Geo-Trips :: Walking the Union Canal between Ratho and Lin's Mill

Union Canal

A walk from Ratho, Wed, 15 Feb 2012 by Anne Burgess

preceding legThis trip is part of a series.next leg

I set off west along the canal from Ratho, and at Lin's Mill turned back. On the return trip I made a couple of detours.

Click the blue circles to see a photograph taken from that spot and read further information about the location. The blue lines indicate the direction of view. There is also a slideshow of this trip. ( )

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NT1370 : 'Pride of the Union' by Anne Burgess
'Pride of the Union'
A narrowboat lies moored on the Union Canal east of the bridge at Ratho. The... more

NT1370 : Union Canal by Anne Burgess
Union Canal
Looking west from the road bridge along the Union Canal. As it is still winter,... more

NT1370 : Union Canal by Anne Burgess
Union Canal
Looking east along the canal from the road bridge at Ratho. The nearer narrowboat... more

NT1370 : Derelict Buildings by Anne Burgess
Derelict Buildings
This is hardly an appealing view from the canal towpath, and right on the edge of... more

NT1370 : Walled Garden by Anne Burgess
Walled Garden
A glimpse through the ivy-covered trees along the canal towpath. The wall encloses... more

NT1370 : Information Seat by Anne Burgess
Information Seat
This combined seat and information board stands beside the Union Canal towpath,... more

NT1370 : Union Canal by Anne Burgess
Union Canal
The towpath is popular with walkers and cyclists. These cyclists are about to have... more

NT1370 : Canal Obstruction by Anne Burgess
Canal Obstruction
At several points along the Union Canal there are fallen trees in the water,... more

NT1370 : Canal Obstruction by Anne Burgess
Canal Obstruction
This is the same fallen tree as in [[[2805305]]]. A patch of debris and scum has... more

NT1270 : A Really Useful Sign by Anne Burgess
A Really Useful Sign
This sign on the bank above the canal towpath has faded so much that it is all but... more

NT1270 : Edinburgh Indoor Climbing Arena by Anne Burgess
Edinburgh Indoor Climbing Arena
Just a few metres west of [[[2805321]]] is a short flight of steps leading into... more

NT1270 : Towpath Obstruction by Anne Burgess
Towpath Obstruction
This is the largest and probably the most inconvenient of several trees which have... more

NT1270 : Fallen Tree by the Towpath by Anne Burgess
Fallen Tree by the Towpath
Evidently trees falling on the towpath is not a new phenomenon. This one fell some... more

NT1270 : Reflected Tree by Anne Burgess
Reflected Tree
A tree on the far side of the canal, reflected among the ripples.

NT1271 : Cyclists on the Towpath by Anne Burgess
Cyclists on the Towpath
Two cyclists making good use of the towpath by the Union Canal.

NT1171 : Wilkie's Basin by Anne Burgess
Wilkie's Basin
The canal widens here, and at the back of the island are what look like the... more

NT1171 : M8 from the Union Canal by Anne Burgess
M8 from the Union Canal
There is a complicated series of road junctions here. This is the view from the... more

NT1171 : Aqueduct by Anne Burgess
Aqueduct
This is the aqueduct which carries the Union Canal over the B7030. I have no idea... more

NT1171 : Union Canal by Anne Burgess
Union Canal
Just west of the aqueduct over the B7030. The water's edge is lined with twiggy... more

NT1170 : Canal Weir by Anne Burgess
Canal Weir
This must presumably be what controls the height of the water surface; if it gets... more

NT1170 : Union Canal by Anne Burgess
Union Canal
A straight reach of the canal near Clifton Hall.

NT1170 : Bridge over the Union Canal by Anne Burgess
Bridge over the Union Canal
Sparkling sunshine on the water beyond the gloom of the bridge which carries the... more

NT1170 : Canal Bridge at Clifton by Anne Burgess
Canal Bridge at Clifton
The bridge carries the road from Clifton Hall to Clifton Mains.

NT1170 : Union Canal near Clifton by Anne Burgess
Union Canal near Clifton
The canal curves gently at this point, just west of the overbridge at Clifton.

NT1170 : Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) by Anne Burgess
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
One of many clumps of snowdrops naturalised along the bank beside the towpath.

NT1170 : Clifton Hall Bridge by Anne Burgess
Clifton Hall Bridge
It may or may not be officially called Clifton Hall Bridge; at any event it... more

NT1070 : Canal Obstruction by Anne Burgess
Canal Obstruction
An ivy-wreathed fallen tree has blocked the canal right across, causing a drift of... more

NT1070 : Reflected Bridge by Anne Burgess
Reflected Bridge
This bridge carries one of the drives to Clifton Hall across the Union Canal.... more

NT1070 : Union Canal by Anne Burgess
Union Canal
There have been quite a few fallen trees along the banks here, but most of them... more

NT1070 : River Almond by Anne Burgess
River Almond
Looking downstream from Lin's Mill Aqueduct, the shadow of which lies across the... more

NT1070 : Lin's Mill Aqueduct by Anne Burgess
Lin's Mill Aqueduct
The aqueduct carries the Union Canal across the glen of the River Almond, 75 feet... more

NT1070 : House near Lin's Grave by Anne Burgess
House near Lin's Grave
The house can be seen from the canal towpath in winter, when there are no leaves... more

NT1070 : Poultry Farm by Anne Burgess
Poultry Farm
An extensive area of sheds for rearing chickens near Clifton Mains.

