Colinton Tunnel Mural

Colinton is an area in South West Edinburgh. It's the part of Edinburgh in which I grew up. Today a few of us from the Community Council had a trip to see the Mural painted on the walls of the 140 metre disused railway tunnel which now forms part of the Water of Leith Walkway. One of the Tunnel trustees gave us the tour. The illustrations in the tunnel are linked to the lines of R L Stevenson's short poem "From  a Railway Carriage" *. Stevenson had a fondness for Colinton as his grandfather was the minister and R L spent holidays staying at the manse.

If you're interested in how this unique heritage mural came into being you can read about it here. Briefly, though, it has transformed a really horrible part of the walkway into something to catch everyone's eye.

After the tour we went for lunch. The whole outing was a trip down memory lane for me. I've been back to Colinton many, many times since I left home because I have family connections there. But I've not been to see the mural which was largely completed during lockdowns.

It was difficult to choose one blip as there were so many illustrations to pick. I went for this one as it shows how local children were involved in painting. I've added a couple of extras too.

It's such an achievement and an inspiration to the Community Council here.


* Faster than fairies, faster than witches,
Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches;
And charging along like troops in a battle,
All through the meadows the horses and cattle:
All of the sights of the hill and the plain
Fly as thick as driving rain;
And ever again, in the wink of an eye,
Painted stations whistle by.

Here is a child who clambers and scrambles,
All by himself and gathering brambles;
Here is a tramp who stands and gazes;
And there is the green for stringing the daisies!
Here is a cart run away in the road
Lumping along with man and load;
And here is a mill and there is a river:
Each a glimpse and gone for ever!