I only did a small portion of the 22 mile long walk, but the section I waked was lovely, and a nice…read moregreen corridor within a bustling city. I started at Dean Village, and walked through Dean Garden to the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. It was a nice alternative to walking the city streets or taking transport to the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens, which was my destination. It took me just about an hour at an easy stroll with brief stops to take a few pictures. I sent a few of those pictures to some girlfriends and their comments were, "It's like you're in a storybook" and "Gorgeous, that can't be real." Take a look at the pictures and see if you agree. Or better yet, take a walk and see for yourself!

The Water of Leith is my happy place…read more Anytime I'm having an off day, it's a perfect little refuge just steps from my door for a wander and a think. The fact that you can traverse most of the city via its paths? Well sheesh, like I needed another reason to love Edinburgh...

Ok, for those who don't know. Go Ape is like an obstacle course, except you're 60ft up in the air…read morein the trees attached by a pair of ropes. You have the cross various increasingly tricky bridges between trees, and get to descend on a number of tarzan swings and zip lines. AND IT IS TOTALLY AWESOME!!! ahem. I'm definitely a thrill seeker kinda guy, and while this is long way from base jumping insanity, it's an awful lot of fun. thanks to the careful instruction of our trainer at the start of the course, and the fairly tight strapping in of the harness you're given, you never feel in *real* danger, but jaysus some of it is *rather* hairy! the highlight of the whole course is the finishing zipline. You get to wheeeeeee across a big valley! They views are a little breathtaking, it does feel a little like flying. Go Ape Glentress is a great day out from Edinburgh, it's not a million miles away, but it feels like a great day out. I'd definitely recommend it, and I'm desperate to go back!

I have hiked Arthur's Seat, an ancient volcano, a few times and it's not for the faint of heart…read more But if you want a challenging workout with fantastic views of Edinburgh as your reward, this is for you! There are a few different ways to make your way up to the top. For first timers, I would suggest taking the route near Holyrood Palace which, while not easy, is more gentle than the route near Pollock Halls. My first time up, I took the latter and ended up climbing up boulders - which felt a bit precarious. No matter which way you go up, bring lots of water and wear shoes with good traction. You will definitely feel like you accomplished something when you reach the top. And, as I mentioned, the views are spectacular! At the summit, I always make a point to touch both the white triangulation pillar and the bronze geographical indicator. On our most recent trip, it was April so the weather was perfect! The previous time, we hiked it in August when it was a little too warm and we were greeted by swarms of midges at the top!

What a great hike! Easy enough and walkable from the majority of Edinburgh. You can take a few…read moredifferent paths to get to the summit. We took the one on the edge of the cliff and it was steep, so maybe avoid that one. There is one that takes a dirt path that is a little less steep to get up to Arthur's Seat. This summit provides a beautiful panoramic view of Edinburgh. Open 24/7, it's definitely worth a visit (maybe even more than once!)

Tucked away about 1 mile from the A69 near Bardon Mill, Allen Banks is a beautiful natural gorge…read morecarved out by the River Allen. Car parking is provided, free to NT members, last time I think it was £3 for the whole day if you don't possess the magic sticker. Most will arrive by car and the car park itself is ample, with an overflow area for the busiest times in the summer. Alternatively, if you fancy arriving on foot, Bardon Mill station is about 1.5 miles away - from the station you need to exit towards the level crossing, follow the track and bridge to go over the river, then turn left and follow the minor road up through Beltingham (BTW lovely village church here!) and then at the junction, head left towards Ridley, where a footpath will take you over the fields into Allen Banks - do check an OS map before you head off! So, Allen Banks is an area bequeathed to the National Trust by Francis Bowes Lyon in 1942 (you can find a plaque dedicating this kind act along one of the riverside paths) and has miles of paths, some with colour coded route markers, for you to explore. You can take a gentle stroll and bring a picnic to have on the tables provided by the car park, or pull on the walking boots and head further afield as the footpath network eventually takes you out towards the A686. This is one of those places worth a visit any time of the year - open all year round, the car park gates are open during daylight hours - as the scenery changes with the seasons, so each visit is that little bit different. Last time we were there was at the height of summer 2014, nothing could beat a paddle in the river to cool off! One of the highlights has to be the 'Wobbly Bridge', a Victorian suspension bridge built to cross the river when the area was first developed. Unfortunately, this was severely damaged in storms back in 2013 rendering it totally unsafe to use, but thankfully the NT managed to raise enough money (£100K!) to restore it to its former state. The views along the River Allen from this bridge are stunning, so it is great to have the bridge back in all its wobbly glory! One thing to point out is that the riverside paths are subject to some erosion and can be difficult to pass for buggies or those slightly less agile that others. The woodland paths can get a bit squaggy in autumn/winter, so wellies are recommended just in case. The only thing I feel is really missing here (hence the 4* score) is a decent tea room, even just for the peak periods, as it would be great to come here, take a walk and then have a cuppa and cake instead of having to bring all your own stuff. But hey, that's me being fussy here - a short hop into Bardon Mill or up to the Garden Station in Langley would easily satisfy the need for post-walk refreshments. In summary, a lovely place for a Sunday afternoon walk with all the family, great views and because it's a little bit off the A69, it still feels like that little secret you don't want too many people knowing about!

This is National Trust and has a pay and display car park It…read moreis a lovely walk along quiet river banks the walks can go on for a few miles so it is a good idea to take a picnic with you there is a reconstructed victorian summer house but we went to see the medival pele tower up at the top of one of the hills There is lots of wildlife here and we had loads of butterflies around us when we had our picnic The birds sound lovely around here but if you come later on in the day you are just as likely to hav a bat fly past you as a bird Give yourself a few hours here as it is much better to enjoy the lovely views that rush

Although it's a bit of a drive to get to, this is a gorgeous place to spend a say wandering among…read morethe trees. Definitely worth a trip