Explore the Water of Leith: Murrayfield to Balerno and back
Location: Murrayfield, Scotland
A long out-and-back on the Water of Leith Walkway, tracing the river upstream from Murrayfield to Balerno and back. It's a gem of a route. You leave the city behind almost immediately, following a green corridor of riverside path and old railway line the whole way, with barely a road to worry about.
The surface is good throughout, mostly firm gravel and tarmac path. While it never feels hilly, the outward leg climbs steadily all the way to Balerno, so expect to work a touch harder going out and enjoy a gently falling return. Highlights include the wooded gorges of Colinton and Craiglockhart Dells and the old railway tunnel at Colinton with its mural, a nice mid-run moment.
Shaded and sheltered for long stretches, it's a great year-round option, though busy with walkers, dogs and bikes around Colinton and Spylaw Park at weekends, so keep something in reserve for polite overtaking. Navigation is simple with the river as your handrail, and at roughly 20K there-and-back it's tailor-made for a long steady run with no traffic-light interruptions.