Edinburgh Outdoors

Dunbars Close and plant explorers with Hetty's History Walks

The first episode of Season 2: Dunbars Close on the Canongate in Edinburgh's Old Town is a reimagined seventeeth century garden and is well worth a visit.  Containing eight distinct areas, the garden combines formal shapes with more informal planting and features over 190 plants which were within Scotland around that time.  Many have medicinal properties and were brought to Scotland by adventurous plant explores. The garden was created by a charity called The Mushroom Trust. 
I explored the garden with regular contributor and local historian, Hetty Lancaster of Hetty's History Walks.  She brought fascinating insight into the creation of the garden,  as well as the plant explorers who brought plants back to Scotland and were instrumental in building our reputation in horticulture and the stories behind their adventures.  We toured the garden and chatted about the properties of the some of the plants, as well as hearing stories of some of the characters who travelled the globe to source what were then the new and exotic - but many of which are now our commonplace garden plants.
In the seventeenth century the Canongate was a suburb of the city and we also learn more about who lived here at the time and Edinburgh suburban living. 
To find the James Gordon 1647 map you can search the archives of the National Library of Scotland:
https://maps.nls.uk/view/102190447
The John Slezer picture from Calton Hill, part of an encylopedia of Scottish images - 'The Queen Anne View' - can be found here:
https://maps.nls.uk/view/74419503
The Mushroom Trust created and maintains the garden:
https://mushroomtrust.com/
Books discussed include:
Seeds of Blood and Beauty by Anne Lindsay:
https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/collections/author-books-by-ann-lindsay
The Fair Botanists by Sara Sheridan:
https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/collections/author-books-by-sara-sheridan
And finally, here is the location of Dunbar's Close:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/7zbj1aBb6FKKxzrV7
 
 
 
 
 

Geology, James Hutton and Holyrood Park

The final podcast of Season 1 discovers Edinburgh's fascinating geology and the role played in the eighteenth century by the father of modern geology: James Hutton.   
I met up with geologist Angus Miller of Geowalks in the James Hutton Memorial Garden and he filled me in on how Hutton's thinking was so groundbreaking and influential, even in the modern day.  We looked at some significant rocks within the garden, which have been brought from all over Scotland, and then walked on Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park, spotting huge rocks which have fallen from the Crags and checking out the Hutton Section: the point where much of Hutton's thinking was inspired.  As always, there is also some chat about the outdoors and how it has inspired and supported Angus through his life. 
If you would like to know more about Angus Miller and joining one of his Geowalks you can check out his website:
https://geowalks.scot/
 
Find out more about James Hutton here: https://james-hutton.org/
And visit the locations yourself:
Hutton Memorial Garden: https://maps.app.goo.gl/f5hkMwb9c4nSiWYq5
Hutton Section in Holyrood Park (currently behind a fence, but you can get pretty close and hopefully the fence is going to be removed soon ...):
https://maps.app.goo.gl/f5hkMwb9c4nSiWYq5
 
 
 
 

Forest bathing with Anna Neubert Wood

Anna Neubert Wood runs her own business, Wander Women.  She created it to take women initially - but now everyone including individuals and groups - into the wilds to find peace, tranquility and childlike fun.
After a childhood in East Germany and flexi-schooling her children, Anna has created experiences that bring escape in the outdoors in and around Edinburgh.  Her offering includes wild swimming, picnicking, firelighting and forest bathing, amongst others - all to help us find mindfulness in outdoor spaces.  She also runs weekend retreats, which look exhilarating, and works with organisations like Womens Aid and her own Karma Women, to help those who need her help most. 
We spent an afternoon in the peaceful woods of Craigmillar Castle Park and we talked, drank tea and swung in a hammock.  Listen in to hear how Anna's childhood experiences informed her career change and how much she enjoys swimming in the outdoors. 
https://wander-women.co.uk/
You can find our location here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Svwnwfe5BBfJBEXh9
 
 

Exploring new paths with Charlie Ellis

Charlie Ellis is a writer and walker with a keen interest in Edinburgh's former railways that are now footpaths and cycle routes.  He enjoys heading off to explore old paths and to find new, or potential, ones.  When we met up he took me off to find some existing and potential paths, including the Powderhall Line which was only closed in 2016 and is the subject of a campaign to have it joined into the North Edinburgh path network. 
After viewing some paths we talked writing, memories and discovering new places.
Charlie writes for a number of Edinburgh based publications and you can read some of his articles here: https://www.leithermagazine.com/leither152/the-pathhttps://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2023/11/21/the-world-reveals-itself-to-those-who-travel-on-foot/https://www.leithermagazine.com/leither153/circleshttps://www.broughtonspurtle.org.uk/news/powderhalls-path-potential
You can find Saughton Park here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aHtjQe2vruFSSXNG8
And St Mark's Park and the Powderhall Line here: 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/sCkBdgrL5kncNHpVA
 

