PARCHED joggers could soon be quenching their thirst from pathside fountains in the Capital's parks in the latest bid to get couch potatoes off the sofa and out pounding the pavements.
The refreshment points could soon be introduced across the city thanks to new plans to site drinking fountains in parks to encourage more people to take up running.
If passed, the plans would see joggers provided with clean, fresh drinking water
on popular running routes around the city.
Gordon Buchan, Conservative councillor for Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart, believes drinking fountains in public open spaces like Holyrood Park, The Meadows and Leith Links could encourage more people to take up regular exercise.
He has presented his plans to Edinburgh City Council and says the response so far has been positive.
He said: "A constituent got in touch with me about water fountains. She said it might encourage more people to take up running and jogging.
"Scotland is facing a health crisis and anything we can do to help that is great.
"I thought, let's look at the feasibility and see what the costs are. If it is a goer, let's try to persuade the administration to live up to its sports promise and encourage more people into sport."
The council's Culture and Leisure Committee agreed a joint report should be produced by the directors of city development, corporate services and service for the community.
The report will provide a full costing for installation and running costs, as well as a timescale for the scheme.
It will look at the potential usage and consider possible health hazards.
While some joggers have welcomed the proposals, others remain sceptical that water fountains will be enough to convince anyone to take up a new exercise regime.
Karen Mackay, who regularly runs in Holyrood Park, said: "Anything to encourage people to run is a good idea. The fountains could also be used by young kids playing football. If there were one here, I would definitely use it."
Anne Douglas, from Balerno, a Jog Scotland leader and member of Harmeny Pentland Runners, welcomed the idea, but said: "I'm not sure it would encourage more people to take it up.
"It takes a lot to get the courage to go out and run, and I'm not sure that would be the first thing they would think of. Having a group and someone to guide you and motivate you is the most important thing to get people to start running."
Providing drinking water in public spaces is far from a new notion in Edinburgh.
In Victorian times, water fountains were commonplace, but most have long since been disconnected.
Runners in Holyrood Park will already be familiar with St Margaret's Well, with its vaulted chamber and water spout. It was originally built in Restalrig in medieval times and moved to its present location beneath Salisbury Crags in 1860.
In the 1800s, philanthropist Catherine Sinclair introduced drinking fountains around Edinburgh for the use of the horses that pulled the cabs, the working men and dogs. There are also drinking fountains at Edinburgh Eastern Cemetery, and in Newcraighall.
The famous Witches Well drinking fountain on the Royal Mile commemorates the 300 or so women found guilty of witchcraft and executed at the Esplanade between 1479 and 1722.
