Leith (4)

The Wee Leith Shop is just that.

I'm always impressed by the immaculate paint job on this shop at the corner of Arthur Street.

Two shops, one presumably catering to cats and dogs - the other has moved. I recently heard kebabs described as 'hospital waste on a stick'.

This most unusual frontage for Leith Walk belongs to WOODLAND CREATURES. More information from Greener Leith.

A wider view shows the location - where Balfour's used to be.

Different areas of Edinburgh have specialist shops. Gorgie/Dalry and Leith have tanning salons and tattoo parlours - and much more.

This is the leftmost end of a long, low, 2-storey red sandstone building near the foot of Leith Walk.

At the other end of the building is Jane Street, next to the remains of a railway bridge which once crossed Leith Walk.

Defence Lawyers and furniture salerooms. Both seem to prosper hereabouts.

Looking back at the Jane Street junction from further down. 'Little Havana' aka THE PIPE SHOP is one of the few remaining tobacconists.

April 3rd 2013. It's still chilly but the sunshine is warm enough today for a comfortable (if not majestic) snooze at the side of Leith Walk. (This is Arthur by the way - thanks to Tom Ellingham for the info.)

Turn left at the foot of Leith Walk and you're in Great Junction Street. Half way along on the right some old tenements have been demolished and new buildings are being erected. Meantime there's a new view of the Banana Flats, so called because they're banana shaped if seen from above.

A wider view of the scene showing the site between the barbers shop and the old Crabbie's building.

Just before Great Junction Street crosses the Water of Leith is the old cinema, currently in use as a church of sorts.

North Junction Street is overlooked by Persevere Court.

HiFi Corner's shop has been here for decades.

After walking down the Water of Leith Walkway from Belford Bridge we waited on the 16 bus here. Whilst its master read, this dog lay down in the warm sunshine for a rest.

Thanks to Kirsty Cameron for this: 'Nigar Kirtan, the singing of prayers through the Sikhs local community done at this time to celebrate Vaisakhi.'

These pictures were snapped from upstairs on the 16 bus.

At the corner of Jane Street and Leith Walk.

The last of four pictures snapped from the bus.

At the north end of Constitution Street assorted signs impart information including a warning about rabies. It's unclear why the tilde character ~ was used to hypenate ocean~terminal.

Across the road more signs advise of the area's Neighbourhood Watch status, and warn you to clean up after your dog - despite the rabies warning forbidding the presence of animals. GENTING CASINO is visible through the gap.

The Consitution St Exit frames Calton Hill and the Nelson Monument.

Three cranes (previously photographed) stand at the east end of Ocean Drive. Through this one we can see Albert Dock and piles of metal and glass sorted for recycling.

The Consitution St Exit once more but further back for a view up the middle of the street to Calton Hill.

Further west along Albert Dock I noticed grass and weeds growing in cracks, ideal for infrared photography. (The cranes referred to above are at top right of this picture.)

Windblown seeds never miss an opportunity to germinate in damp cracks between paving stones.

Plant life reflects infrared light making it stand out.

My favourite shot of opportunistic grass beside Albert Dock.

A slightly wider shot showing more of nature's interactions with our constructs.

Evidently Tom Dunn is a golf course architect with North Berwick and Leith Links connections.

A little further west along Ocean Drive and behind the mouldering wooden pier Ocean Terminal looms into view. PureGym and Debenhams signs are visible.

An Autographer picture of the shopping mall near to Elder Street.

Continuing to the end of the passageway pictured above and exiting via the stairway at its end leads to Little King Street and Cathedral Lane.

At the bottom end looking up. Picardy Place Roundabout is nearby.

Another Autographer picture with a reflection of yours truly.

Urbane furniture in Haddington Place has a gorilla at the front door.

The walk down Leith Walk reveals some interesting art work. Not all of it may last over time.

Following a walk around Newhaven and Western Harbour, I passed here on my way to Ocean Terminal.

The same subject as the previous picture but the different standpoint and infrared image gives a rather different appearance, looking at first like three cigarettes sticking up in the air.

In this second infrared view can be seen the shadow of the gate I poked my lens through.

Undisturbed except by wind, the weeds sprouting from the cracks all curve to the left.

Continuing east along Ocean Drive - which is misnamed because you can't drive along it. Also it doesn't lead to the ocean, only to an estuary leading to the North Sea.

Looking west from the same point confirms you can't drive through here, though you could walk to the nearby Asda store.

A little bit further east and nearer to Ocean Terminal.

A multi-storey carpark at Ocean Drive.

The section of Ocean Drive to the east of Ocean Terminal.

