A grey but dry day for us and still surprisingly warm. Today we parked up just over Cramond Bridge and set off following the John Muir way to find the sea. After a mile or so we left the John Muir Way and followed a track down to the sea, which brought us out across the river from Cramond and opposite Cramond Island, unfortunately though Drum Sands has turned out to be Drum Muds!

Though luckily for us there are a string of mostly sandy beaches above the muddy tide mark the first being Snab Point Bay.

Completely deserted which is what I had hoped (having carefully selected this stretch of shoreline as hopefully being too far off the beaten track for Sunday afternoon strollers!) so Poppydog enjoyed her freedom and was soon suitably lagged in mud!

But hey ho a happy Hound makes for a happy walk and I’m sure we will find somewhere clean for her to have a dunk. Next bay along was the lovely long sandy strip of Long Green Bay, backed by Dalmeny Park and it’s golf course.

At the end of Long Green we had to join the path for a short while

as we passed in front of Dalmeny House and behind the more hidden Barnbougle Castle, both still the private residences of the 7th Earl of Rosebery.

We then rejoined the beach at The Warrens (actually I am making the names of all the beaches up according to what is nearby!).

At the far end of this beach is Hound Point and our first proper look at the Forth Bridge – what a spectacular sight?

Around the corner is Peatdraught Bay a pretty sandy bay without the mud!

Back on the lead for a now cleanish but sandy Poppydog as we complete this 8 mile circuit on the John Muir Way through the Dalmeny Estate – very nice too!

Two thoughts of the day:

Our days here are punctuated by the sight and sound of aircraft leaving and arriving at Edinburgh Airport – just how do they fly?

I think we might just pop up for a closer look at these fabulous bridges whilst we are here.