The Art Trail is only two weeks away — so now is the perfect time to start planning how you’ll get around. This year we’ve got 24 artists plus Tiphereth Print Studio across 12 venues, and whether you’re walking, cycling, hopping on the bus, or trying the rickshaw, here’s everything you need to make the most of your day (or two).

On foot or by bike

The trail runs about four miles from Balerno to Colinton, with the Water of Leith Walkway running the whole way alongside it. It’s a lovely walk or cycle if you’ve got the time, and a great way to soak up the valley between studio visits.

If you come by car, parking should be relatively easy, but please be aware that many of the studios are in narrow streets.

First things first: pick up your booklet

This year our Information Hubs are at Juniper Green Village Hall (Studio 3) and Tiphereth (Studios 11 & 12). There will be volunteers to answer your questions. We have a solo classical oud player performing at these two venues. If you are lucky, he will be there when you are.

In addition. every studio on the trail has copies of the booklet — so if you haven’t picked one up already, you’ll find one at whichever studio you visit first, at either Information Hub, or you can download one from our website in advance.

The booklet has everything in one place — the maps, and the stamp sheet with a grid for collecting stamps at each studio you visit; the more stamps you get the higher the prize, with a top prize of £250 to spend with an artist of your choice. Be sure to collect your stamps as you go, then tear out your sheet and return it by the deadline.

Local maps

Also inside the booklet you will find local maps for each area helping you exactly locate the studios and move between them. These maps will also be on display in each studio so you can see how to get to the next one.

Most of the studios do not have public toilets. There are cafes and pubs throughout the areas which can offer facilities to customers.

Venues 3 and 12 will have pop-up cafes. These will be run by the charities Community for Food and Tiphereth Camphill.

Cars

You could park your car for the day away from the congestion and mix it up with buses, walking and rickshaw. Or bring your bike. Possible places to park include:

• Tiphereth lower car park below Hoyland House (Studios 11 and 12) off Torphin Road.
• Malleny Garden (Balerno, Studio 1) has a small car park.
• Currie Rugby Club cafe car park (in Balerno near Malleny Garden, Studio 1).
• On-street parking in the four villages. Please consider the residents.

Village marshals

Look out too for our marshals in hi-viz vests around the trail — they’re there to help you find your way, and can get in touch with the rickshaw or minibus shuttle team if you’d like to book a lift on the day.

Getting between Colinton and Tiphereth

As well as the 16 bus, there’s also a private free minibus shuttling hourly between Thorburn Road in Colinton and Tiphereth — handy if you’re doing this leg out and back, or timing your visit around it. Ask a hi-viz marshal if you’d like help locating the minibus.

The rickshaw

Our rickshaw is an e-bike driven by Lewis that can carry up to two passengers. It runs between Juniper Green and Currie/Balerno. It is based at the orange gazebo on the Water of Leith Walkway near Baberton Loan. Flag it down there, or ask one of our hi-viz marshals to make contact to arrange a lift for you. Note it doesn’t serve the Colinton end of the trail. There is only one rickshaw, so if things get busy, you might need to use alternative transport modes.

By bus — and why the Day Ticket is worth it

If you’re covering ground quickly, our local bus services are your best friend. A Day Ticket costs just £6 (or £5.70 if you tap your bank card. “TapTapCap”), and lets you hop on and off as many buses as you like all day. Slightly higher prices than when our booklet went to press, but still very good value.

Services run in both directions, so you can start wherever suits you.

A couple of things to know:

• The 44 is your only option for Studio 1 in Balerno, and also covers Studios 2–7 in Currie and Juniper Green.
• The 45 gets you near Studios 2–9, running seven days a week including Sundays
• The 16 runs a different route in each direction, so check the arrows on our tube-style bus map before you set off.

Our suggested use of transport modes

This route works just as well in reverse — start in Balerno and finish in Colinton if that suits you better, since buses run both ways. Or start in the middle.

1. From the City Centre, take the 16 to Colinton, then walk 5 minutes from the Thorburn Rd stop to Studio 10 (26 Redford Loan) — Gen Harrison, Liza Green, Lynda Wilson and Susie Wilson.
2. Either walk into Colinton centre for Studios 8 and 9 or stay on the same 16 to its terminus at Torphin for Studios 11 and 12, both at Tiphereth on Torphin Road — Clare Goddard, Jade Stout, Sandra Vick and Martha Ellis at Studio 11, and the Tiphereth Print Studio pop-up shop right next door at Studio 12. This is also one of our Information Hubs, with a cafe on site.
3. Coming back, the 16 drops into Colinton via Woodhall Rd. Get off at West Mill Rd for a 5-minute walk to Studio 8 (28 West Mill Road) — Pen Reid.
4. A short walk into Colinton centre for Studio 9 (23 Spylaw Street) — Jennie Loudon and Saskia Gavin.
5. Look out for a hi-viz marshal in Colinton if you need a hand with directions, or want to arrange a rickshaw lift for when you reach Juniper Green.
6. Head toward Juniper Green on the 18 or 45, or on foot along the Water of Leith Walkway (20-25 minutes).
7. The Woodhall Drive / Baberton Avenue stops on Lanark Road (depending on your direction of travel) put you within reach of five studios in one go: Studio 3, Juniper Green Village Hall — Cordula Marks Venters, Dorothy Black, Gary Anderson, Maria Muruaga and Sue Shields, and also one of our Information Hubs, with a cafe on site; Studio 4 (1 Belmont Road) — Jacqueline Watt and Ron Burnett; Studio 5 (The Hub@531, 531 Lanark Rd) — Helga Chart and Rosemary Campbell; Studio 6 (508 Lanark Road) — Gill Walton; and Studio 7 (22 Woodhall Terrace) — Anne Gatherar.
8. Next, the Bryce Road stop gets you to Studio 2 (102 Lanark Road West, Currie) — Jenny Matthews. The Corner Cafe nearby is worth a stop too.
9. Studio 1 (Marianne Hazlewood) is in Balerno at the National Trust for Scotland’s Malleny Garden. Take the 44 (the only service that reaches Balerno) and use the Balerno High School stop to skip its loop around the village. Balerno has cafes marked on our map too, for a well-earned rest.

Support us

Why not help support POSt with a donation to our crowdfunder? We plan to run each year and every little helps with our costs.

We are always on the look out for volunteers. If you’d like to help on the weekend or throughout the year, send an email to volunteers@postudios.org.

Bring a friend

Plan your route, grab your booklet, and bring someone along for the day — the more the merrier. Every studio is free to visit, and every stamp gets you closer to a prize if you enter the Prize Draw. See you on the trail 15-16 Aug 2026, 10am-4pm!

Stay connected

Instagram and Facebook: @pentlandsopenstudios. Use our hashtag #postudios2026 when you post and to find posts about this year’s art trail.