Sustrans x OS: Edinburgh Cycling Guidebook

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OS Guidebook Route Reviews

Kris Mackenzie

Sustrans x OS: Edinburgh Cycling Guidebook

By Kris Mackenzie

Published on July 14, 2025

10 min read

Product Testing in my home city of Edinburgh!

Like all product managers it is nice to go out and test the products you have created and worked on. In May, it was a pleasure to launch two cycling guidebooks in collaboration with Sustrans. Sustrans is a cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network. We launched Cycling Edinburgh and Cycling London which contain 10 fantastic family rides for both capital cities.

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Each route contains information for along the ride, nearby attractions, and family activities. Although the guides have a family perspective to them, they are also ideal for tourists and visitors. The routes take in many sights from across each city. One wonderful thing about the guides is that each route has QR code which scans through to each route in the OS Maps App. I love the combination of physical and digital products to help ensure you always know where you are and where you need to be going.

The reason Sustrans and OS teamed up together is because we both understand the importance of getting outside and enjoying time in the fresh air. Cycling is fantastic way to create memories, and to lead a happier and healthier life.

Both guides were written and ridden by Richard Peace (Cycling Journalist and Author). Now it is time for me to go out and test some of my local routes in Edinburgh out!

Testing two routes from the Cycling Edinburgh Guide!

As I mentioned above its important for me as a product manager to go out and test the products that I help produce and commission.

The night before heading out I sat down and selected 2 routes that I wanted to cycle the next day. Selecting two routes from my home city was going to be a hard job! I know some parts of the city well and other parts less so. And being Edinburgh our town centre is steeped in history and many green spaces. You have the old town like the Royal Mile which starts at castle and takes you down to the Scottish Parliament and the Holyrood Park and Place. Or green spaces like the Meadows and the Botanic Gardens and water ways like the Union Canal, Water of Leith, and River Esk. And you can even go take in the sea air at Cramond and Portobello. The options for endless…

Quick stop for a selfie on the Bilston Glen Viaduct

Time for me to share the routes I picked to test out and why and share some of my highlights from each route…

Route 1: Cycling from Craigmillar Castle to Rosslyn Chapel

The 1st route I picked to cycle was from Craigmillar Castle to Rosslyn Chapel. Two reasons I picked this route, the 1st reason being I have never visited Craigmillar Castle or Rosslyn Chapel and the 2nd reason being the route of 87% traffic free (with most of the route being on wide smooth cycle Paths. I love getting away from road traffic.

This route in the book is on page 62 Craigmillar Castle to Rosslyn Chapel (Ride 09). I live in the Southwest of Edinburgh, so I got on the train to Edinburgh Waverley and then I decided to cycle through Holyrood Park to Craigmillar Castle to the start of the route. Holyrood Park is another route in our Cycling Edinburgh guide. Before cycling to Craigmillar Castle I did manage to stop at one of my favourite pitstops close to Waverley Station for a Cinnamon Roll and a coffee (Room Rumours Coffee on East Market Street).

Craigmillar Castle sits to the Southeast of Edinburgh on a low hill with views over to Arthurs Seat in Holyrood Park. The castle is famous for its association with the Mary Queen of Scots. Please note that you must pay to get into the Craigmillar Castle, enter times differ over the summer/winter months. Please check here: Craigmillar Castle.

The route then curves around the back of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, and you hit Danderhall with some road sections and then onto Loanhead Cycle Path. This cycle path then takes you all the way to Rosslyn Glen through the green belt of Edinburgh.

The Bilston Glen Viaduct offers some splendid views over the Esk Valley and surrounding areas. Now onto cycling towards Roslin and Rosslyn Chapel.

Rosslyn Chapel has bike rail at the bottom of the car park close to the attractions ticket entrance building. You do have to pay to enter Rosslyn Chapel, but it was worth it, the Chapel inside is incredible from its ornate stonework to its amazing stain glass windows. Please note that no photography is allowed inside, I did snap away outside. Rosslyn Chapel is famous as it features in the film the Da Vinci Code featuring Tom Hanks. As I visited the chapel on a glorious day, I did take 10 mins to soak up the sun and admire the stonework from a bench outside the chapel.

Time to get back on the bike, it was a nice simple return journey back along the Loanhead Cycle Path to Shawfair railway station. I have to say it was nice finish to get off the bike and get the train back into town. I also think you could get the train too Shawfair railway station to start the route, but you would have to cycle up to Craigmillar Castle via Danderhall, but it can be easily done. Just an alternative method.

While on the train back into Edinburgh Waverly, I thought what a lovely route which hardly uses any roads, making the journey 87% traffic free and taking in some of the cities history spots that I had never visited before.

