railway (heading out of town). Trees lie to the right, housing to the left. After 100m a path goes to the left.
Take this all the way through to S Gyle Rd. Turn right, to cross over and soon (2nd left) find S. Gyle Rd.
Make a small detour through this pleasant vernacular housing scheme. Bear right, within the scheme, to pass through archways and eventually re-emerge to the right. Resume walking along S. Gyle Rd. (We are still heading for the Gyle shopping centre). Bear right and then left along Gogarloch Rd.
(7) Find a snicket that heads right through to Gogarloch Syke. Keep ahead along a path that leads back to the main path alongside the railway. Follow the main path left, across the grass, to find the side entrance into the Gyle Shopping Centre.
Pass through to the main entrance. Gyle Ave. leads out to the entrance roundabout. A handy underpass (to the left) gets us past this busy junction. Keep ahead.
(8) Cross over right onto Lochside Ave. to walk along the far side of the water features of the Business Park. At the far end (the 3rd lochan) re-cross the stream and tram tracks. A paved footpath leads between modern office blocks.
(9) Turn right at its end, and follow the footpath and road as they weave to Edinbugh Park Station. Cross the line (use stairs, or even better, the goods lift). Cross the tram track and road into Hermiston Gait Retail Park. Keep ahead along the pavement with shop-outlets on the left.
(10) A snicket leads left, between Decathlon and Tesco’s. (There are handy toilets inside Tesco’s). Turn right up Cullins Rd. Cross scrubby ground to join the canal tow-path when it comes in from the right. Follow the Union Canal beneath Cultins and Calder Roads, and onwards for 1.5 km, to pass beneath Wester Hailes Rd.
(11) Almost immediately turn back up a ramp, or steps. On reaching Wester Hailes Rd turn left over the canal. The end of the walk is now clearly visible. Bear left across grass. Cross at the pedestrian lights intoWester Hailes Plaza, and the end of our 35 km stroll around the outskirts of Edinburgh. (S/E)
