Water of Leith Conservation Trust

Team Two covered from Newhaven Bridge up to the Gormley statue at St Marks Park, pulling balsam, and treating Giant Hogweed and Japanese Knotweed. A co-ordinated effort with Team One to sweep a huge stretch of river in one session.

Team One on the hunt for Himalayan balsam this morning was staff from @VeoliaUK. They helped by wading from Canonmills to St Marks Park taking out some huge specimens before they had chance to seed. #inns #corporatevolunteering

A morning of balsam bashing ahead from Canonmills to Redbraes #inns @Edinburgh_CC

A hive of activity around Bell's Mills today with groups pulling balsam, refreshing the sink drain and dead hedges, scything and raking the meadow, trimming back vegetation from paths, cleaning graffiti, and enjoying the sunshine. Fab help from Blackrock too! Thanks everyone! 🌞

Sit back, relax and enjoy the view 🌊 The Sandy Irvine Robertson statue sits on a bench on the Leith waterfront, gazing out across the shore. Sandy Irvine Robertson was a wine merchant and founder of the Scottish Business Achievements Awards Trust. The bench was installed in 1999, with a plaque reading ''Sandy Irvine Robertson O.B.E. 11th August 1942 - 20th June 1999, commissioned by his friends , sculpted by Lucy Poett"

Our monthly volunteers were out this morning making a difference at Roseburn/Murrayfield. Walkway trimmed. Area cleared of rubbish Himalayan balsam destroyed on the river banks. Tea break in the 🌞 ☀️ @Edinburgh_CC

Saw a pile of Goosander kids with their mum at lunchtime on Water of Leith, Edinburgh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Scotland  #Birds

Preseason kicked off this morning for the @BroughtonRugby ladies team as they used the walkway for their annual prosecco run. Starting at our visitor centre they did refreshment stops along the way to stay hydrated and reached Leith in time for the internationals.

Precarious birds nest is precarious 😶 Water of Leith, Edinburgh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #BirdsSeenIn2026 #Scotland  #Birds #Moorhen

Three years ago we installed two @BiomatrixWater platforms around Coalie Park in the river, providing river habitat where there was none. They look fantastic this year

Leith

Out along the Water of Leith with a new walking group. The new walkers have significant health problems but I feel sure we can help them. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful gardens at Saughton.

A warm but productive session at Colinton Tunnel today with a dry-land team trimming back to expose the mill stones at Spylaw and to improve access on the stairs down to Redhall weir, clearing drains and sweeping the tunnel. In the river the waders blitzed a problem balsam patch.

Water of Leith

Trouble 2 task complete up by Riccarton Garden centre hunting Giant Hogweed and litter picking. Hundreds of plants dug or sprayed, we even found a dishwasher and tractor tyre along the way.

Trouble 1 task complete up above Balerno on the Larchgrove estate bashing Himalayan balsam. Approx 600 plants pulled to stop this invasive species getting chance to seed further down the river @edinburgh_cc #INNS

Double trouble for invasive species on the river and Murrayburn tributary this morning. Sophie is up at Riccarton hunting for Giant Hogweed, whilst Johnny is at Balerno pulling Himalayan balsam. #inns

A full morning of activity for our volunteers down at Bells today. Himalayan Balsam pulling Meadow scything Walkway maintenance Litter picking Giant Hogweed digging Amazing the difference trained and resourced volunteers can make. @Edinburgh_CC @walkingscotland

Some of the creatures that I spotted, on the Water of Leith, whilst walking down to Leith this morning! #waterofleith #urbanwildlife #edinburgh #goosander #swancygnets #browntrout #mallard

This is the beautiful St.Bernard's Bridge spanning the Water of Leith at Stockbridge. Built around 1824 it was designed by architect James Milne and was constructed to give convenient access to the developing Raeburn Estate (owned by the famous Scottish portrait painter Sir Henry Raeburn). It served as a kind of processional entrance linking what is now India Place on one side to Dean Terrace on the other. At the time, the upstream Dean Bridge (by Thomas Telford) wasn’t yet finished. An early-19th-century stone structure spanning the Water of Leith, the grand Jacobean-style staircase with its ornate balustrades, pinnacles, and integrated arches add a beautiful charm to this lovely location.