River Almond Walk. Cramond Village.

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This is a view of the River Almond, which is where we started our walk on a day trip to Edinburgh a few weeks ago by bus. After reaching the city centre we took another local bus out to Cramond, a small picturesque village situated on the western outskirts of the city, where this fairly broad substantial river reaches the sea.

A view here of our route. We being Anne and myself. Getting off the bus a few hundred yards from Cramond brig (a period stone bridge across the water) we had to walk down to the river via a quiet lane, surrounded by a shallow wooded gorge.

The temperature overnight across the Central Belt had dropped to minus 5 with a hard frost so these little ponies looked pleased to see us- coming over hoping to see food and/or company. Obviously, we didn't feed them as they had hay and stables in the field but we did give them some encouraging words.
Even today it's a largely undeveloped rural location- only a few upmarket detached houses and cottages intruding on nature. A bit gloomy due to the surrounding tree cover  in the shady dell but here we found this modest memorial.

A lonely spot so we assumed it was some kind of animal, going by the name and age but it was a marker for a little girl.
Her story here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marjorie_Fleming

We continued our walk down the river with the edges of Cramond's suburban sprawl visible at one open point before we dropped back into the wooded river glen.

A scenic location with some nice reflections. Anne had not been down here before so the steps leading over several large cliffs barring the way came as a surprise.

I, on the other hand, remembered doing this route on my bike years ago and having to carry it up and down them, thinking it was better as a walking trail. This came near the end of a long circular bike tour around the city so I was getting distinctly feeble by the time I reached this unexpected obstacle course in the way.

In a few places the River Almond is a rock gorge falling vertically into the water, which is why the steps have to find a route over the top of the cliffs instead.

Another set of stairs. These add some excitement and variety to what otherwise would be a flat walk.

Several ruins and ancient stone docks can be spotted, giving historical interest. During the Industrial Revolution any navigable rivers, like this one, boasted mills and factories along the banks. This one was an iron foundry, apparently.

Rapids at some points could power mill wheels but would also deter boats so either this was as far as they reached or some dredging occurred in the river.    200 years can make a big difference to landscapes though. Lower down, just before Cramond Village, several large stone docks can be spotted, on the now unoccupied bank of the river but at one time this would have been a substantial additional mooring/repair/living location, which may even be older than the Industrial Revolution in origin as, unlike Cramond,  it would have been largely hidden from the sea and any raiders prowling the coast.

As this info board and several others show Cramond was once a strategic military outpost for the  Roman Empire. The remains of a large Roman fort lie within the grounds of Cramond Kirk and Hall. and several carved stone sculptures have been found in this vicinity from that time, including one pulled from this very river, at this very spot.

The Roman occupation of Scotland did not last very long, compared with the occupation of flatter, richer, more settled, England. From the beginning the warlike tribes of Caledonia had the terrain on their side, north of the Antonine Wall, and every Roman push further north paid a heavy tribute in dead bodies with hit and run guerrilla tactics perfectly suited to the wild mountains, deep forests and swamps in what was then, still, a largely untamed, un-drained, wilderness.  The battle for this furthest frontier of Roman rule only lasted 25 years before they gave up and retreated behind the more substantial  and better defended Hadrian's Wall built across Northern England. Trouble in other parts of the empire, heavy losses here, and poorer quality lands further north made it a prize hardly worth attaining, except for the pride of conquest.
"Look - I don't believe it! A seahorse! " I pointed suddenly and excitedly below my feet as we reached the river mouth and the end of the Almond walkway. "You don't see one of them every day at the coast. Quick before it disappears! "
Anne hurried over to have a look.

"Aw, you are ******* me!. Not funny!!!"

"I had you going there- admit it ! You was proper 'little girl' excited. Oh' let me see the sea horse Daddy. Skip skip skip !!! Hand claps thrown in "

A rueful smile from my companion. " I hope you're proud of yourself. You dream dasher! You do get them in the UK. I've seen a programme all about them last year."
A smile back. " I remember. See, I do listen."

"How about an eider duck then? " I indicated a nearby swimming bird where the river and sea merged.
"Nah. Not as good."

"or how about a Redshank and a Little Ringed Plover?
"Turnstone." she corrected. "maybe." Anne now has a bird book on her travels, not trusting my judgement anymore. I wonder why.
"Plover." says I back.
" Turnstone."

"Greenshank". We both agreed after a collective bird book look at this one.
"That does not beat a seahorse though." She murmured.  "Where next brave leader?"

"Onwards." I gestured to the misty coastline. " I have a plan all laid out for you. Follow me into the sea my skippy Princess...."

"Out there lies our destiny for today.... we shall feast on water and in sand....like the seabirds...."