Discovering the Hermitage of Braid

We will start by riding through Inch Park at the back of Cameron Toll, and then enter Craigmillar Castle park. We then head through Peffermill Industrial Estate to the Innocent Path and tunnel, before riding through the Pollock Halls of Residence, after which we take a series of quiet residential roads through The Grange to eventually reach Blackford Pond. We then ride up Midmar Drive and Hermitage Drive to get to our coffee stop at The Lodge Coffee House at the start of the Hermitage of Braid. After our stop, we ride along the whole length of The Hermitage of Braid before re-entering Inch Park and returning to our starting point.

Starting from Cameron Toll, we follow a circular route taking in Craigmillar Castle Park, the Innocent path and the Hermitage of Braid.

The route is a mixture of cycle / shared use paths and quiet roads. We will push our bikes to cross a couple of busier roads. A part of the path along the Hermitage of Braid is compacted gravel, which would be difficult to ride on skinny tyres. It is possible to get off and push over this part if you are not confident riding on gravel. The route is relatively flat (for Edinburgh) with just a couple of short inclines, which you can take at our own pace – we never leave anybody behind.

We will stop at The Lodge Coffee House for refreshments, and at points along the way to catch our breath.

Helmets are strongly advised. Bring a payment card if you wish to buy any refreshments at our stop, but feel free to bring your own refreshments. Bring a bike lock if you can, but don’t worry if you don’t have one as we can lock bikes to each other. Also bring a spare inner tube if you have one and have planned a means of getting home in the event of mechanical breakdown (taxi, phone a friend etc).

First-timers welcome!