Hermitage Braid & Blackford Hill
Leafy riverside walk (1.5 hrs) & city views
For a quieter alternative to hiking Arthur's Seat, but with equally good city views and some woodland walking, try Blackford Hill and the adjacent Braids Nature Reserve.
The reserve is readily enjoyed from central Edinburgh, by taking a bus to its slopes then walking back through an attractive, bustling, non-touristy neighbourhood of Morningside on a walk takes around 1.5hrs (4miles/6.5km).
Getting to the start
Start by taking the #41 bus (direction Kings Buildings; stop Observatory Road) from The Mound opposite the National Gallery of Scotland.
The Observatory
From here a steep road climbs to the Royal Observatory (open to the public for regular events) around which you can enjoy fantastic city views.
Text © Christian Williams
Images by John Mason, Magnus Hagdorn, Scott Denham