NT1070 : Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) by Anne Burgess
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
There are swathes of snowdrops naturalised alongside the drive leading to Clifton... more

NT1070 : Winter Cereals near Clifton Mains by Anne Burgess
Winter Cereals near Clifton Mains
The fields here are large and wide, and the roadside hedges neatly clipped, apart... more

NT1070 : Poultry Farm by Anne Burgess
Poultry Farm
Some of the sheds for rearing chickens, viewed across the ivy-covered roadside dyke.

NT1170 : Clifton Mains by Anne Burgess
Clifton Mains
The farm house is all but concealed from the road by its farm buildings, but there... more

NT1170 : Chicken Farm by Anne Burgess
Chicken Farm
The east ends of some of the sheds at the poultry farm at Clifton Mains.

NT1170 : Ploughed Field by Anne Burgess
Ploughed Field
The field is just east of the chicken farm near Clifton Mains. The Union Canal... more

NT1170 : Cottages at Clifton Mains by Anne Burgess
Cottages at Clifton Mains
A row of neat cottages beside the road at the entrance to Clifton Mains Farm. It... more

NT1170 : Union Canal near Clifton Mains by Anne Burgess
Union Canal near Clifton Mains
Looking east along the canal from the road overbridge between Clifton Hall and... more

NT1171 : M8 Motorway by Anne Burgess
M8 Motorway
Just east of the junction of the M8 with the M9. The sign indicating the eastbound... more

NT1171 : Beside the M8 Motorway by Anne Burgess
Beside the M8 Motorway
As well as the foreground, the motorway, and the farm building on the right, all... more

NT1171 : Crop by the Canal by Anne Burgess
Crop by the Canal
A field of what looks like winter rape, with the Union Canal embankment beyond.... more

NT1171 : Union Canal Aqueduct by Anne Burgess
Union Canal Aqueduct
This aqueduct carries the canal across Cliftonhall Road, which, confusingly,... more

NT1171 : Wilkie's Basin by Anne Burgess
Wilkie's Basin
The Union Canal widens here to form Wilkie's basin, with a small island behind... more

NT1171 : Fake Castle at Wilkie's Basin by Anne Burgess
Fake Castle at Wilkie's Basin
This object is a plastic model of a castle, and it stands on the island which... more

NT1271 : Walking the Towpath by Anne Burgess
Walking the Towpath
Most of the towpath users I saw were cycling rather than walking, but this couple... more

NT1271 : Footpath round the Field by Anne Burgess
Footpath round the Field
The waymarker on the canal bank suggested that this was an alternative route back... more

NT1271 : Hazel Catkins by Anne Burgess
Hazel Catkins
Hazel (Corylus avellana) is one of the first trees to flower in early spring, its... more

NT1271 : M8 to M9 Motorway Spur by Anne Burgess
M8 to M9 Motorway Spur
The motorway is well screened from view by trees and bushes, but there are one or... more

NT1270 : EICA by Anne Burgess
EICA
Just off the path, EICA is the acronym for 'Edinburgh Indoor Climbing Arena', and... more

NT1270 : Water Feature at EICA by Anne Burgess
Water Feature at EICA
Intrigued by the sign in [[[2812921]]] warning about deep water on the arid summit... more

NT1270 : Ratho Quarry by Anne Burgess
Ratho Quarry
The climbing arena does not by any means fill the whole of Ratho Quarry. The east... more

NT1371 : M9 to M8 Motorway Spur by Anne Burgess
M9 to M8 Motorway Spur
Viewed from the path behind the Edinburgh Indoor Climbing Arena, which follows the... more

NT1271 : Motorway Cutting by Anne Burgess
Motorway Cutting
Well, the north side of the cutting; I am standing on top of the south side of it,... more

NT1271 : Waterlogged Walk by Anne Burgess
Waterlogged Walk
It was possible - just - to pick one's way dryshod round the widest part of the... more

NT1371 : Platt Hill by Anne Burgess
Platt Hill
The hill isn't named as such on the maps, but the track here is waymarked at both... more

NT1371 : Agricultural Litter by Anne Burgess
Agricultural Litter
A motley collection of agricultural equipment, which looks as if it has been... more

NT1371 : Abandoned Works by Anne Burgess
Abandoned Works
This is just labelled 'Works' on the map, and there is no indication what sort of... more

NT1371 : Near Ratho by Anne Burgess
Near Ratho
Looking from the path along the north side of Platt Hill towards buildings on the... more

NT1371 : Church Hall by Anne Burgess
Church Hall
At least, I think that's what it is. It stands behind and above the church.

NT1370 : Ratho Parish Kirk by Anne Burgess
Ratho Parish Kirk
The kirk was dedicated to St Mary in the year 1243, though it almost certainly... more

NT1370 : Bridge Inn by Anne Burgess
Bridge Inn
The Bridge Inn is a popular restaurant, and offers canal cruises with dinner. The... more

NT1470 : The Outskirts of Ratho by Anne Burgess
The Outskirts of Ratho
Newish building extending conspicuously along the ridge east of Ratho. The crop in... more

NT1470 : Ransfield Farm by Anne Burgess
Ransfield Farm
Looking across the fields of winter barley towards the farm buildings.

All images © Anne Burgess and available under a Creative Commons licence external link.

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