Why Edinburgh’s hidden railway path is called the Innocent — and why you should walk it

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Most Edinburgh visitors spend their days on the Royal Mile and never once hear about the Innocent Railway. That’s a shame. Because just a ten-minute walk from Holyrood Palace, there’s a hidden path that takes you through a Victorian tunnel, past a secret loch, and into one of the quietest corners of the city. And the story of how it got its name is one of Edinburgh’s best.

A railway before the age of steam

The Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway opened in 1831. That’s nearly two centuries ago — and it predates the era of steam-powered trains in Scotland. Instead of locomotives, it used horses. Real horses, walking slowly along iron tracks, pulling wooden carriages loaded with coal and passengers. It ran from St Leonard’s, just south of Holyrood Park, through a tunnel in the rock and out into the countryside towards Dalkeith and beyond.

For the first time, ordinary Edinburghers could travel between the city and the surrounding towns without walking for hours or hiring a private horse. It was a revolution — just a very quiet one.

The name that stopped people in their tracks

Why “Innocent”? In the 1830s, railways were new and genuinely terrifying. Steam engines exploded. Passengers were flung from carriages at unthinkable speeds. Accidents killed hundreds across Britain as the railway age lurched into life. But the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway was different. Its horses were gentle. Its speed was modest. Nobody died.

Locals began calling it the Innocent Railway — part affectionate, part mocking, a gentle dig at the chaos of the steam-powered routes tearing open the rest of the country. The name stuck. It’s still used today, nearly 200 years later. You can’t walk this path without feeling the weight of that history beneath your feet.

The tunnel beneath the south side

The most dramatic stretch of the walk is the Innocent Tunnel. Cut through solid rock in the 1840s, it runs for around 530 metres and is lit end to end with electric lights. You walk in from one end on a bright afternoon and emerge blinking into a completely different part of the city.

Children love it. Dogs bolt through it. Cyclists ring their bells. It sounds like a small thing, but there’s something quietly thrilling about walking through a tunnel that horses once dragged coal wagons through — and that most tourists never even know exists.

The tunnel opens at the St Leonard’s end, a short walk from Holyrood Park. On the other side, the path opens out into green space and the whole south side of Edinburgh reveals itself. This is where the city breathes.

What you’ll see along the route

The Innocent Railway Path runs roughly 8 kilometres from St Leonard’s to Newcraighall, but the best section for a first walk is the western half — from Holyrood Park to Duddingston. The surface is flat and well-maintained. You share it with cyclists, dog walkers, and the occasional runner who looks like they genuinely love being alive.

Arthur’s Seat rises to your left as you head east. Old stone walls and mature trees line the path. Blackbirds argue in the hedges. There are no tourist crowds. There is no entry fee. There is barely even a sign. If you want to understand how Edinburgh locals actually spend a Sunday morning, this is the place to come.

If you’re planning a bigger Edinburgh day outdoors, the Arthur’s Seat climb starts just beside the tunnel entrance — the views from the summit on a clear day are extraordinary.

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Duddingston Loch — the secret at the end of the line

Come out of the tunnel heading east and follow the path south, and you’ll find yourself near Duddingston Loch. This is one of Edinburgh’s best-kept secrets. It’s a wildlife sanctuary sitting in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat, where grebes, herons, and swans nest in the reeds at the water’s edge. Scotland’s oldest curling club was founded here in 1795.

Just beside the loch is Dr Neil’s Garden — a hidden walled garden that two local doctors, Andrew and Nancy Neil, created from a patch of wasteland in the 1960s. It’s tended by volunteers, open to the public, and almost entirely unknown to visitors. Entry is free. The heather, alpines, and woodland plants change colour with every season. Nobody tells you it’s there. Now you know.

For another brilliant Edinburgh walk with a very different atmosphere, the Water of Leith walkway carries you from the city centre all the way to the sea through a series of hidden riverside villages.

How to walk it today

Start at the St Leonard’s entrance to the path, just south of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Holyrood Park Road. From the Old Town, it’s about a fifteen-minute walk downhill. There’s no car park and no visitor centre — which is rather the point.

Walk through the tunnel, emerge at Duddingston, follow the signs to the loch and Dr Neil’s Garden, then loop back around the water and return the way you came. The whole walk takes about ninety minutes at a relaxed pace. Bring a flask. Wear flat shoes. Tell nobody where you’re going — half the pleasure is arriving somewhere this good and finding it completely empty.

For more of Scotland’s hidden walking routes and local secrets, Love to Visit Scotland covers the best across the whole country.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Innocent Railway in Edinburgh?

The Innocent Railway is Edinburgh’s oldest railway line, opened in 1831 as the Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway. Originally horse-drawn, it earned its nickname because no passengers were killed during its early years — unlike the notoriously dangerous steam railways of the era. The line closed in the late 20th century and has since been converted into a walking and cycling path that runs from Holyrood Park through a Victorian tunnel to the eastern suburbs.

How long is the Innocent Railway walk?

The full Innocent Railway Path is approximately 8 kilometres from St Leonard’s to Newcraighall. Most visitors walk the western section from Holyrood Park to Duddingston Loch and back, which takes around 90 minutes at a leisurely pace. The path is flat and accessible for all fitness levels.

Is the Innocent Tunnel safe to walk through?

Yes, the Innocent Tunnel is fully lit and open to pedestrians and cyclists throughout daylight hours. It’s around 530 metres long and forms part of Edinburgh’s official cycle network. The path surface is smooth and the tunnel is wide enough for walkers and cyclists to pass each other comfortably.

What else is near the Innocent Railway path?

The path sits alongside Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh’s famous extinct volcano. At the eastern end, Duddingston Loch is a wildlife sanctuary popular with birdwatchers, and nearby Dr Neil’s Garden is a hidden volunteer-run garden that most visitors never discover. The Palace of Holyroodhouse is a short walk from the western entrance.

Edinburgh hides things well. The Innocent Railway is proof of that. It sits there every day — free, peaceful, and practically deserted — while thousands of visitors file past without ever knowing it exists. That’s their loss. Now it’s yours to find.

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