A Crosser’s Pilgrimage

Tracing the Braid Burn and Holy Cross History

A few weeks ago, I undertook a pilgrimage of sorts, exploring one of Edinburgh’s less-celebrated waterways: the Braid Burn (later the Figate Burn). This burn cuts through the south and east of the city on its nine-mile journey towards the Firth of Forth. Much of the route is walkable, passing through areas with a surprisingly rural character and via many neglected nooks.

For anyone with ties to Holy Cross Cricket Club, the burn acts as an unexpected guide, connecting several places significant to the club's history.

The Headwaters: Colinton Mains Park

The burn's route takes it through the northern tip of Colinton Mains Park, the site of Holy Cross Academicals' first-ever match in June 1950. This anniversary is, in fact, being marked by Sunday's (June 29th) match at Arboretum.

George Balfour's diary recorded that Holy Cross lost that inaugural match, with poor fielding cited as a major factor—a recurring theme, perhaps. The park is no longer used for cricket but remains a sizeable green space on the southside.

Colinton Mains Park lies in an unfashionable area of the city, lacking the 'cache' of grounds like Grange Loan. Yet, it's large enough for more than one decent-sized pitch. The square would likely have been in the flat, open southern section. In 1950, the area would have been largely farmland; while much of Colinton Mains was built in the late 1930s, the houses immediately abutting the park in Oxgangs were constructed from the 1950s onwards (the striking Colinton Mains Parish Church was built in 1954, for instance).

I found no tell-tale signs of a retired cricket square—no evidence of the raised ends formed from years of topsoil. But standing there, embracing the warm breeze, I pictured those pioneering Crossers. The impressive views up to the Pentland Hills may have been an unforgiving distraction for fielders. In those days, one could walk from the park to the Pentlands uninterrupted, with no city bypass in the way.

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The Middle Reaches: From Greenbank to Peffermill

From the park, the burn trundles through quiet nooks with Greenbank on the left and the picturesque Oxgangs Lochen to the right. The path then leads into the open valley of Braidburn Park and towards the fringes of Morningside.

This section of the journey passes a significant personal milestone: though the steep Braidburn Park was unsuitable for cricket, the author's parents (along with Derek Wright of Mitre CC and David Watts) started the cricket club used by South Morningside Primary at Craighouse (next to Myreside), where the author first played competitive cricket.

The burn then glides through the heavily wooded Hermitage of Braid and the idyllic Blackford Glen—surely one of Edinburgh’s finest outdoor locations—and on towards Peffermill.

Before reaching Peffermill, it passes through Inch Park, home of Edinburgh South (and their predecessors Mitre CC). Holy Cross have played several matches here. I recall a disappointing midweek 20-over game where I was justifiably barracked for slow batting. I also vividly remember an amazing innings by Graeme Beghin of Edinburgh South on a pitch with a significant trough at one end, thanks to flooding. Unconcerned with the run rate, he focused on survival against our key bowler, Shannon Bonfield, and went on to score a superb century.

The Inch was also the scene of a famous, impassioned changing room speech where we younger players (including Euan Smith, Sheraz Afzaal, Nick Fisher, and Duncan Paterson) were told we were "the future of the Cross." James Bradley's statement had some truth to it.

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The Final Stretch: Cross-Dressing to the Forth

From the Inch, the burn flows to another ground rich with Holy Cross connections: Peffermill. Here, the connection is Colin ‘Smudger’ Smith, who was head groundsman, living in a cottage on site. Colin played a leading role in the improvements to the Arboretum square, including overseeing our annual ‘Cross-dressing’ days when the pitch was scarified, seeded, and top-dressed. This work followed the square's relaying in the early 1990s, an era when 160 was a good 50-over score. Colin also became a 2nd XI stalwart and memorably filled in for the 1sts. Moreover, he gave us his sons, Calum and Euan, who were key 1st XI figures for over a decade.

The burn joins the Jordan Burn at Peffermill, becoming the Figate Burn as it hits Duddingston. It runs close to Cavalry Park, the scene of excellent matches between Marchmont and Holy Cross, two clubs with a long, shared history. I have fond memories of Roger Sardesai’s President’s Match here in the late 1990s, a fun game capped by a curry tea.

From Duddingston, the Figate Burn reaches its most scenic section: a lovely wooded pathway that ends at Figate Park. The park, formed from old claypits, is a fantastic green space visible from the East Coast line. A footbridge takes you over the busy Harry Lauder Road into Rosefield Park, bringing you close to St John the Evangelist, a beautiful Catholic Church—another Holy Cross connection.

This church is linked to Richard Demarco, who, after leaving Holy Cross Academy, played matches for the club and started his own team, St. John’s in Portobello. The burn finally discharges into the Firth of Forth at the Seafield end of 'Porty'. It was on Portobello Beach that Demarco narrowly escaped becoming an early war casualty, when debris from a German plane shot down over the Forth missed him by inches.

Like the burn itself, elements of the Holy Cross club are found throughout the city, often in unexpected spots. The route, much like the club’s history, is a mixture of glorious segments intermingled with the less impressive. Yet, it flows on, year after year.