Balerno

Take a spin out of town to Balerno, a leafy 12-mile route along the Water of Leith.

Edinburgh festival: 10 of the best relaxing escapes between shows 2011

From Ratho I headed onto Dalmahoy Road, planning to head for Balerno, thinking it would be starting to get dark when I got there and then I could come back down the road under the lights.

Stupid, stupid route 2009

At Buteland Farm it meets the road which joins up with the road into Balerno after a couple of miles.

A slightly less short run….. 2009

We carried on up to Balerno and then up to Red Moss, a fairly regular route for us, and then had another photostop at Bavelaw because the view was even better.

This is why I run 2009

From here the path climbs up fairly gradually to descend again just before the Bore Stane and we followed the same route to Buteland and then Balerno as the previous week.

Nine Mile Burn again 2009

It would be dark long before I got to Balerno and I would be on my own on an isolated, unlit road with no footpath for most of the way.

Stupid, stupid route 2009

I followed the path along the eastern bank of Harlaw Reservoir to the Ranger centre and then ran down the road to Balerno and caught a bus back home.

Black socks, they never get dirty 2009

It was a bit of a yomp in truth; we got the bus to Balerno and then headed across the Kips and down to Flotterstone.

Easter legs. 2009

We got the bus to Balerno so that we could get onto the hills quickly, so it was uphill almost straightaway without the gentle breaking in that we normally get coming up the Water of Leith.

W. Linton and Cauldstane Slap 2009

From here the path climbs up fairly gradually to descend again just before the Bore Stane and we followed the same route to Buteland and then Balerno as the previous week.

A slightly less short run….. 2009