Route 2: Cycling from Fountainbridge to Balerno

The 2nd route I picked is on page 44 Union Canal & Water of Leith – Fountainbridge to Balerno (Ride 06). I picked this route as it passes through Colinton Village, which is the area I grew up in, so I have a connection to the area that this route passes through. The Colinton Tunnel Mural is beautiful, Work on the mural started in April 2019 with interruptions from the COVID pandemic meant the mural was not completed until the summer of 2021. The art team was led by Chris Rutterford and was commissioned by The Colinton Tunnel, a charity organisation. The tunnel is now Scotland’s largest historical mural.

After arriving back at Waverley Station, I grabbed some lunch from Marks and Spencer’s and chucked the items into my rucksack. As I knew the very spot, I was going to have my lunch at on route. I departed Waverley Station and cycled along Princess Street and up Lothian Road towards Fountainbridge to start my next route. The route starts at the canal with some obvious bronze swan statues. You take right as your facing the canal and continue along the canal towpath, you will go past various canal boats moored up. All the canal boats are vastly different looking and some having bright and colourful designs. Next was my lunch spot on the canal at Harrison Park. I found an empty bench, an ideal spot to eat my lunch and take in the canal and the wildlife.

Then next section you continue along the canal towpath, you can detour off the canal if you want to visit the Water of Leith Visitor and if want to look up to impressive views of the Slateford Aqueduct (I would personally do this). It is an impressive bit of engineering, and the Water of Leith Visitor Centre is free to enter and does have a community café for pitstop if you are hungry or want a drink. I did not as I just has my lunch. The route takes you over the Aqueduct, please dismount your bike as the path is narrow and there is two-way traffic).

Shortly after the Aqueduct the main route takes you over up a ramp and over a bridge over the canal (this is the 1st bridge after the Aqueduct) then you cross a 2nd bridge over a main road (called Lanark Road). This takes you into Colinton & Craiglockhart Dells which immediately makes you feel like you are away from the city with all its greenery. You follow the route and then you hit the Colinton Tunnel Mural, take some time, and get off your bike to absorb some of fantastic artwork. If you want to find a bit about Robert Louis Stevenson (a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet, and travel writer), you can detour off the route to Colinton Kirkyard to find out more about his connection with the area. This is marked on the map in the guide.

After Colinton Tunnel, the journey nice leisurely following the Water of Leith to Balerno, if you keep your eyes peeled along this section of water. There have been many sittings of otters in recent years. Located at the end of the route is Malleny House and Gardens which is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is free to walk around but donations are welcomed for the upkeep of the house and gardens. Its lovely spot-on beautiful day to have quite moment and reflect while taking in the gardens.

As I live locally, I arranged my wife to come pick me up from the end point of the route. The easiest way to get back into town is either by cycling back the way you came (if you do not mind adding more miles onto the route) or getting the train from Curriehill railway station, which Richard the author recommends. It is only about a 20-minute cycle too. I loved cycling this route as much of it was traffic free again avoiding public roads with cars etc. Its 84% traffic free, not as much as ride 09 – Craigmillar Castle to Rosslyn Chapel.

Overall thoughts and feelings…

After completing both routes, I was a real fan of the format of the guidebooks and Richard the author’s instructions were clear to follow. The mapping was nice and simple and not overloaded with extra information, if you want to access our premium mapping you can pay for access via the OS Maps App to access our 1:25K and 1:50K data sets.

The QR code links to the routes via the OS Maps App means I just attached my phone to my handlebars and followed the route; I did stop and check the physical guide regularly as you do get really clear route instructions and other information about things you will see on the route etc.

Overall, I think Sustrans, OS and Richard (the author) have produced a nice format of guidebook. I would highly recommend buying a copy if you live in Edinburgh or London or planning a visit to either city. What a terrific way to explore each city on two wheels.

I think purchasing a guidebook book and exploring is a great way too save money over the school holidays, entry prices too tourist attractions can mount up in terms of cost. One bit of advice, remember a bike lock, there are plenty of places in Edinburgh for great lunch and coffee pitstops. You are not always able to just place your bike close to the door and just keep an eye on it! Not worth the risk.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my day out product testing and this may inspire a bike trip to Edinburgh or London!

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We are with you every step of the way. Shop our trusted walking and hiking maps and guidebooks so you can explore the outdoors with confidence.

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By Kris Mackenzie

I am a product manager here at Ordnance Survey and I look after everything book related in our physical products team. In my spare time you will find me off spending time outdoors local to home in Edinburgh or somewhere further afield in the Great Britain. I am keen hillwalker, runner, climber & mountain biker, and I am trying to work my way through ticking my Munro’s off in Scotland. In good weather windows you will see me heading off in camper with my wife and dog – Rocky (a German Short Haired Pointer), in search of an outdoor adventure.
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