Duddingston magazine
Editor: Benjamin Cowdy
Publisher: EHDirect Ltd
Advertising Prices: From £60 per month
See website or ask for more info, discounts and premium pages. www.ehdirect.co.uk
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Duddingston magazine & Portobello magazine are published by EHDirect Ltd. The publishers cannot be held liable for any errors, omissions or misprints. Nor can they accept responsibility for the accuracy of claims made by the advertisers or the opinions expressed in advertisements.
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At last, May is here and, though a bit changeable, the weather for a while in April gave me enough cheer to be now looking forward to summer. With this rosier prospect come more vibrant events and our “Things to do” Feature (P10 & P11) offer some of those with the Beltane Gathering, the Edinburgh Children’s International festival, and a Kirk Garden Sale.
On another positive note, I am delighted at the response to our charity initiative, we had more responses from readers than expected and the votes have now been counted so take a look at Page 6 for the results.
My Father, who owns the Duddingston and the Portobello magazines, has now been a City Councillor for 3 years and has seen the tremendous pressure the Council is under to support local community groups, particularly those providing an effective service to the local area.
The public purse is always strained and we are happy to direct funds to relevant and respected groups. If you are inclined, I am sure they would all love to hear from you or receive
a donation of your own. We also support local Community Councils and delighted Northfield Willowbrae CC have been formally constituted for the next 3 year session but we are worried that, at the time of writing, Portobello Community Council have not received enough nominations from Members so their future is at risk. They have been a great asset to the area and I do hope for a positive outcome.
Finally, a new feature”Editorial Focus”. We have engaged a 1st year student of journalism at Napier and offered them a Full Page each month to hone their skills. This is their first submission and we are delighted to introduce Shaun McGeachan (P26). If anyone has an idea for a local topic Shaun could research and write about, please do email.
Ben Cowdy Editor
christopher@ehdirect.co.uk
We scour the internet for interesting things that you could do or see locally and list them here.
Bawsinch & Duddingston Loch Nature Reserve
Wild Woman Beltane Gathering
Sunday 4th May, 10:30-13:00
Reconnect with your authentic self, immerse in the wisdom of the forest, and share sacred space with like-hearted women as we honour truth, growth, and the fiery passion of Beltane. Awaiting you is a session of forest bathing, nature journaling with watercolours, spiritual rituals and women’s circles. More info at whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk
St Margaret’s House
Miniature Landscape Embroidery Workshop- Edinburgh Sewcial Club
Sunday 4th May, 12:30- 16:30
This craft class in Edinburgh will teach you basic embroidery stitches to create a beautiful landscape - whether you are in the studio, at home, hiking, out and about or travelling you can create gorgeous memories of scenes! At this friendly and social embroidery class, you're guaranteed to meet lots of other creative folks looking to learn new skills. Don't worry if this is your first time trying your hand at embroidery, your experienced teacher will share her embroidery and travel experiences whilst teaching you stitches, composition, colour blending and more!
Term Dates
2025/26
Summer Term 3 (45 days): Tue 22nd AprilThur 26th June
Autumn Term 1 (86 days): Wed 13th AugFri 19th Dec
Spring Term 2 (58 days): Mon 5th Jan - Thur
2nd April
Total: 189
Holidays
7th Apr - 21st Apr (11 days)
5th & 6th May (2 days)
19th May (1 day)
27th June - 12th Aug (33 days)
15th Sep (1 day)
13th - 17th Oct (5 days)
22nd Dec - 2nd Jan (10 days)
16th - 20th Feb (5 days)
Total: 68 days
Here is a summary of some of the main articles reported by a range of media outlets and posted on our Facebook Page that relate to our local area including Duddingston, Brunstane, Portobello & Willowbrae.
