The Water of Leith walk from Stockbridge to Leith

A walk · Edinburgh

The Water of Leith – Stockbridge to the Shore by the River

About 3.5 miles on foot.

The Water of Leith leaves Stockbridge under the trees and comes out, three and a half miles later, at the quays of the Shore in Leith.

In between it's a quiet green way through the north of Edinburgh, on a level path shared with bikes, with Antony Gormley's standing figures in the river as you go. It's an easy walk of about an hour and twenty minutes, one way, with a tram to bring you back.

Time: About an hour and twenty minutes one way: about 3.5 miles (5.6 km), level.
The path: A level made path, suitable for cycling and partly accessible by wheelchair.
When to go: All year in daylight. The bakery is shut on Mondays. From November to January set off by 1pm.
Dogs: Under close control: the path is shared with cyclists.
Children: Level and easy; the path runs beside the river and bikes use it.
Before you set out: The footbridge that links the walkway to St Mark's Park at Powderhall is closed. The walkway itself is open.

The walk

The walk begins in Stockbridge, where the Water of Leith Walkway heads downstream from the main street. Stockbridge is about half an hour on foot from Waverley, downhill through the New Town, or a short bus ride from the city centre. From here the Water of Leith Conservation Trust gives about 3.5 miles and an hour and twenty minutes to Leith. The path is level and well signposted, and it's shared with cyclists, so keep to one side and keep dogs close.

Three of the six figures of Antony Gormley's 6 Times stand in the river on this stretch, at Stockbridge, Powderhall and Bonnington. The last of the six looks out to sea from the end of an old pier in Leith Docks. Lower down is Coalie Park in Leith, a riverside park that reopened in 2024 with new paths and a space for skaters. The Trust says the walkway itself is open all the way.

The footbridge that links it to St Mark's Park at Powderhall is still closed, so don't plan to join or leave the path by that bridge. From November to January, set off by 1pm.

If it rains

The path is level and hard, so a shower does no harm. After a storm or heavy rain, look at the Trust's walkway page for closures before setting out.

Along the way

1 hr 10 min on foot
The Pastry Section, Leith
Coffee and cake
The Pastry Section's Leith bakehouse is at 143 Great Junction Street, on the corner of Bonnington Road, about 70 minutes' walk from Stockbridge by the river. Everything is baked there from scratch, and brownies, cinnamon buns and lemon meringue tarts are usually to be had. It's open from Tuesday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, and at weekends from 9am to 4pm, and it's shut on Mondays. If it's closed, Teuchters Landing on Dock Place, by the Shore, serves food until 9pm. The Shore, where the river meets the docks, is 8 minutes further on, and The Shore tram stop is 5 minutes beyond that, for the tram back to Princes Street and St Andrew Square. Check the times before you go.