Hotels near Hermitage of Braid and Blackford Hill

Hermitage of Braid is a local nature reserve in a steep wooded valley 2.5 miles south of the city centre, with Braid Burn running its full length and Blackford Hill rising on the north side. The mixed beech, sycamore and oak turns earlier than the trees in the big city parks, and the burn mirrors the canopy in a way an open lawn cannot. Hermitage House, built in 1785, sits halfway along and serves as the visitor centre.

Blackford Hill is the payoff. At 164 metres it delivers a clean view north across the Old Town skyline with Arthur's Seat behind, and the Royal Observatory Edinburgh sits on the summit with its two green copper domes. The full loop from Braid Road up over the hill and back down the valley takes around 90 minutes at an unhurried pace.

Pro Tip: Enter from Braid Road rather than Blackford Avenue. You walk the wooded valley first and emerge onto the hilltop view at the end, which is the right order. Lothian Buses 11, 15 and 16 all stop within 10 minutes of the gate.