
Explore!
Explore! Our articles cover anything and everything to do with West Lothian, West Edinburgh and Falkirk.
A selection of what goes into print is published here.
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Editor
- Aug 7, 2017
- 5 min
The Balerno Loop
There is little left for the casual observer to notice today of the picturesque branch line that ran along the Water of Leith for six miles from Balerno to Colinton. Built primarily to service the many mills along the river, it opened in 1874 after ten years of negotiations and delays, and had a profound impact on the development of Balerno, Currie, Juniper Green and Colinton. This was a time of frantic railway building, much of which was torn up during the 1960s. Balerno las

Editor
- Jun 1, 2017
- 4 min
Redhall Castle and House
Home to a diplomat involved in nation-shaping moments in Scottish history; seige and destruction by Oliver Cromwell's canons; gracious country estate with beautiful pleasure gardens: the history of Redhall Estate beside the Water of Leith in Craiglockhart shapes the environment today and provides various points of interest on a walk along the Water of Leith. On a small promontory where the Water of Leith meanders in a c-shape, a castle was built in the 13th century, using loc

Editor
- Feb 1, 2016
- 3 min
In the footsteps of RL Stevenson : a walk in Colinton Dell
This area of woodland trails covers both sides of the Water of Leith from Colinton to Slateford. Steeped in history, it's also home to a lot of wildife and flora, and with well-maintained paths is ideal for either a brisk circular walk or an aimless meander. There are many spots you can get into the Dell, but for this walk I chose to start from Bridge Road in Colinton and walk down the “Long Steps” - a very old stairway linking the main part of the village to the parish churc
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