There are growing calls to reopen Duddingston Low Road in Holyrood Park, which has been closed since March 15 due to rockfall risks. The closure has caused significant traffic delays on alternative routes, frustrating local residents. Councillor Iain Whyte highlighted the impact on Duddingston residents, who rely on the road for access to the city, and called for it to reopen as soon as safely possible, report Edinburgh Evening News
New projections show several Edinburgh schools are expected to operate over capacity in the coming years including Newcraighall Primary expected to cope
with 250 in 2026 with a capacity of 231.
Edinburgh City Council has announced £12.5Mil for road and pavement repairs. However, critics argue the funding is not new and won't make a noticeable difference given the scale of the
problem. Concerns were raised about unmet repairs such as the removal of Vandeleur Avenue from the repair list despite its poor condition, while less damaged streets receive attention, report Edinburgh Evening News
Edinburgh Evening News report how The Old Edinburgh Club has announced the recipients of this year’s Jean Guild Grants, which support research into Edinburgh’s history and improve access to historical resources. Grants were awarded to both individual researchers and
projects, including one by the Northfield and Willowbrae Community Council to highlight the history of Piershill Barracks. Club President Dr. Edward Duvall praised the high quality of applications but noted limited resources meant not all could be funded. The grants are named after Jean Guild, a former University of Edinburgh librarian who left a legacy to support the Club’s mission.
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Offers over: £825,000 Rettie
Duddingston Rd West
Duddingston Loch – A way to make the most of the weather while staying local
By Shaun McGeachan - 1st year student of Journalism at Napier University
April has been very gracious by giving us the sweet sunshine that many of us dreamed of a few months ago when Storm Eowyn forced just about everything to close. As there is no guarantee the succulent sun will last until ‘summer’, it would hardly be a bad idea to make the most of it while we can.
Having the weather is one thing, but finding the best way to use it is another and many of the hot spots require travel or organisation.
However, Duddingston locals are lucky enough to have a gem on their doorstep.
Duddingston Loch has features to entertain a variety of needs. The sun shining on the water attracts you to explore as soon as you enter this treasure trove of greenery, accessed off Duddingston Low Road, just past Old Church Lane.
Multiple routes go round the loch leading to excellent viewing points, each offering a unique and interesting angle. The choice of routes means
adventurous walkers, casual walkers and cyclists can all enjoy the sight of the loch and things beyond it.
In certain parts, you might be joined by the resident ducks and swans (who told me they enjoy a bit of wholemeal or brown bread) that welcome you to their home.
But if you prefer tranquillity and would rather escape the birds, a short walk down a path takes you to a bench or rock where you can perch yourself, allowing an inspection the water and its ripples of natural beauty in more detail.
David, a local support worker, told me he loves to enjoy peace at the loch after a shift:
“My work can be very challenging at times, but
coming here afterwards and looking at the scenery of the loch and the surrounding trees relaxes me.”
“In the past, the tame birds have come up to me and it can help myself and others relax which is something you don’t get a lot of in Edinburgh.”
Approximately 2 minutes from the loch is Dr Neil’s Garden, another beautiful sight in stunning weather due to its various flowers and wellkept shrubbery.
So, whether you want to feed ducks, take a scenic walk, have a picnic, or just sit and gaze at natural perfection, Duddingston Loch is a mustvisit, especially whilst the sun is in a good mood!
For years I presented puzzles from the MENSA but thought it was time for a bit of a change, so here is a selection of slightly different puzzles to tease your brain.
At midnight at the start of January 1st, Prof. Stone set 2 clocks to the correct time. One gains 1 minute every hour, and the other loses 2 minutes every hour.
1. When will the clocks next show the same time?
2. When will the clocks both show the correct time?
Starting in the bottom left corner and moving either up or right, adding up the numbers along the way, what is the largest sum which can be made?
What letter comes next in this sequence:
Last month’s answers:
Q2: Draw 2 boxes so each pig is in its own pen
Q1: Draw 3 straight lines so all circles are in their own area
Q3: Scrambled Eggs