Walk: Bonnie Bonaly & Torduff Reservoir

May 06, 2020

City of Edinburgh | Colinton | Half day walk | ★★★

[Torduff Reservoir]

Bonaly Country Park is perhaps the closest area of true countryside to Edinburgh, and certainly one of the most accessible. Just a 10-minute walk from the southern housing estates (or an even quicker drive) takes you under the thundering City Bypass and into a peaceful wildlife haven with extensive views from its several summits. A chain of reservoirs cut through the foothills allowing for a scenic link to Currie and the Water of Leith, along which old railway beds take you back into the heart of the capital. Our circuit starts from Colinton - itself a surprisingly pretty suburb - and can be easily extended northwards to take in Colinton Dell.

[The return is along the Water of Leith]

📌 Walk: Bonnie Bonaly & Torduff Reservoir ★★★

Start / finish at street parking on Spylaw Street, Colinton Village, 4 miles southwest of Edinburgh Waverley station, G.R.: NT 214690 ///caves.bill.props

▶ 10 km / 6 miles | ▲ 210 metres | ⌚ Half a day | ⬤ Moderate

Summits: Torduff Hill (252 metres) | Features: Colinton Village; Torduff Reservoir; Clubbiedean Reservoir; Water of Leith

Terrain: Varied - residential streets, tarmac / dirt / stony paths and tracks, old railway bed for return. Short sections are steep, with a very easy (and avoidable) scramble on descent from Turduff Hill.

Route & map

Start & Colinton Village - top of Dreghorn Loan - Bonaly Burn - Bonaly Country Park & Torduff Hill - northwest bank of Torduff Reservoir - south bank of Clubbiedean Reservoir - Poet's Glen (Kinleith Burn) - start by Water of Leith

Route credit: Scotland off the beaten track

On our visit

Wildlife: Alpacas, sheep, lambs, horses, cows and squirrels on the rural section. Varied bird life including goosander, grey heron, swallows, pheasants and other small woodland birds.

Weather: Dry and often sunny, about 10°C with fairly light winds.

Chronological photo guide