Easter Craiglockhart Hill LNR

Nestled between the peaceful residential areas of Braidburn and Craiglockhart, Easter Craiglockhart Hill rises dramatically through cliff-faces and steeply wooded slopes to a plateau of rabbit-cropped turf, featuring views out over the Forth, the Trossachs, the Pentlands and East Lothian, as well as the fascinating city-scape all around.  A short walk around the Nature Trail – devised and maintained by a vigorous group of local residents – reveals a surprising variety of habitats.  Beside the Craiglockhart Sports Centre lies a large ornamental pond, dating from 1878, which drains into a carefully managed marsh – an unusual habitat in a city.  This marsh is home to orchids, provides a hunting ground for herons and is a safe haven for smaller waterfowl to raise their broods.  The slopes of the hill are clad in semi-natural woodland, that is, woodland planted at least 200 years ago which is so well-established that it has been colonised by plants, birds and animals of ancient woodland.  A large meadow at the top of the Hill is another rare habitat for a city – unimproved grassland, home to small mammals and wild flowers.

As well as a wild space popular with local walkers and families, the site is an important green transport link for cyclists and pedestrians, linking the Craighouse and Craiglockhart campuses of Napier University, and providing a route through from the Union Canal and Colinton to Morningside and beyond.  The paths from Craiglockhart Terrace to Glenlockhart Road and to Craighouse Road are soon to be designated Core Paths, emphasizing their significance to Edinburgh’s sustainable transport network.

In April 2005 Easter Craiglockhart Hill was designated a Local Nature Reserve, underlining its importance for nature conservation as well as its great landscape value.  Now the 15 hectare site is managed by a Management Group from the Council, the University and the two local residents’ groups.  The committee meets twice a year and through this mechanism the Craighouse campus grounds and the Reserve are managed jointly with regard to access, wildlife and signage.

For more information on how to get there contact Lothian Buses           

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