(S) Begin the walk at Wester Hailes (A) Plaza by entering Westside Shopping Mall. Take the escalator up to the higher level of shops, turn left, and exit through the double glass doors to pass alongside Lidl’s car park and onwards over a pedestrian walkway bridge.
If the Mall is closed follow along its left hand side, through into Murrayburn Place and up the steep steps.
(1) A few metres on, at the 3-way joining of paths, turn right up the broad path. Pass beneath two bridges (rail then road) to curve gradually leftwards to cross high above Clovenstone Rd. Keep straight, ignore paths to left and right, aim towards the blue “medium-rise” flats.
Pass alongside a primary school to the right. Join Clovenstone Park Rd. Cross and turn right beyond the blue flats into Clovenstone Drive.
(2) Cross to discover a path through trees which leads up to Lanark Rd. Go right along the pavement. Cross with care at a traffic island into leafy Spylaw Park Rd. At the first corner go right. Splylaw Ave. leads to the busy Gillespie Rd. Bear a few paces right, cross with care, and head diagonally down the rough track to the Water of Leith.
(3) Turn left to follow the cycle path75 over the river. At West Mills do not re-cross the river, but take the short road up to the right, and immediately proceed left to climb West Mills Rd. Cross Woodhall Rd into Bonaly Rd. After a few metres turn left into Grant Avenue.
Soon afterwards turn right into Castlelaw Rd. At the top a snicket winds through to the “bungalow-land” of Bonaly Crescent. Go left here, and left again into Laverlockdale Cres. Turn right at the end, through entrance gates into the wood-fringed Dreghorn Loan.
(4) Carry through, over a stone bridge, to the old polo field (in 2014 now a housing estate entrance). Slightly ahead, to the left, a path dives into the woods. Once over the small wooden bridge follow the Bonaly Burn downstream for 800m.
(5) On exiting the woods turn right over an old stone bridge. At the Barracks’ entrance, leave the old road to cross Redford Rd. Here go back, left, a few paces to turn down into the mock-Tudor housing development of Gallollee. Follow through, to encounter a path, and steps, leading left downwards to Bonaly Burn.
Do not cross, but go 150 m right to take another path to the right, which leads up, for 400m, to Redford Rd. Cross at the pedestrian lights, go slightly left and immediately right, up steps, into Dreghorn Gardens. Bear left.
(6) Next turn right, up Dreghorn Dr. At the top, steps and a snicket lead through to a long, straight, level MOD path that heads left to Hunter’s Tryst. Pass in front of the Supermarket (cafe, toilets). Cross New Swanston road; here a path leads down and leftwards, towards the noise of the by-pass.
At the end of the open space a short snicket funnels through into the housing of Tryst Park. The road curves back uphill. Take the 3rd right to reach Swanston Rd. Go right a few yards between houses and alongside a short pleasant hedge.
(7) Cross over into Caiyside. Curve down towards the busy by-pass. Follow Caiyside round, alongside the by-pass, to the bitter end, to exit by a footpath that leads up to Swanston Dr. and the Biggar Rd. Cross with care; a snicket leads into Winton Park.
Carry on straight ahead, still parallel to the by-pass, either on the footpath or pavement. Pass to the right of housing.
(8) Then go immediately left into Winton Gardens. Walk directly away from the by-pass up Winton Drive. Turn right to stroll on, past the secluded, 70’s housing of Winton Loan. Our route bends gracefully right and then left around the A-listed mansion of Morton House.
(9) Carry on past delightful cottages and a nursery; keep a look out for the old Belvedere. Becoming ever more lane-like, the route turns right towards a pair of tall electricity pylons. This quiet, deserted track winds on through farmland, and alongside a short wooded strip, for 1.5 km before exiting onto tarmac at a converted steading.
(10) Walk up Broomhills Rd, passing old farm cottages. Cross Frogstone Rd. Turn left for 60m. Go right into Mortonhall housing estate. Head diagonally right through open trees to cross a small grassy space. Then proceed left down Mortonhall Park Dr., and quickly turn right into Mortonhall Park Bank.
(11) Go half- left across grass, before the mid-rise flats, to discover a short secluded alley behind housing. At its end turn right. Ahead a grassy strip leads to the main A701 (Penicuik) Road.
(12) Turn left along the pavement to finish at the entrance to Morton Hall Crematorium by the Lothian 37,47, 67 bus stop in Kaimes (B). (E)
