Staycation Day 3: Braid Hills

Today has been a perfect autumn day, sunny, still and mild with a bit of a chill in the air. We took a walk through the Liberton Fields up to the Braid Hills.

There are lovely views across the Liberton fields to the University buildings with Arthurs Seat in the background

There were several skylarks flying about, though too speedy to be captured on camera. Some of them were even singing, which seems rather late in the season. There are often about 5 pairs of these lovely farmland birds nesting in these fields every year, which is great as they are declining across the UK.

There were also large numbers of rooks and woodpigeons flying round and foraging in the fields neat the Liberton Tower

We said hello to the sheep and goats at the top of the hill

then carried on over the road to the path that passes round the Braid Hill Golf Course and up into the hills the photo below shows the views across to the Pentland Hills to the south of Edinburgh.

 From the top of the hill

there are wonderful views across Edinburgh

and again across to Arthurs Seat

We also had wonderful views of a sparrowhawk as it soared above us

Again there were plenty of smaller birds around too including bullfinches

and a tiny goldcrest

Such a lovely walk, we should do it more often!