IMany people don't know that Edinburgh was once a walled city- so we set off to find traces of the old walls that still remain. In the times when the extent of the city covered the area we now call the 'old town' it was enclosed to protect its residents from attack and also to control commercial activity. Remnants of the wall remain today, some dating back to the fourteenth century, and many people walk past them unaware of these ancient relics. There are also indications of walls dating as far back as the twelfth century. Many of our road names are indicators of the location of the walls and gates - known as 'ports' - in and out of the city.

I headed out with podcast regular, Hetty Lancaster of Hetty's History Walks, to discover some bits of the wall and its history. It was one of the most interesting podcasts I have recorded. Listen in to join Hetty and me as we disappear into the closes of the Royal Mile to find original sections of the wall and learn when and why they were built. There is a lot more of the original walls remaining than you might realise!

Early in the year I met with Clare Stephen of Wild Workforce to talk about how getting out into our forests can help HR and employee wellbeing. We discussed Clare's experiences around mental health at work and about her ambition to turn her relatively new business into a CIC so she can work with a wider range of organisations. Since we met she has now succeeded and her CIC has launched. Her work on mental wellbeing and the outdoors is going from strength to strength.

We met on the shores of Loch Leven: HERE

Clare's business can be found https://www.wildworkforce.com/

Over 12 miles long, the Water of Leith snakes through Edinburgh from Balerno to the Forth Estuary. Formerly a working river and home to over 70 mills, it is now a nature reserve with a walkway along its length, which makes for a great walk.

I met with Senior Ranger, Johnny Wells, to find out how the Water of Leith Conservation Trust manages the space and all its challenges. Johnny was a terrific interviewee and entertained me thoughout my visit with tales of his past, his current role and how volunteers support the work of the Trust. Johnny is a tree hugger and has had a surprising and fascinating career.

We met at the Water of Leith visitor centre in Slateford and then walked towards Colinton.

The Water of Leith visitor centre: here

The Water of Leith Conservation Trust website: https://www.waterofleith.org.uk/