80 Km Round Arthur's Seat And Canal

by Sandy Williams
9 hours ago
Near Comely Bank, GB

1 view

Phase 1: The Coastal Run to Portobello
1. Start: Exit 13 Kinnear Road and immediately join the North Edinburgh Path Network (accessible via the path access just off Inverleith Row/Ferry Road).
2. Head East along the old railway line toward Victoria Park and Leith. (Surface: Paved Tarmac)
3. Follow the signs for QuietRoute 10 through Leith Links and connect directly onto the Seafield Road Shared-Use Path.
4. Ride onto the Portobello Promenade, cycling along the coastline. (Surface: Paved Tarmac)
Phase 2: The Arthur's Seat & Innocent Railway Loop
5. At the end of Portobello beach, turn right onto the Brunstane Burn Path heading south toward Milton Road. (Surface: Fine gravel and paved)
6. Follow the cycle paths leading to the east entrance of Holyrood Park.
7. Loop around Arthur's Seat using the dedicated shared-use path running alongside Queen's Drive. Enjoy the views of Duddingston Loch. (Surface: Paved)
8. Cut across past Pollock Halls to enter the historic Innocent Railway Tunnel. Ride through the 500m graffiti-lined tunnel and down the steady incline of the Innocent Railway Path (NCN 1). (Surface: Paved)
Phase 3: The Canal Distance Builder
9. To hit your 80km goal entirely traffic-free, you must extend west out of the city. From the end of the Innocent Railway path near Newcraighill, loop back westward via the Meadows-to-Innocent segregated cycle link.
10. Cross through The Meadows on the wide, dedicated North Meadow Walk path. (Surface: Paved)
11. Exit the Meadows and pick up the traffic-free link path to Lochrin Basin (Fountainbridge), the starting point of the Union Canal Towpath (NCN 754).
12. Follow the flat Union Canal Towpath heading West out of Edinburgh, passing through Slateford Aqueduct, Wester Hailes, and Ratho.
13. Keep riding west along the canal for roughly 17.5 km (just past the Linlithgow boundary/Philpstoun) to clock your target distance before turning back. (Surface: Compacted gravel/fine aggregate)
Phase 4: The Return Loop to Kinnear Road
14. Retrace your steps east along the Canal towpath until you hit the Roseburn-to-Union Canal traffic-free link path near Harrison Park.
15. Turn left onto the Roseburn Path (NCN 1). Head North past Murrayfield Stadium and Craigleith. (Surface: Paved Tarmac)
16. At the Five Ways Junction, take the right branch heading back towards Trinity/Inverleith.
17. Exit the path at Inverleith Row and finish right back at 13 Kinnear Road.