Water of leith facts

It rises to the north of the city of Dunedinflowing for 14 kilometres 9 mi southeast through the northern part of the city and the campus of the University of Otago before reaching the Otago Harbour. The Leith's source is close to the Dunedin Northern Motorwaypart of State Highway 1metres water of leith facts south of Leith Saddleat an elevation of some metres 1, ft above sea level.

Edinburgh is one of the busiest and most iconic cities in the UK, yet part of its beauty comes from the fact that you are never too far away from nature. The Water of Leith provides a picturesque route to the capital strewn with nature in all its glory, from wildlife to hanging trees. The gentle waterway flowers for about ten miles before reaching the outskirts of Edinburgh in the southwest. From Balerno to Leith, the river twists and loops for another twelve miles until it enters the Firth of Forth. With so much river to explore, it should come as no surprise that the Water of Leith harbours its own set of stories and sites. For centuries, the Water of Leith was necessary in keeping life afloat in Edinburgh. The power provided by the rapid flow of the river was harnessed to drive mill waterwheels at more than 70 sites along the river.

Water of leith facts

Water of Leith. Its catchment extends to 45 sq. The river has provided power for a succession of mills dating back to at least the 13th Century At their peak there were more than 70 and these included meal, corn and paper mills at Balerno , paper and snuff mills at Currie , a grain mill which operated until and a paper mill at Juniper Green , a sawmill at Colinton and further mills at Stenhouse , Dean Village , Canonmills where the river is known as the Puddocky Burn , Bonnington and Leith. These mills, along with sewage which entered the river, brought significant pollution, a problem which persisted into the 20th century. The Water of Leith runs through steep post-glacial gorges at Colinton , Craiglockhart and Dean , which cut through sedimentary rocks of Lower Carboniferous age. The Water of Leith walkway was first recognised for its amenity value in , but was not formally instituted until Today, it forms a picturesque and tranquil route for 13 miles 21 km through the city. The river has been historically managed by a group of Honorary Bailiffs, who can trace their origins back to , although an active role has been taken by the Water of Leith Conservation Trust since its formation in Fishing is permitted by freely-available permits, and the river is stocked annually with brown trout by the City of Edinburgh Council. These are genetically-modified to ensure they do not interbreed with native fish. If you have found this information useful please consider making a donation to help maintain and improve this resource. More info Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry.

Dean Village was the centre of the flour milling industry as early as Contents move to sidebar hide.

Flowing for around twenty-four miles from its source in the Pentland Hills, the river winds its way through the heart of our capital to its outflow into the Firth of Forth at Leith. Today the river is home to a wide diversity of plants and animals from wild garlic and orchids to brown trout, heron, kingfisher and otter, and can be explored on foot or bike along the thirteen mile Water of Leith Walkway. For detailed information about the river, its catchment, uses, water quality and quantity, habitat and species, access and recreation, heritage, landscape and geodiversity, you can view The Water of Leith Management Plan The Water of Leith Conservation Trust works to conserve and enhance the river, its heritage and wildlife: The Trust promotes education and recreation through the Visitor Centre, and works with volunteers and community groups to deliver around river clean-ups and habitat improvement tasks annually. Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram. Join Donate Contact.

Unlike many ancient cities, Edinburgh was built without many of the essential features which help to sustain substantial populations. The city lies too far inland to have a natural port of its own, on too mountainous a landscape to provide land for grazing animals or planting crops, and wasn't on any major waterway to provide access for industry or shipping. But many of these features lay just beyond the bounds of the original city. The port of Leith, at one time the busiest port in Scotland, developed as a separate town, and was only formally incorporated into Edinburgh in the 20th century. Farmland to the south, east and west sustained agricultural communities who came to Edinburgh to trade their goods and produce.

Water of leith facts

Meandering through the heart of the city, this winding river offers scenic walks on footpaths that are suitable for all abilities and ages. The entire Water of Leith walkway is 12 miles in length so if you want to follow the entire route you might consider using a bicycle, but walking on foot in stages is the best way to experience it in my opinion. You can even download audio tracks onto your phone to learn about the river as you follow it: Water of Leith Audio Trail. Munching a sandwich while sitting on the riverside is much nicer than heading back into the city for an overpriced greasy burger.

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Read Edit View history. Join Donate Contact. Before the construction of an artificial harbour, the tidal mouth of the river allowed ships to pass through, creating a flourishing shipping port for timber, wine and, of course, whisky. Lovely river walk If you have enough time and want to discover a different part of Edinburgh , we recommend this peaceful river walk. Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry. River in Dunedin, New Zealand. As well as those neighbourhoods, you can stop off at various other locations along the Water of Leith. Read Edit View history. The walkway The Water of Leith walkway is ideal for families, couples and groups of friends that want to get away from the city and go for a walk surrounded by a lush vegetation. Upper reaches of the Water of Leith, Woodhaugh, Dunedin. The gentle waterway flowers for about ten miles before reaching the outskirts of Edinburgh in the southwest. These mills, along with sewage which entered the river, brought significant pollution, a problem which persisted into the 20th century.

The Water of Leith walkway is ideal for families, couples and groups of friends that want to get away from the city and go for a walk surrounded by a lush vegetation. During the scenic walk on the river bank you can see swans, ducks and herons and up to 80 other varieties of birds.

For centuries, the Water of Leith was necessary in keeping life afloat in Edinburgh. ISBN Close to this confluence, the remains can be seen of watermills which were used at Woodhaugh, which—though now a sleepy suburb—was once the industrial heart of the city. Legacy Giving. Toggle limited content width. Open season from April to September. While the port was useful for shipping, shipbuilding and even whaling, this industrialisation took a toll on the river. Notable bird species resident on the river include: kingfisher, dipper, grey wagtail, heron, cormorant, goosander, swan and moorhen. The river flows on past Stockbridge , Inverleith , Canonmills and Warriston where it passes through shallows at a place known as Puddocky which is commonly thought to refer to "puddocks", the Scots language term for frogs, [6] but actually took its name from the former Paddock Hall sited nearby. This article needs additional citations for verification. Today the river is home to a wide diversity of plants and animals from wild garlic and orchids to brown trout, heron, kingfisher and otter, and can be explored on foot or bike along the thirteen mile Water of Leith Walkway.