18k Run Edinburgh: Scenic Journey along John Muir Way Stage 8

Route Overview & Local Insights

This 17.9km point-to-point route offers a remarkably flat and fast journey from the heart of Edinburgh to the East Lothian coastline. Starting near the historic Fountainbridge, you will navigate through the iconic Holyrood Park—brushing past the foot of Arthur’s Seat—before diving into the "Innocent Railway." This former 19th-century railway tunnel provides a cool, sheltered, and traffic-free transition out of the city. With 90% of the course paved and a negligible 23m of total ascent, it is an ideal training ground for runners looking to maintain a steady tempo or log a long, coastal effort. As you hit the promenade at Portobello and continue toward Musselburgh, the tarmac yields to sweeping views of the Firth of Forth, ending in the industrious historic town of Prestonpans.

The path follows Stage 8 of the John Muir Way, a 134-mile long-distance trail dedicated to the "Father of National Parks." Running this section is a lesson in local history: the Innocent Railway was Edinburgh’s first horse-drawn railway, so-named because it remained "innocent" of any steam-engine fatalities during its early years. As you transition from the shadows of the Scottish Parliament to the salt air of Musselburgh—Scotland’s oldest town—you are tracing the same coastal landscape that inspired Muir’s lifelong passion for the wilderness. Keep an eye out for the "Leaning Tower" of Musselburgh and the historic salt pans of Prestonpans, which were vital to the local economy for centuries.