Roy's Portobello Stroll

ROUTE: A 2.6-km clockwise circuit.

• On leaving the Beach House café turn right along the promenade. The Portobello pleasure pier (opened May 1871, demolished 1917) was situated here [Locality 1: see highlights].
• In 50m, beside Straiton Place Park turn right up a narrow path. At its end turn right and immediately left into Regent Street with its Georgian villas and bungalows [2].
• On arriving at the main road [3] cross at the pedestrian lights on your left. Continue left for a couple of paces before turning right into Winsor Place.
• At the far end follow as Winsor Place turns right. After a dozen paces find a gap in the railings to join the Christian Path [4].
• Follow the path to the right to finally exit, beneath a huge electricity pylon, at Brighton Place.
• Go right, cross at the small pedestrian island, continue right and in 40 m turn left into West Brighton Crescent. Admire the Georgian houses [5].
• Take the first gate into Rosefield Park [6]. Follow the path along its right-hand edge to exit at the gates into Rosefield Place. Follow this left to the far end where a pedestrian bridge transports you across the Figgate Burn [6].
• Turn right between the rows of workers’ cottages in Adelphi Place [6]. Bear right to emerge in due course at the High Street.
• Go right, along the High Street (passing pedestrian lights), as far as the Beauty Saloon at number 99 [7]. 99 is part of Britain’s lost Seaside Heritage, being the home of the ‘99 ice-cream’. Return to the pedestrian lights. Pause before crossing to observe the former home of Hugh Millar - the two-storey building (behind the projecting shop fronts directly opposite).
• Walk west, towards to Edinburgh, in 100m turn right down Bridge Street. Almost immediately, on the left, a blue plaque adorns the cottage where Sir Harry Lauder was born [8]. A few paces on, gaze left across the burn to the site of the former baths [9]. Our route, however, goes to the right along Bridges Street. Lane for 30m where on the left we enter the new housing scheme of Brickfield.
• At trees go right a few paces and then left along an alleyway. In a further 60m go left for a few paces and then right. Keep straight ahead now, still following an alley, to exit at Harbour Place with the old brick kilns [10] directly ahead.
• Walk around the kilns. A broad alley leads through housing and down steps to the Promenade.
• Turn right and follow the prom. back to the starting point, noting the tower [11] at Beach Lane.

Further notes, highlights and background information at:
https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/roythompson/home/edinburgh-walks/

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