Before a commitment in Edinburgh I took the chance to have a short walk in Holyrood Park along the former track of the Innocent Railway.  The railway line closed in 1968 and this section reopened in 1981 as a cycle and pedestrian path and it is now part of the John Muir Way passing below the steep columnar basalt rocks of Samson’s Ribs. In the distance can be seen the entrance to the 518m long tunnel which was the first railway tunnel in the UK. Before 1845 trains were winched by cable drawn by horse and stationary steam engines up the St Leonard's Inclined Plane.     

Despite being only about three kilometres from Edinburgh city centre it seemed to be in the depths of the countryside with the sounds of many birds including pheasants and the sight of deer in a nearby field. (extra)