Friends of Corstorphine Hill

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

• Winter 2008/2009 programme of evening talks in the 'Best Western Capital Hotel' on Clermiston Road.
• Summer 2008 programme of guided walks on Corstorphine Hill.

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

Winter programme of evening talks, year 2008/2009

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.

• Badgers and the Badger Group, by Trish Alderson: Tuesday 18th November, 2008.
  Trish Alderson, of Edinburgh and Lothian Badger Group, will talk to us about our local badgers and the work of the badger group in studying and protecting them.
• Corstorphine Heritage Centre, pre-Christmas social evening at the Dower House: Tuesday 16th December, 2008
  The Corstorphine Heritage Centre will be holding a pre-Christmas social evening, as last year, to which all Friends, especially our many volunteer helpers, are invited. This is an opportunity to get together in the festive season and to say thank you to all the Friends who help us on the Hill, in the Garden, in the Tower, and with the Newsletter.
• Railways of West Edinburgh, by Mr William Yuill: Wednesday 11th February, 2009.
  Mr William Yuill, a local railway enthusiast will give an illustrated talk on the ‘Railways of West Edinburgh’.
• Edinburgh Tramways Project, by Mr Alf Orriel: Tuesday 10th March, 2009.
  Mr Alf Orriel, the Community Engagement Officer for the Edinburgh Tramways Project, will talk about the Project and answer your questions.

Summer programme of guided walks, year 2008

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

• 'Birds' Guided Walk. Saturday 3rd 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. The walk will follow an anticlockwise route past the tower and the main path to return to the car park. There will be an option for those so inclined to drop out at the Kaimes Road exit.
• 'Wildflowers' Guided Walk. Saturday 14th June. Introduction to the Plantlife Common Plants Survey Project by Su Cooper of Plantlife. Meet in the Walled Garden at 2pm for a briefing on the Plant Survey, then a walk at about 3pm.
• 'Butterflies, Bees and Other Beasties' Guided Walk. Sunday 27th July. Led by Gordon Swann. Meet at the Walled Garden at 2pm. We should have nets etc. to catch some beasties so bring the kids to the hunt!
• 'Trees and Woodland' Guided Walk. Sunday 17th August. David Kyles the Ranger for Corstorphine Hill will lead a walk to look at the interesting and varied trees of Corstorphine Woods and also some of the history of the woodland. Meet at the Walled Garden at 10am (walk lasting 2 hours).
• 'Fungal Foray' Guided Walk. Sunday 21st September. The ever popular Fungal Foray led as last year by David Adamson. Start at the Kaimes Road car park at 2pm.

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 (with a weekly interval for the last date in September). Opening times for the year 2008 are 2.00pm till 4.00pm, May through till September.

• Sunday 11th May
• Sunday 25th May

• Sunday 8th June
• Sunday 22nd June

• Sunday 6th July
• Sunday 20th July

• Sunday 3rd August
• Sunday 17th August
• Sunday 31st August

• Sunday 14th September
• Sunday 21st September

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