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 2011 programme of guided walks on Corstorphine Hill.

• Winter 2010/2011 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 2011

These informal walks are suitable for all ages and are designed to introduce the varied plant and animal life of the Hill to local people. The walks take about two hours and anyone interested should turn up on the day to join in.  

• 'Bird Walk and Watch' Guided Walk. Saturday 7th 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, Naturalised and Nasties part 3!’ Guided walk. Sunday 29th May. Local Botanist and FoCH committee member, Brian Moffat will lead a walk showing the great variety of common and uncommon plants on the Hill, starting at 2pm, in the Walled garden.
• Storytelling for Children in the Walled Garden. Sunday 3rd July. Kirsty Straughan invites children aged 4-8 years old and their parents to come and hear the story of the walled garden, take part in a bug search and plant some wildflowers. Meet in the Walled Garden at 1:15pm.
• ‘Butterflies, Bees, and other Beasties’ Guided Walk. Sunday 7th August. 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.
• ‘Fungus Foray’ Guided Walk. Sunday 2nd October. 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.

Winter programme of evening talks, year 2011/2012

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.

• The Union Canal, Past and Present, by a member of the Linlithgow Union Canal Society: Wednesday 9th November, 2011.  

• Edinburgh OPld and New, by Andrew Broom, Corstorphine Trust: Tuesday  28th February, 2012. 

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 2011 the Tower will be opened by our volunteers for viewing every Sunday afternoon from 2pm - 4pm throughout the summer; starting on Sunday 1st May, until Sunday 25th September. 

• START DATE: Sunday 1st May
• at weekly intervals until...
• FINISH DATE: Sunday 25th September
• and also on Saturday of the Edinburgh Open Doors Day

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