Union Canal : Edinburgh City Boundary to Ratho Village.

Difficulty Easy Access

Walking time 2 hours

Length 6.0km / 3.7mi

Route developer: Jimmy Dee

Route checker: Jim Young

Start location Calder Road at Calder View, Edinburgh

Route Summary Very pleasant walk along the Union Canal towpath. A route for all seasons & weather conditions. Path has paved & unpathed sections which can attract puddles during wet weather. Can be busy with cyclists, joggers & dog walkers. Good public transport.

*move mouse over graph to see points on route

Getting there

By bus: Lothian Buses

Walk start : Bus 25, X25 & 34.

Walk end : Bus 12 & X12.

Further information from www.lothianbuses.com/

Description

[1] Starting point at bus stop Calder Road / Calder View. Walk along Calder View to Calder Crescent. Take right at junction then left into Calder Road. Cross road bridge over canal and use pedestrian crossing to cross Calder Road. Turn right and then immediately left onto Cultins Road.Passa road on the left and within a few yards turn left down the footpath to reach the canal towpath,Turn right and follow the towpath all the way to Ratho.

[2] At the picnic area just before the Bridge Inn, Ratho take right hand path into public car park. Turn left onto footpath which crosses over canal bridge to outside the Bridge Inn. The bus stop is located at front of pub car park.

(A) Bridge Inn, Ratho provides village pub, restaurant, function rooms & barge cruises.

(B) Seagull Trust, Ratho provides canal cruising in Scotland for people with special needs.

Further information : www.seagulltrust.org.uk/ http://www.seagulltrust.org.uk/

POI information

The Union Canal was opened in 1822 as a direct inland route to connect Edinburgh with Glasgow via Falkirk. The main impetus for the canal being built was transportation of coal. Its closure to commercial traffic in the 1930's was due to the competition from the railways.

Further information about history, heritage & events can be found at : http://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/our-canals/union-canal

To make a longer walk it is possible to combine adjacent sections of the canal route : Edinburgh Fountainbridge Quay to Calder Road or Ratho Village to Broxburn.

Notes No details available.

Acknowledgements No details available.