The first of 3 infrared photos taken at the end of May 2015. This is a lane beside the Omni Centre in Leith Street / Leith Walk opposite the Picardy Place roundabout.

Facing the opposite way. The ground is wet following a brief rain shower. A sunny spell soon gave way to a hail shower.

The Omni Centre address is Greenside Row but that really refers to the seldom visited lane at the back, at the foot of Calton Hill. This infrared photograph shows 2 rather long stairways.

A normal colour picture taken from the foot of the stairs pictured previously.

The other stairway.

2½ years had passed since my previous visit to Western Harbour. This first picture was taken from near the LRT no.10 bus terminus. A solitary duck splashes about in the water.

A similar view using my Pentax K7 camera.

The gate stops 4 wheeled vehicles from proceeding further.

Chancelot Flour Mill dominates the scene.

A wide angle view showing Leith Docks far left followed by Ocean Terminal with Persevere Court and Citadel Court in front of Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags.

As on my visit in November 2010 the security fence was wide open, so I just walked in.

The skyline shows Salisbury Crags and Calton Hill.

Same view but zoomed in on the Crags and Calton Hill.

Zoomed in more for a closer look at the ship Hekla. On top of Salisbury Crags can be seen some walkers, only about 5 pixels high in this photo.

Arthur's Seat looms behind. It's 5 kilometres away but looks nearer due to the long lens. As usual there's a big crowd of people at the summit.

The Royal Yacht Britannia is moored in front of Ocean Terminal.

Olympic Challenger is the name of this vessel which appears to have helicopter landing pads and impressive looking radar scanners under the spheres and domes.

As well as 3 cranes there are what appears to be 2 gantries on the right which, when lowered, provide aerial walkways.

More sea-going specialist equipment moored in Leith Docks.

This building is the Forth Navigation Service & Harbour Office.

A wider view across to the docks.

Panned left to show the tidal barrier which keeps the water in Leith Docks as well as the Water of Leith quite far upstream past The Shore and Great Junction Street.

In the forbidden zone, looking back at the broken fence.

Looking back across the roadway in the previous picture towards Chancelot Flour Mill. The snowy Pentland Hills can be seen 12km away.

From left to right: Persevere Court, Arthur's Seat, Citadel Court, Salisbury Crags.

RESTRICTED AREA meaning you're likely to be arrested if you enter. There may be people with binoculars in the Forth Navigation Service & Harbour Office building...

On closer inspection it looks like their security has a weak point above the concrete wall.

The same tidal wall as in the previous picture but seen through a long lens on the seaward side.

The third picture of the tidal wall shows the differing water levels more clearly. I'm not quite sure why there's a No Fishing sign. 'All your fish are belong to us.' (paraphrasing)

A fence surrounds the old lighthouse to keep the glue-sniffers and scribblers out.

A closer look at the lighthouse.

The first of three pictures showing Edinburgh Castle with the snowy Pentland Hills in the background.

Caerketton appears to loom over Edinburgh Castle, even though they're 7.4km apart.

A slightly different vantage point gives another view.

2014 October: Once again I returned to Western Harbour. Not a great deal had changed.

Between the rusting railings and across the weedy field is a view of Chancelot Flourmill. Further away, the distictive silhouette of Arthur's Seat can be seen.

Looking back at the flats from further out on the sea wall.

Out at the end the old lighthouse still stands, protected by railings.

Underneath there's a place for young people to smoke dope and spray paint.

Ponds may have formed accidentally in the reclaimed ground but swans and ducks are taking advantage nevertheless. A fence provides some protection.

Still currently 'the road to nowhere'. Straight ahead is that flourmill again. The profile of Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags is on the left horizon.

Evidently the original plans were for houses and/or other buildings here, but nature has prevailed.

The same redundant road junction as above but with the camera panned to the right to reveal the pond with ducks and swans.

A long lens shot looking west towards Cramond Island and the Forth bridges (two and a bit). (Cramond Island is 4 miles away and the Forth Bridge is 8 miles away.)

On several occasions whilst on Arthur's Seat or the Pentland Hills I've noticed Sunshine on Leith but not on Edinburgh. These pictures now seem topical due to the film. This photo September '09.

Photographed from Salisbury Crags, looking over the top of shady Calton Hill.

The same but zoomed in more. The caravan park across the Firth of Forth at Kinghorn is clearly visible.

Infrared photo

This is a long lens photo from the Pentland Hills.

Taken a few minutes later and zoomed back to show part of the Pentlands.

A different view of the same scene. George Watson's school and part of Morningside are visible at the bottom of the picture.

