Friends of Corstorphine Hill

Edinburgh, Scotland

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Programme of Events

The current programme of events includes the following listed below. (Previous years programmes of walks and talks are available at this archive page link).

Opening times for the Walled Garden.

Opening times for the Tower, affording fabulous views of Corstorphine Hill and environs.

Summer 2009 programme of guided walks on Corstorphine Hill.

Winter 2009/2010 programme of evening talks in the 'Best Western Capital Hotel' on Clermiston Road.

Self-guided walks around features of interest on Corstorphine Hill (Local Nature Reserve).

Open Day - 10th Anniversary, 2009

Celebration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Friends of Corstorphine Hill, in the 'Walled Garden', on Saturday 8th August between 2.00pm - 4.00pm. Please come and join us in the entertainment which we are providing and everyone is welcome. There will be barbershop choir singing, pipe music and a tombola stand. In addition, we hope to have pony rides for the children. There will be trips to the Corstorphine Tower for anyone who would like to see the marvellous views from the top. We also plan to lay on a guided flower and tree walk to point out some of the interesting plants growing on the Hill.

Summer programme of guided walks, year 2009

The walks take about two hours and anyone interested should turn up on the day to join in.

'Birds' Guided Walk. Saturday 2rd May. A bird walk lead by Keith Donnelly. Meet at Clermiston Road North car park at 10.00am. Binoculars will be useful but not essential.
'Natives, Naturlised and Nasties' Guided Walk. Sunday 24th May. Botanist Brian Moffat will lead a walk introducing the great variety of plants on the Hill. Meet in the Walled Garden at 2pm.
'Medicinal Plants' Guided Walk. Sunday 21st June. Local herbalist Sarah Clarkson will lead a walk looking at the many useful herbs which grow on the Hill. This is part of National Herbal Medicine week. Meet in the Walled Garden at 2pm.
'Badger Watch' Guided Walk. Tuesday 7th July. Led by Edinburgh and Lothians Badger Group, starting at 7.30 pm in the evening. Numbers are restricted and participants must follow certain guidelines so attendance is by booking only.
'Story Tellling' in the Walled Garden. Sunday 19th July. Kirsty Straughan will lead a storytelling session on themes related to the Hill. The stories are aimed at 4 - 8 year olds, and their parents, of course. Meet in the Walled Garden at 2pm. This event is proving very popular so please phone
about the stories and the availability.
'Butterflies, Bees and Other Beasties' Guided Walk. Sunday 9th Augusty. Led by Gordon Swann. Meet at the Walled Garden at 2pm. Nets and bug bottles provided, children, young and old, especially welcome.
Due to popular demand another badger watch has been organised. 'Badger Watch' Guided Walk. Tuesday 25th August. Led by Edinburgh and Lothians Badger Group, starting at 7.30 pm in the evening. Numbers are restricted and participants must follow certain guidelines so attendance is by booking only.
'Fungal Foray' Guided Walk. Sunday 20th September. Led by David Adamson. Start at the Kaimes/Cairnmuir Road car park at 2pm. An example of what you might find can be seen in this photo of an Earth Star fungus.

Winter programme of evening talks, year 2009/2010

The venue for the talks is the Best Western Capital Hotel on Clermiston Road. As usual the talks are free and start at 7.30 pm.

History of Cramond, by Doris Duncanson: Tuesday 27th October, 2009.

Visit to Beechwood House, at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital: Monday 9th November, 2009.
Please note that this is at the Spire Hospital at 6.30pm and NOT the Capital Hotel at 7.30pm as are most of the evening meeings. Numbers are limited therefore those wishing to attend must book places.

Houses of Corstorphine Hill, by Alison Mackintosh: Wednesday 24th February, 2010.

Medicinal Herbs, by Sarah Clarkson: Tuesday 23rd March, 2010.
Talk on Medicinal Herbs and where to find them, by Sarah Clarkson, local herbalist.
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Walled Garden opening

The walled garden is open every day. A team of volunteers open up in the morning and lock up at night in order to minimise any vandalism and generally keep a eye on the garden. The work teams open on a Tuesday and close on a Thursday since they are there anyway. Therefore the garden is open from 11.00 am till 4.00 pm as a core time. In fact it is open for much longer hours especially in the summer, depending on how it fits in for the volunteers.

Tower opening

The plan is to open the Tower on Sundays at fortnightly intervals throughout the summer. Opening times for the year 2009 are 2.00pm - 4.00pm, May through till September. In addition, as part of the Edinburgh Homecoming Week, the Friends will open the Tower for the same two hours on Monday 29 June, Wednesday 1 July and Saturday 4 July.

Sunday 10th May
Sunday 24th May

Sunday 7th June
Sunday 21nd June
Monday 29th June (Homecoming Week)

Wednesday 1st July (Homecoming Week)
Saturday 4th July (Homecoming Week)
Sunday 5th July
Sunday 19th July

Sunday 2rd August
Sunday 16th August
Sunday 30th August

Sunday 13th September
Sunday 27th September (Doors Open weekend)

For anyone wanting to know more about the Tower opening or offering to help, contact a committee member or email friends@corstorphinehill.org.uk.