Passions: The city walk that could easily have inspired a Tolkien epic

If you’ve not discovered the Water of Leith there’s no better time than now

Dean Village is a particularly pretty part of the Water of Leith Walkway (Picture: Getty)

The Water of Leith Walkway is a 13-mile route that’s a little piece of Tolkien right in the heart of our capital city. From Balerno to Leith you might not see hobbits, but if you walk, run or cycle along this green pathway regularly you will encounter herons, kingfishers, grey wagtails and, if you're really lucky, otters.

It was completed in 2002, so for two decades Edinburgh residents and visitors have enjoyed the peaceful experience of being in nature close to rushing water a stone's throw from the buzz and the bustle of the centre of town.

There is sculpture, too – Antony Gormley's Six Times figures standing in the river are thought-provoking, although I like them best when the students have been at them, especially the one at Stockbridge which can sometimes be seen wearing a medallion and a fetching pair of pants. Slightly before this sighting, if you're walking from Roseburn to Stockbridge, you'll see Hygeia, Greek goddess of health, at St Bernard’s Well, sited above a natural spring discovered in 1760 and said to be capable of curing all kind of ailments.

Visitors to the city are increasingly discovering the Water of Leith, thanks to guided tours and perhaps their own adventurous spirit. The Dean Village is one of the most popular spots for a photo opportunity.

It's a particularly beautiful time of year to explore the Water of Leith as the autumn leaves change from green to russet and gold, falling lightly into the water. But then, spring is fantastic too, with snowdrops and wild garlic brightening dank mornings.

If you want to find out more, the Water of Leith Conservation Trust have a visitor centre in a renovated schoolhouse in the Colinton direction of the path. Trust volunteers do an amazing job year round, keeping the river clean, and removing the odd shopping trolley or storm-tossed garden trampoline, but it's so much more than that. In spring and summer, they manage invasive plants (Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed). In autumn they cut and rake meadows and plant bulbs, plugs, seeds and wrangle Japanese Knotweed. In winter they maintain willow structures, plant trees, deal with the inevitable puddles on the walkway and try to minimise mud, an ongoing project.

No sign of Gollum, fortunately.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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