An HD widescreen wallpaper candidate. A monochrome background would show off Desktop icons rather well.

Sunshine on Leith once more. The trees are on the west side of Bonaly Reservoir. The 3 steeples of St Mary's Cathedral can be seen in front of sunny Leith.

Same standpoint but I used my infrared camera and zoomed in on Leith. The patch of sunshine drifted a bit to the left, leaving the flourmill in shade. Western Harbour is still sunny.

It's mostly Western Harbour which has the sunshine. Wester Craiglockhart Hill is in the middle distance.

York Place isn't Leith or Leith Street but it's where I got off the bus for another walk down Leith Walk. This is an Autographer picture, taken automatically according to an algorithm and a few sensors.

I particularly like these shopfronts in Haddington Place. Another Autographer picture. Unless using a smartphone or tablet to find out what pictures it's taking, you just have to wait until getting back home to your computer.

Small shops come and go. These shots of Elm Row are just snapshots of how they were in June 2015. I wasn't striving for photographic merit.

Another example of these appealing shopfronts. Unlike iron railings elsewhere, these weren't chopped down for the Second World War effort.

Elm Row at the east side of the street, Haddington Place on the west side.

The last example of the two storey shop fronts when walking towards Leith.

Harburn Hobbies has lasted longer than other shops hereabouts.

A small segment of the giant LED screen on a gable end at Croall Place.

Instead of building new developments on brownfield sites like this, Millers and others destroy meadows such as the Polo Fields at Colinton.

An Autographer picture.

A pub called Brass Monkey from the expression "It's cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey."

I like the excellent picture of Elvis Presley outside the shop Elvis Shakespeare.

As far as I can remember, this bus stop was in Leith Street near the top of Nottingham Place, and I took the picture from the footbridge from the St James Centre.

Leith Walk doesn't officially start at the Picardy Place roundabout. I think this used to be a tool shop called Wilkinsons. I bought an industrial diamond there in the '60s and other tools in the '70s.

Assuming that the salon belongs to more than one barber then the apostrophe isn't misplaced.

Hard to guess what wares lie beyond the closed shutters, but it's probably junk some of which might be brightly coloured.

Once a cinema, this establishment at the foot of the walk is now a Wetherspoon pub.

Pirrie Street is a cul-de-dac off Great Junction Street.

The nearer buildings are new to Great Junction Street.

Formerly Crabbie's building this appears to have been converted to houses.

No longer the home of the Salvation Army but now the MOUNTAIN OF FIRE AND MIRACLES MINISTRIES. It would be a shame to tear down the art deco lettering.

Huge rocks cover the yard at the Granite Factory in Bangor Road.

These big rocks sure look heavy.

This building has had a bit of a makeover in the form of the arches along its side.

Attractive greenery along the side of a building in Burlington Street.

House to let in the big converted building in Bonnington Road.

Anderson Place is another example of old buildings being put to a new use.

A metal fence made from the letters of Ocean Terminal.

This Gormley statue is outlasting others in the Water of Leith. Use of a long lens makes Fife look much closer than it actually is.

The water surface has been smoothed by the Smooth Reflection app downloaded directly into the camera. The usual technique is to use a very dark Neutral Density filter to force a long exposure but this method combines 128 separate stills avoiding colour shifts and other ND filter problems.

Zoomed in to show the helicopter landing platform.

The spheres purpose is to protect the radar scanners which rotate inside.

A full HD shot showing some of the complicated mechanisms for laying undersea cables.

A swan sailed into the scene in Albert Dock.

Two swans appeared when they noticed me.

I had no scraps to throw to the swans so they sailed away after I got this close up shot.

You don't normally see caravans like this in Scotland. I'm guessing that it serves hot snacks and isn't used for touring or sleeping in.

Revisited a month later. Two more photos of the Navica cable laying ship.

I used the Sony Smooth Reflection app again.

Not a particulary aesthetically pleasing building, purely functional.

Same shot but zoomed in on the activity around a much smaller craft.

A floating platform protected against impacts by the rubber tyres.

Pelamis Wave Power was formed here in 1998.

Dockside homes beside Ocean Drive.

This and the next 4 images are stills from my bike's camera which has a wide angle fisheye lens.

The public aren't allowed beyond the gate to Imperial Dock.

From the same area as the previous photo but looking back towards Ocean Drive.

At the other end of the row of terraced dockside homes is this Genting Casino. Genting is a peculiar brand name, not a verb as far as I can see. I don't think customers visit this establishment to 'gent'.

The land to the left and right of this picture remains undeveloped and is currently used for vehicle parking.

