Water of Leith

If you fancy getting outdoors while sightseeing in Edinburgh, the Water of Leith is ideal: a great way to relax and enjoy nature while you discover some of the city’s hidden gems, away from the busy centre. Its prettiest stretch, in Dean Village, is the final stop on our free New Town and Dean Village walking tour.

Walk or cycle along the Water of Leith

If you want to go for a walk or a bike ride in Edinburgh, the Water of Leith is a great choice. It is Edinburgh’s main river, rising in the Pentland Hills, crossing the north of the city and flowing into the Firth of Forth at Leith.

The walkway is almost 20 km long, almost always right by the river, with space for both walkers and cyclists.

Less than a kilometre of the route runs beside a road; for most of it, you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of nature, even though you are crossing a large part of Edinburgh, and you can leave the path at any time.

And although this is an urban stretch of river, you’ll see that the water is very clean.

A route full of places to see

The stretch closest to the city centre, and probably one of the most beautiful, is the one passing through Dean Village.

This lovely residential area was once a medieval village of watermills along the Water of Leith, and is one of the most photogenic places in Edinburgh. Nearby is St Bernard’s Well, a spring whose water was thought to have healing properties.

Along the walkway you’ll find many well-signposted exits to the city, leading to all kinds of sights. The highlights include the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One and Modern Two), the Royal Botanic Garden and the neighbourhoods of Stockbridge and Leith.

Between Balerno and Slateford, the walkway follows an old railway line, where you can still see old signals and other remains of the railway.

If you’d like to explore some of the most beautiful areas on the Water of Leith with a local guide, join our Free Dean Village & New Town Tour. It starts on the Royal Mile and crosses the elegant New Town to Dean Village, one of the prettiest spots on the river. From there, you can continue your walk along the river to Stockbridge and Leith.

A great reward at the end

At the end of the walkway, where the river meets the sea, you’ll reach The Shore, the old harbour of Leith, where you can enjoy some of the best restaurants in Edinburgh.

From The Shore, it’s a short walk to Ocean Terminal, the shopping and leisure centre where you can visit the Royal Yacht Britannia, one of Edinburgh’s top attractions.

A shorter alternative

If you don’t have the time or energy for the whole route, a great alternative is the stretch between Dean Village and Leith, about a quarter of the total, which you can walk comfortably in just over an hour.