Dubilaka Cliffs Edinburgh

No-one seems to know where the name Dubilaka Cliffs came from.

Dubilaka Cliffs on the outskirts of Edinburgh is for wildflower lovers, campfire setters, bird-watchers and photography buffs. It’s off-road, secreted behind industrial units, frequented by foxes and seagulls, and has sand underfoot.

The name is given to what might initially look like a scrubby piece of high-ish ground overlooking Edinburgh's Firth of Forth, but it’s not easy to access and lovely and private when you get there.

It runs from the Western Breakwater (the western-most of three arms that enclose and dissect Granton Harbour) on West Shore Road. You can now only access it from the beach at the eastern end of the Silverknowes EsplanadeSilverknowes Esplanade, what I call my brick beach. Walk along the strand, picking your way carefully over the wobbly and slippery bricks at high tide, towards Granton, and follow a desire path stretching up ahead. You may have to improvise and detour! There is a green dotted line on g-maps if you set it to ‘cycling’, opposite the words Granton Walled Garden.

This was one of my go-to perambulations during the Covid-19 pandemic. The ‘cliffs’ are only a few metres above sea level, and you can see the Forth Rail Bridge and spectacular sunsets, take great lungfuls of fresh air and relax with your flask of hot chocolate.

Below Dubilaka Cliffs is General’s Rock, Long Craig and Granton Point, and in the distance the Kingdom of Fife. Simply enjoy!