Leith

Added later, this earlier photo shows the ground being prepared after the previous bridge was removed. For a while, the old house above the site had uninterrupted views...

March 2017 and the demolition of the St James Centre continues.

A 36 bus took me to Ocean Terminal, avoiding the Leith Walk roadworks. (20th March 2017)

No sign yet of the affordable housing planned for this area next to Ocean Terminal.

Looking back at Ocean Terminal as I walked eastwards.

Another look back as I approached Ocean Drive.

Ocean Drive ahead behind the stone blocks.

Ocean Drive with Victoria Quay on the left and Ocean Terminal in the distance.

Entropy continues next to Ocean Drive.

I was walking to Bath Road to see Ltd Ink Corporation, Kevin Harman's exhibition. Bath Road is on the north side of Salamander Street.

Not an aesthetically pleasing photo, just a snapshot of Bath Road.

Security is high next to the docks. Peering through the gates shows big, largely empty areas.

Looking west from Bath Road.

Concrete is prepared here.

The entrance to Kevin Harman's exhibition was next to the bicycle parked on the left - but I missed it and walked round the entire building.

Near the south east corner of the big building - Healthy Yummies.

Walking back east again, still looking for Ltd Ink Corporation.

Having found the entrance I entered the vast space.

There's no doubt that the location added an extra dimension to the experience.

'The booth provides visitors with an intimate, safe space in which to release their anxieties. These recorded admissions then enter an ever-expanding state of Collective Being (CoBe.co) online.'

When I visited CoBe.co I got an Under Construction graphic.

The text is legible but you may have to click the download icon to zoom in sufficiently.

A recreation of the Shop That Never Opens in Nithsdale Road in Glasgow.

A large image (1920 x 966) to improve legibility. You can zoom in if you click the download icon to see it outside the gallery in your web browser.

Being Homeless is Hard, Having a Hoose is Harder Part 1

'A selection of the 200 (ongoing) collection of signs drawn by Edinburgh Homeless man Stevie.'

The first of 3 photos of wooden posts imprinted with pawnbrokers' receipts.

Being Homeless is Hard, Having a Hoose is Harder Part 2 'Luxury four-poster bed designed with the help of Atholl Macfarlane of Remus Interiors, draped in sumptuous velvet printed with Stevie's signs.'

'Luxury four-poster bed designed with the help of Atholl Macfarlane of Remus Interiors, draped in sumptuous velvet printed with Stevie's signs.'

'Luxury four-poster bed designed with the help of Atholl Macfarlane of Remus Interiors, draped in sumptuous velvet printed with Stevie's signs.'

'Luxury four-poster bed designed with the help of Atholl Macfarlane of Remus Interiors, draped in sumptuous velvet printed with Stevie's signs.'

'Luxury four-poster bed designed with the help of Atholl Macfarlane of Remus Interiors, draped in sumptuous velvet printed with Stevie's signs.'

'Luxury four-poster bed designed with the help of Atholl Macfarlane of Remus Interiors, draped in sumptuous velvet printed with Stevie's signs.'

The first of four views. Strips of painted wood detached from their sources and assembled to make this piece.

A look back as I was leaving.

Vacant land beside Salamander Place.

Vacant land beside Salamander Place.

April 2017: Demolition continues at St James Centre

April 2017: Demolition continues at St James Centre

April 2017: Demolition continues at St James Centre

When I set off to revisit Western Harbour it was sunny. This infrared scene is like the start of a movie.

Heading into the Western Harbour area.

The sea wall and the Firth of Forth.

Nearer the end where tidal locks maintain the docks at a constant water level.

A normal colour photo follows this infrared one. Compare the difference.

Little has changed since I first came here in 2010 to take photographs.

Shortly after I took this photo I had to dash in the rain to the 10 bus terminus.

Demolition proceeds slowly at St James Centre

St James Centre

Water is sprayed to damp down dust as the machine bites off big chunks of building.

Zoomed in

Looking up Elder Street,

Zoomed in.

I photographed this shop in Great Junction Street just before taking the photos on new, separate page Water of Leith June 2017.

23rd June 2017 - demolition proceeds carefully because of nearby buildings.

Sunny Leith as seen from Capelaw

Starting here, the next sequence was taken on 24th July 2017.

The next 2 images zoom in closer.

from Cathedral Lane

from Cathedral Lane

from Calton Hill

From Waterloo Place

From Waterloo Place

From Waterloo Place

HiFi Corner is moving after decades at this address. I grew up with HiFi at home in the '50s. My dad's first 6 valve stereo amp came later.

Typewronger Books

Also here for decades

The Wee Leith Shop

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith

Protesting against the gentrification of Leith