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 Walled Garden.

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

• Summer 2010 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).

Summer programme of guided walks, year 2010

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

• 'Birds' Guided Walk. Saturday 15th May. A bird walk lead by Keith Donnelly and Martin Craven. Meet at Clermiston Road North car park at 10.00am. Binoculars will be useful but not essential. 
• 'Natives, Naturlised and Nasties II' Guided Walk. Sunday 13th June. Botanist Brian Moffat will lead a walk introducing the great variety of plants on the Hill. Meet in the Walled Garden at 2pm. 
• Storytelling for Children in the Walled Garden. Sunday 4th July. Kirsty Straughan will lead a storytelling session for children aged 4-8 on themes related to the Hill. Children must be accompanied by a parent or carer. Meet at 1.15pm in the Walled Garden. 
• Butterflies, Bees and other Beasties Guided Walk. Sunday 18th July. Gordon Swann will lead a hunt, with nets etc. for the smaller inhabitants of the Hill. Nets and Bug Bottles provided. Children, old and young, especially those good at
  catching things especially welcome. Meet at the Walled Garden at 2pm.
• Herbs and Medicinal Plants on Corstorphine Hill. Sunday 22nd August. Local Herbalist, Sarah Clarkson, will lead a walk to show you the useful plants which
  grow on the Hill. Meet in the Walled Garden at 2 pm.
• Fungus Foray Guided Walk. Sunday 19th September. David Adamson will lead another of his very popular searches for interesting fungi on the Hill. Meet at the Kaimes/Cairnmuir Road car Park at 2pm.

• Badger Guided Watch. Wednesday 11th August.  Starts at 7.30 pm. 
• Cramond Island Guided Walk. Monday 16th August. Starts at 3pm, led by a CEC Ranger.

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.

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 Friends are pleased to announce that for the year 2010 the Tower will be opened by our volunteers for viewing every Sunday afternoon from 2pm - 4pm throughout the summer; starting on Sunday 2nd May, until Sunday 26th September. Open Doors Days which attracted over 200 people to visit the Tower last year will be on September 25th and 26th this year.

• START DATE: Sunday 2nd May
• at weekly intervals until...
• FINISH DATE: Sunday 26th 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.