Beekeeping: West Linton and District Beekeepers Association

Learning all about bees: on a driech day in Edinburgh I went to visit the West Linton & District Beekeepers group in an equally driech Carlops, in the Pentland Hills.  There weren't many bees buzzing around on the day I dropped by to the apiary as it was a bit cold, but I still spent a brilliant hour with a great group of enthusiasts.
We talked all things bees, cold summers, swarms and the benefits of an absorbing hobby in the outdoors.  They were a fascinating group of bee experts and enterprising member, Jane, managed to get my microphone right inside a hive to hear what it sounds like inside! 
You can find out more about the group online:https://westlintonbka.wixsite.com/website - and on Instagram. 
Google maps location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/T9FPTpoHBKc7KUsQ6
 
 

Antonine Wall: finding the Romans

Having occupied Britain for hundreds of years, the Romans had a huge impact on our culture, landscape and history.  I met the team from the now complete Rediscovering the Antonine Wall project to find out how they had worked with the line of the Antonine Wall - the Central Belt's own Roman wall (or what remains of it) to connect communities.   We talked about Roman history, some fascinating finds along the wall and we also visited some of their projects around Auchinstarry and Croy, including the stunning giant head: Sylvanus.   
Next steps for the Antonine Wall team are to create walks along and around the wall in each of the council areas the route crosses.  They are also futher developing route guides to walk the 60km length of the wall from Old Kilpatrick on the Clyde to Bo'ness in the East. 
Volunteering opportunities with Cycling Without Age Scotland can be found here: https://cyclingwithoutage.scot/volunteer-with-us/
More about the wall can be found here: https://rediscoveringtheantoninewall.org/
And if you want to find out more, I recommend The Antonine Wall by David J Breeze: https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-antonine-wall/david-breeze/9781912476930
And I do apologise on the podcast that it was not recorded in Edinburgh, but if you want to search out local Roman remains try these places: 
Inveresk, Cramond Fort, National Museum of Scotland, Callendar House in Falkirk and Rough Castle also in Falkirk.  There's plenty to discover! 
Google Maps location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fysX6cLz7yiY15vh8
 
 
 
 

Hetty's History Walks: Holyrood Park

Hetty's History Walks is run by historian, Hetty Lancaster.  She runs tours across the city introducing both visitors and locals to fascinating facts about Edinburgh and its past.  We met on a sunny autumn day in Holyrood Park - the King's park which surrounds the Palace of Holyroodhouse and is a wild and beautiful spot right in the middle of the city. 
Hetty is going to join me regularly over the next few months, introducing us to different areas of Edinburgh and their history.  To kick things off we talked about her background and business, while also learning more about Holyrood Park and how the landscape has changed over the centuries. 
Listen out for heron spotting and some tourists wheeling their suitcase up Salisbury Crags - we round a great location for our recording and I hope you enjoy finding out more about the Park and its history too.  
Hetty's History Walks can be found on Instagram, Facebook and online: https://www.hettyshistorywalks.co.uk/
 

Volunteering and rejuvenation at Jock Tamson’s Gairden

Jock Tamson's Gairden on the shores of Duddingston Loch is the most extraordinary place.  Home to community groups and charities, it uses the power of nature and gardening to help many people enjoy the outdoors and find healing and support in this beautiful space.  I visited on a classic Edinburgh windy day and met the inspirational head gardener, Lizz Spence, who talked about the team's entry in the Kilt Walk later this month which will raise much needed funds for the brilliant work being done in the garden.  We talked while Lizz collected flowers for the weekly produce sale and we had tea in the outdoor kitchen space.  There's plenty to discover here and visitors are welcome to just come in and wander round. Find out more by listening in and then checking out their website and social media. 

Pentland Aromatics: meeting at the Dalkeith Country Park Market

Earlier this month I headed off to the outdoors Saturday market at Dalkeith Country Park to meet up with Nadine Pierce of Pentland Aromatics.  She has created a range of natural scented products from her home in the heart of the Pentlands, inspired by the stunning location where she lives.  Bringing nature inside through a range of scents, Nadine has taken her business from a lockdown soap-making hobby to becoming a successful retailer with a great brand. 
We talked keeping warm at outdoor markets, earthy smells and of course, Christmas.  You can find out more about Pentland Aromatics at www.pentlandaromatics.com and on Instagram.  
 

Litter picking at the beach with Keep Porty Tidy

What's the weirdest thing you've ever found on a beach?  Listen to this episode and find out how rewarding litter picking within the friendly Portobello community can be.  You'll also hear from Keep Porty Tidy organiser, Colin Cornwall, on his strangest find, latest projects and his lifelong love of Portobello.  With the usual Edinburgh wind, lots of beachgoers and some giant fake seagulls as well as a few real ones, there was a lot going on, but we managed to find out how you too can volunteer, or just enjoy Edinburgh's special and unique city beach - without dropping litter!