Western Breakwater And Esparto Wharf, Granton Harbour, Edinburgh

The Western Breakwater and Esparto Wharf at Granton Harbour in Edinburgh were constructed between 1842 and 1863, with some rebuilding done later. This dog-leg shaped breakwater or pier measures 3,100 feet in length and is built from coursed sandstone blocks, featuring a timber wharf along the side facing the harbour. The pier has a battered base topped by vertical walls; the sea-facing side continues to form a parapet, which has been rebuilt in concrete at the lower end. The inner face is made of coursed stugged sandstone with ridged coping towards the end of the pier. Sandstone kerb blocks are partially intact along the edge of the platform, and there is a course of stugged projecting blocks directly beneath the support platform of the wharf. The surface includes stone setts in some areas, while other parts are covered in concrete and asphalt, with remnants of railway tracks.

At the end of the pier, there are remains of a single-storey mid-20th century brick and concrete structure that was associated with the shipment of coal or petroleum. Additionally, there is counterbalanced equipment for discharging petrol and oil further along at the edge of the wharf, and large pipelines run the length of the pier along the parapet wall.