Edinburgh’s unique Innertube map is now celebrating the launch of its third version – the Greenspaces edition.
This green map highlights the many parks and green spaces that are easily accessible by bike or on foot using Edinburgh’s amazing network of off-street paths, made up of old railway lines, canal towpath, the Water of Leith walkway, coastal promenades, routes through parks or on dedicated segregated paths. As well as linking to parks and open spaces, most of the paths themselves go through woodland, parkland or by the sea at Silverknowes and Portobello.
The map has been created on behalf of the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT) in partnership with The Bike Station, by Mark Sydenham, the originator of the Innertube map concept. The map is part of the wider Innertube map project, a campaign to improve and promote Edinburgh’s 75km of traffic-free off-road paths, characterised by a London Underground style map. This latest Greenspaces edition of the map highlights 54 of the city’s 145 parks, which have easy or close access to the path network, and is designed to encourage Edinburgh residents and visitors to use the routes to walk and cycle to green destinations throughout the City, rather than taking the car.
The Innertubemap project was established thanks to funding from the People’s Postcode Trust, a grant giving body funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, who funded this edition, and continues with a wide range of environmental improvement work along the routes, community volunteering sessions and guided activities, which are publicised on the project’s blog at http://innertubemap.com.
“We’re excited to be launching a green edition of the Innertube map and hope that it will inspire people throughout the city to take to the paths and explore the wealth of green networks, paths and open spaces that Edinburgh has to offer,” said Liz Stewart, Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust.
The map has been designed as an attractive, pocket-sized A7 format, which folds out to show the A3 map on one side, with useful information about environmental organisations on the reverse. The map will be distributed to libraries, community centres, businesses and other organisations over the summer and anyone wishing supplies should contact info@elgt.org.uk.
The Innertube map project continues throughout this year, thanks to further funding from the Central Scotland Green Network Development Fund and Scottish Natural Heritage, supporting environmental improvement and community activity work delivered by the ELGT, with a programme of free community events and activities, all of which celebrate the Year of Natural Scotland 2013.
The Greenspaces edition of the Edinburgh Innertube map, is the third edition of the map since its launch in 2011. This edition follows the publication by The Bike Station of the student edition, funded by SESTRANS and Edinburgh’s universities and colleges, and the first edition, funded by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The map, designed by the Hillside Agency, has already made a big impact, with over 80,000 copies distributed to date.
