A Seagull Trust Union Canal Cruise East from Ratho Part 1, Bridge 15 to Bridge 13 Our cruise starts from the Seagull Trust Cruises Centre on the Union Canal at Ratho. Because our barges usually berth pointing westward, and we are going to travel east, our cruise starts with our barge reversing under the Ratho canal bridge 15 (bridges are numbered from Edinburgh). We reverse past the Bridge Inn. Their restaurant barges are usually berthed here. You can just see them in the first picture. This reverse is a slow process since barges don't steer easily in reverse. Once through Bridge 15, we are in the Ratho canal basin where there is space to turn the barge. The vacant land off to the left in this picture is the site of the former Ratho gas works. In the days of gas lighting, every village had its gas works manufacturing gas from coal. On the north side of the basin by the tow-path there is a picnic area. A sculpture shows a canal barge being towed by a horse. The tow-path is part of a national cycle path. It is also popular with walkers. 1
Passing the eastern side of Ratho, the south bank of the canal is devoted to permanently berthed barges. People live on some of them. Houses here are part of the 1970's East Croft and West Croft development. On the south side of the canal we see a pair of marker stones. The smaller is distance marker, 8 miles to Edinburgh 24½ to Falkirk. The larger is more unusual. It is a fare stage marker for passenger barges travelling from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Now we are leaving the houses behind, East Croft on the South. On the north a new development due for completion in 2014 which will include a new canal basin with upwards of 20 new moorings. 2
An ornamental seat by the tow-path shows information on canal wildlife. To the north we can see the Forth Bridges and then the control tower of Edinburgh Airport. To the south a group of houses at Ratho Park Gardens are near the eastern entrance to Ratho Park Golf Club which borders the canal south bank for the next half mile or so. This old distance marker for 25 miles to Falkirk, 7 ½ to Edinburgh is barely readable. The attractive Ashley House, which cannot be seen from the road, is beyond the tow-path. Originally called Ratho Bank, it dates from about 1779. 3
Through the trees to the south we pass Ratho Park Golf Club. The club house occupies Ratho House, a Tudor house with corner turrets built in 1824 for John Bonnar of Ratho. A previous large house stood on the site a dovecot carries the date 1713. The canal turns to the south and if we look to the east we see a vista of Edinburgh opening up. In the foreground can be seen the buildings of the Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) buildings at Roddinglaw. There are various agricultural trials conducted on land in this general area which is close to the Royal Highland show ground at Ingliston. We see a wide vista of Edinburgh from the Castle to Arthur's Seat Bridge 14 at Gogar Moor, is the first bridge East of Ratho and is a narrow bridge to facilitate sealing off a section of the canal. Gogar was the site of a medieval village. There are several standing stones and ancient hill fort sites in the area. The Global Headquarters of the Royal bank of Scotland are nearby occupying a former hospital site. 4
After passing through Bridge 14 we see Brampton Lodge to the south and then we are now in open countryside. Without realising it we cross the Gogar Burn flowing well below the canal. A sluice allows excess water to overspill from the canal into the burn. 6 ½ miles to Edinburgh and 26 miles to Falkirk and we are near the Jaw Bridge, Bridge 13 which carries a farm track. Jaw is the name of a former house to the south. The Heron on the right was around in May 2012. We saw it swallow a large fish which it had presumably caught in the canal. CONTINUES WITH PART 2 from Bridge 13 to the Edinburgh City By-pass 5