Walk: On safari at Corstorphine Hill

📌 Corstorphine, City of Edinburgh
★★★

A rather famous zoo covers part of Corstorphine Hill, but there’s plenty left over to explore without risking being trampled by wildebeest. The wooded summit is crowned with Clermiston Tower, built in 1871 to celebrate the centenary of Walter Scott’s birth. Elsewhere, a maze of paths criss-cross interesting rocky knolls, with excellent views towards Edinburgh, Arthur’s Seat and the Forth Bridges from the occasional open areas. It doesn’t really matter exactly which route you take, but make sure to walk the entire length of the ridge to see the most interesting parts of the hill and soak up the best views. If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of some zoo animals too; the south end of the walk slightly overlooks the zebra enclosure…

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on Clermiston Road North, Clermiston, 4 mi west of Edinburgh Waverley station

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 202747

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.958285,-3.279376

🚌 Clermiston Road North

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 140 m | ⌛ 1.5 hr

Features: △ Corstorphine Hill (162 m); 🏛️ Clermiston Tower

⬤ Easy | Clear paths: mostly wide and gentle but some steep or rough sections. A few muddy patches.

➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – path junction 200m to east – descend north to path junction shortly before A90 – southern end of ridge via east side of hill – summit & Clermiston Tower – return to first path junction via ridge

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: A buzzard, spotted woodpeckers, long tailed tits, treecreepers, robins, chaffinches & other woodland birds. Zebras & goats visible within the zoo enclosures!

Weather: Hazy sunshine, clouding over near finish, 10°C.

April 2023