Union Canal Morning

The Union Canal is a 200 year old waterway built to bring minerals - including coal - to the centre of the city from as far away as Lanarkshire. Opened in 1822, an ambling corridor of the canal from Edinburgh to Falkirk is preserved today, with a well kept pathway alongside. The main image here is taken inside the city limits at Ogilvie Terrace, where an ornate timber building sits beneath tall trees in springtime. Parking is located along the canal on Ogilvie Terrace for this frame, but photo opportunities can be found all along the route from the Fountainbridge area to Falkirk.

A calm, windless morning is essential for the mirror-flat water that makes this shot, but the canal waters move slowly and very little water traffic means you’ll get clean reflections in lots of conditions throughout the day too. Low, early light illuminates translucent spring leaves in this shot and working in portrait format means more of the bright green detail is brought into the composition. The water’s edge along the canal is generally unobstructed so you can position yourself next to the water - taking care of course!