The Friends is a group of people who have joined together to help look after the Corstorphine Hill area, for the benefit of people, animals, plants and the landscape. We organise practical activities such as tidying-up and planting, improving paths and signs; we run guided walks and evening talks. Our longer-term aims include developing the old walled garden at Hillwood, and the old nursery at Beechhill, and raising funds for an education centre.

LATEST NEWS

Current newsletter: Newsletter No. 42, June 2011 (177kB pdf)

Green Flag Community Award Winners

Once again the walled garden comes up trumps, winning the Green Flag Community Award 2011, the only one in Scotland with Corstorphine Hill Local Nature Reserve also getting a Green Flag. We marked the occasion with a flag raising ceremony at the walled garden and, despite the weather being damp it was attended by between 50 and 60 people. After a few words from Councillor Paul Eadie, school children from Fox Covert School, which is an ECO School, raised the flag. Then, to the accompaniment of a piper, we filed into the garden for refreshments.

A big thank you to all who assisted in erecting the gazebos and serving the refreshments.
Winning the Green Flag Community Award is a great way for the hard work of the volunteers who tend the garden to be recognised. The garden's popularity seems to grow year on year. We had a visit from a nursery class from St George's School who said they loved coming to the garden as it was such a safe and fun environment for the children and a community group from Leith who enjoyed strolling round on a lovely sunny day. Autumn is a time of great beauty and colour in the garden, so why not come along and wander round.

Zoo News

Eddie Price and Donald Gorrie recently had a very encouraging meeting with the new top people at the Zoo – Hugh Roberts, the Chief Executive Officer and Manus Fullerton, the Chairman. Eddie and Donald reported to the Friends’ Committee that they were most encouraged by the friendly, constructive and understanding tone of the meeting.

Hugh and Manus explained how they were getting to grips with the Zoo’s problems and future plans. So far, they had no specific issues to raise, but, as they developed their ideas in detail, points might emerge on which the Zoo and the Friends would disagree. Our discussions convinced us that we would find many issues for the Friends to support what the Zoo was trying to achieve and, where there was any disagreement, it would be dealt with in a friendly and co-operative spirit. Once the Zoo has more detailed proposals to consult about, the Friends and the Zoo will discuss these. The change in atmosphere from previous meetings with the Zoo’s top brass was very marked and gave the Friends hopes for a co-operative future to benefit Corstorphine Hill, and the local community and the Zoo.

Donald Gorrie (Secretary, Friends of Corstorphine Hill)

Clerwood House

Clerwood House planning application. The planning application for three houses in the walled garden and paddock site of the General Teaching Council at Clerwood House has been refused. We will keep you updated on any further news in due course.

Autumn Report from the Countryside Ranger Service

The summer has been relatively quiet with few incidents noted during the Countryside Ranger Services regular patrols of the Hill. The usual partying hotspot by the Tower hasn’t been used to the extent it has been in previous years although a large amount of broken glass was cleared at the beginning of August. We will continue to liaise with the Community Safety Teams and local Police and engage with local schools in reducing any incidents of anti-social behaviour encountered on the Hill.

Several different groups used Corstorphine Hill over the lead up to and during the summer period. Dalry Primary School undertook their regular Forest School sessions which were very successful. Big World’s holiday club used the Hill in a sustainable manner to learn forest craft skills, for a week during August. Several volunteer groups have been assisting us with our efforts in controlling the non-native species Himalayan balsam and salmonberry – this will continue into the autumn season so please look out for posters onsite advertising such activities to get involved in.

The Ranger Service ran two very successful badger watches and encounters with foxes and owls were thrown in for added value!! We have also undertaken a programme of painting all furniture, barriers, gates and signage which will continue across the winter season. The long overdue installation (due to some technical difficulties) of our interpretation panel at Rest and Be Thankful will also occur over the next period.

The heavy rains of July and indeed August have caused some damage to some of the path network on the Hill. Inline with the Maintenance Plan, path scraping, replenishment and ditch and culvert clearance will be undertaken over the coming weeks.

As a result of continued improvements, general upkeep and promotion of Corstorphine Hill LNR, we have retained our Green Flag Award. This demonstrates year on year improvements and confirms the commitment and partnership working with other Council departments and the local community that has grown over the years. This is compounded by the Friends winning the Green Flag Community Award which I believe is still the only one in Scotland. I would like to congratulate the Friends on this award and look forward to continuing and developing our relationship for the benefit of Corstorphine Hill LNR in the future.

David Kyles (Countryside Ranger) countrysiderangers@edinburgh.gov.uk

Wedding Photos in the Walled Garden

This year we have had five couples up at the walled garden for their Wedding photographs. They have arrived in various forms of transport, from the normal ribboned cars to white Rolls Royce and even horse drawn carriage. Each couple and their families have been very impressed with the garden and always congratulate us on the lovely setting. I have one more couple this year who are coming for their photos in November, let'shope the weather is kind!

Fred Davies (Treasurer)

History Book

Corstorphine Hill - The Finest Views The Eye Can Feast On
Published 4th April 2008 by 'The Friends of Corstorphine Hill'
48pp, 15 colour illustrations, 18 black & white.
Price £5 plus postage and packing £1-50 (UK) £2-80 overseas airmail.

Copies can be obtained from Fred Davies (old fashioned contact details in Newsletter No. 31) or ordered through any member of the committee.

EVENTS UPDATE

Guided walks

A summer programme of guided walks has been arranged for the season 2011. Topics include 'Bird Walk and Watch', 'Natives, Naturalised and Nasties (part 3)', 'Storytelling for Children', ‘Butterflies, Bees and other Beasties’ and ‘Fungus Foray’. Further details can be found at this link.

Evening talks

A winter programme of evening talks has been arranged for the season 201/2012. Topics include 'The Union Canal, Past and Present' and 'Edinburgh Old and New'. Further details can be found at this link.

Tower

The Corstorphine Hill Tower will be open to visitors every Sunday afternoon 2-4 pm, from 1st May until the end of September.

Visitor numbers to the Tower continue to increase with 50 people coming on a few afternoons. There have also been some wet Sundays where only a dozen brave walkers turned up. On June 26th for the first time in years we had to close because of dangerously high winds. As we all know it has not been a great summer!Thanks to all the volunteers for another successful year.

Further details of opening times at this link.

GET INVOLVED...

Volunteers

We need volunteers - if you can join in with any of our activites, such as

committee work
giving a talk
leading a walk
newsletter delivery
newsletter production
organising talks
organising walks
taking a turn on the Tower rota
Walled Garden maintenance

please let us know ... many hands make light work ... and you will be made most welcome.

Friends membership renewal

The fee is £1 per member per year. Donations are also always very welcome! Please hand in your name(s) and fee(s) to any of the committee members. If you would like to join see the Membership page and/or use the ready to print form.

Comments, suggestions and information are welcome
Email to: friends@corstorphinehill.org.uk

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Latest update - September 2011