A Sunny Walk through Mortonhall Estate

On Saturday, we took a bus down to Mortonhall Garden Centre to explore the woodland walks round the Mortonhall Estate.

The weather was warm and sunny, it actually felt like Summer! The woodland paths are very pretty

I was very happy when Crafty Green Boyfriend pointed out these cuckoo pints. I have often seen this plant growing, especially when it forms clumps of red berries in the Autumn, but I had never before seen the arums.

I don't really understand why I've never found these before, as they are quite obvious! Perhaps they are very ephemeral or usually hidden by the leaves? 

The walk continues along the edge of fields with lovely views of some impressive trees

Several butterflies (mostly Orange Tips and occasional Small Tortoiseshells) were flying around in the fields among the flowers that included Cuckoo Flowers (Ladies Smock)

From some of the paths there are lovely views across to the ski slopes at Hillend in the Pentlands

The walks are all part of the Mortonhall Estate. We've explored part of this estate from a different direction in previous years, but for the first time on Saturday we walked through the beautiful arboretum

There are also some Highland Cattle on the estate

and this Carrion Crow was posing most dramatically