Friends of the Hermitage of Braid & Blackford Hill

10/07/2026

The Friends have been busy cutting back the gorse and brambles on what was the very narrow path between the balcony path and the wide path down NW from the hill. As well as making it easier to pass it improves the lines of sight.

07/05/2026

25/03/2026

Would you like to help plant some sticky catchfly plants on Monday 30th March at 10am?

If so please meet at Agassiz Rock at 10am, dressed for the weather. Bring your own gloves but no other equipment required.

08/02/2026

Great team turn-out today by the Lothian Conservation Volunteers to cut down our last section of overgrown laurel bushes by Blackford Pond. It opens up the views of the Pond and makes the place brighter and open. It also makes the place feel safer.

The crossdrains up behind the houses also got cleared ensuring the best drainage of that steep pathway.

Our thanks to the busy LCV Team who are fully booked until the end of March - see https://www.lcv.org.uk/ for more details of what they get up to.

19/01/2026

Beautiful photograph of apples in January by BarryJohn Stewart.

25/11/2025

This fox was spotted calmly and confidently walking along the Blackford Pond path today. It showed no fear of the photographer.

08/11/2025

Our thanks go to the ten volunteers who helped cut the laurel today at the east entrance to Blackford Pond. The aim is to re-open the spaces that the tall laurel has increasingly been shading and to let the light back in, thus opening lost views and making the place feel safer.

Could have done with many more helpers, but maybe next time.