The city section of the Union Canal meanders through the western side of Edinburgh, providing a green corridor which is often unnoticed among the streets and houses. The canal starts at Fountainbridge near the city centre, the terminus being called the Lochrin Basin. There were once canal basins across Fountainbridge too, but these were filled in during the 1920s. There are ambitious plans for creating an impressive development around the terminus of the restored canal to replace the run down old buildings that are here now. The first landmark of interest is Leamington Lift Bridge where Gilmore Park crosses the canal. It cannot lift at present, and so prevents boats from entering and leaving the basin. It was due to be fixed in the open position (blocking off the road instead of the canal) by now, but apparently some dispute with the council arose and alternative solutions to this blockage are being investigated.

The Leamington Lift Bridge, near the centre of Edinburgh

Soon Harrison Park is reached. The attractive new boat house belongs to the Edinburgh Canal Society, who use rowing boats and a small motorised trip boat on this section of the canal. Other boathouses in the area belong to various rowing clubs. There is a public slipway at the park for launching small craft, licences for which can be obtained from British Waterways.

Edinburgh Canal Society's new boathouse, Harrison Park

The most striking feature of the Edinburgh section is the eight-arched Slateford Aqueduct which carries the canal over the Water of Leith. At 500ft long, it is the second largest aqueduct in Scotland, the largest being the similar one over the River Avon near Linlithgow.

The next mile or so passes through pleasant suburbs to Kingsknowe, where the first restored blockage is reached - a new bridge 5 takes Kingsknowe Road over the canal. It replaced an old submerged culvert and opened to boat traffic in August 2001. Across Kingsknowe Road, the canal continues for a few hundred yards next to Hailes Park, formerly a quarry, to the new Dumbryden Road Bridge (5A). The original Dumbryden Road Bridge still remains on the west side.

The next mile or so of canal is one of the most remarkable sections of waterway in Scotland. "What?" you say. "It looks just like all the rest!", but that's exactly the point. A few years ago there was no canal here at all! It was buried under the ground in the 1960s when Wester Hailes was built and remained there until 1999 when work started to rebuild it and reconnect the severed Edinburgh end to the rest of the canal. The work caused huge disruption and cost a fortune, but now it's complete. Wester Hailes has a nice central water feature and for the first time in 30 years, the Union Canal fulfills its purpose of allowing boats to sail into Edinburgh.

The Leamington Lift Bridge in the city centre is still fixed closed, cutting off the terminal basin from the rest of the canal. It should be opened again very soon.