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Roslin
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The
River North Esk in Roslin Glen forms a deep, steep valley which
provided ideal conditions for the largest Gunpowder Mills in Scotland,
using the power of the water to drive the machinery. The mills operated
for 150 years between 1804 and 1954: public access to the area was
prohibited during this period but it is now a very interesting walk.
It abounds with wildlife and has one of the larger rookeries in
Midlothian. Immediately downstream was a carpet factory established
by Richard Whytock in 1868 and later operated by Henry, Widnell
and Stewart until its closure in 1968. Although some of the remains
of these industries can still be seen, the area is now Roslin Glen
Country Park.
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waters edge below Rosebank |
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cliffs at the Powdermill |
the saltpetre refinery |
the gunpowder mills weir |
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Rosslyn Castle |
The
name Roslin is derived from two Celtic words, Ross - a rocky promontory,
and Linn - a waterfall. Towering over the river are Rosslyn Chapel
and Castle, the castle dating from shortly after the Battle of Roslin
in 1303 and the beautiful chapel being founded in 1446. Down below,
in the picturesque Roslin Glen, we can follow in the footsteps of
Sir Walter Scott, William Wordsworth, Robert Burns and the artists
Nasmyth, Ibbetson and Daguerre. Also in the glen are Wallace's Cave,
said to be capable of hiding 60 or 70 men, and Hawthornden Castle,
home of the poet William Drummond and now a retreat for writers
and artists.
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Rosslyn Castle from the road |
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Gardener's Brae |
new steps at the Hewan Bank |
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Hawthornden Castle |
The
Esk Valley Trust has a lease on the area below Rosslyn Chapel known
as Gardener's Brae and purchased the Hewan Wood, situated about
a mile further downstream, in 2002. This includes the Hewan Bank,
a SSSI with a resident colony of sand martins. The bank is unstable
and has suffered from landslips and serious erosion to the extent
that the footpath which used to cross the top of the bank has had
to be diverted, a task carried out by teams of local volunteers.
The riverside below Maiden Castle is a beautiful and peaceful spot.
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at the top of the Hewan Bank |
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the weir at Springfield Mill |
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