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A day off jog along NCN75 on the canal towpath in Edinburgh - a great flat place for a sweaty stumble by one who hasn't exercised in a while. A beautiful morning and the canal is hovering between summer and autumn, with bumblebees crawling on mint, and butterflies still floating by, but the willowherb turning wispy and the hawthorn, elder, rose and brambles all popping out clusters of ripening berries. I bumped into Stan - one of our volunteers, who has been doing his own litterpicking on the canal towpath around Wester Hailes for many many years - who had in turn bumped into a local person who was doing the same. A chat was a welcome break from the jogging attempt. Along with a scattering of potato flowers on one access point, the waterside verge is now covered in flowering Michaelmas daisy, named for the feast of St Michael on 29th September and their late flowering around that date. Michaelmas daisies are Asters - named after the Latin word for star. One legend says that the goddess Virgo scattered stardust on the earth and they became asters and the same webpage tells me that Virgil wrote about Michaelmas daisies "There is a useful flower growing in the meadows, which the country folk call star-wort, not a blossom hard to find, for its large cluster lifts itself in air out of one root; its central orb is gold but it wears petals in a numerous ring of glossy purplish blue." Certainly a canal full of stars today.

“Earth has no sorrow that earth can not heal.” ― John Muir Amazing effort by the Junior Rangers who found 14 different pieces of marine plastic litter washed up on the shoreline here at Ardgartan. We then had a great discussion about how we can all act to reduce this pollution in the future.

“Go quietly, alone; no harm will befall you.” ― John Muir The Junior Rangers spent the afternoon surveying the beach at Ardgartan for marine litter.

“...every sight and sound inspiring, leading one far out of himself, yet feeding and building up his individuality.” ― John Muir The Junior Rangers made Rosebay Willowherb infused tea and foraged for Brambles, then devoured some toasted Marshmallows.

Survival challenge - the Junior Rangers survival skills were put to the test today to create shelter, forage for food, find clean water and start a fire without matches. Excellent team work and great support from Forest Holidays Ranger Pauline.

Today we learned about John Muir and his life. We played the John Muir Card game and found out lots of interesting facts like John made balloons out of pigs bladders! We also learned about the John Muir Award and what we will be doing each week. Our favourite task was getting to create our own secret garden, this was based on our favourite outdoor spaces or ideas using our imagination!

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” ― John Muir

“In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir - this was certainly the case when this cheeky duck stole this Lunch from one of the Junior Rangers!