Blackford Pond

Morningside is a delightful area to the south-west of Edinburgh, fictional home to the eccentric Miss Jean Brodie, abode to such literary favourites as Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith, and place of residence to 400m gold medallist from the 1924 Olympic Games, Eric Liddell. A somewhat affluent area, with its Victorian villas, countless churches, and many traditional shops, cafes and restaurants, its quaintly named streets lead to a place of absolute peace and tranquility - Blackford Pond.

Blackford Pond is a small artificial pond created during the Victorian era in a glacial hollow. Both locals and visitors alike head for this delightful drop of countryside amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, a place where they can escape the humdrum existence of everyday life and immerse themselves in an hour or so of rural solitude. Benches allow the opportunity to read awhile or just sit in quiet contemplation. The laughter of children enjoying a moment of freedom in the nearby play area barely imposes on this picture of serenity, breaking the silence but for a fleeting second before the stillness of the day reigns once again.

And it is not purely visitors of the human kind that grace Blackford Pond with their presence. Ducks, swans, geese and seagulls waddle, swim and feed on the waters of the pond, disturbing the rippled surface to hunt for some pond-lurking delicacy or grab one of the countless morsels of bread thrown by the eager hands of children. This almost crescent-shaped pond lies against the imposing backdrop of Blackford Hill, an easy climb which offers stunning views of Edinburgh. There is a small birdhouse on the artificial island in the middle of the pond, sometimes overrun with guests, at others home to only a few. Surrounded by trees and shrubs, the lush greenery of the summer months contrasts greatly with the tangle of winter branches stripped bare by the cold and the frost. Yet as the seasons come and go, only the reflections in the water change, mirror images of the months passing are held but briefly before vanishing from sight. Snow, rain, wind and hail play alongside the sun and the moon, the leaves burst forth, flourish, and die, but Blackford Pond remains for all to enjoy.