The name Roslin is probably known to most people because of
the famous Rosslyn Chapel but tucked away behind the chapel is a wonderful
wooded glen. Combining a walk here with another loop towards Bilston created a
great, figure-of-eight walk with Roslin at the centre and lots of interesting
sights on the way round. My friend Graham and I headed there for a walk during
the festive season.
Once off the bus we headed towards the chapel but turned off
just before to head down into the glen by an old lane alongside the cemetery.
Mosses and lichens covered the walls and the jaunty-angled gravestones, adding
splashes of colour to the plain winter palette. Soon we were in the glen
itself, a steep-sided, wooded dip cut out over the millenia by the waters of
the River North Esk. Our path meandered upriver, initially high above the water
but latterly dropping to be right beside it.
Walking signs had been promising us old gunpowder mills and
sure enough, the ruins eventually appeared through the trees. The mills
operated between 1803 and 1954, providing gunpowder for military and mining
purposes. Incredibly, the company that operated the mills became ICI, the global
chemicals giant. The ruins were a real treat because we could still see the
building that had housed the waterwheel and the lade that had diverted water
from the river to power it. Despite the explosive history of the mills, the
ruins were now a peaceful place being gradually reclaimed by nature.
Beyond the mills we joined the old railway line that once
ran between Edinburgh and Peebles and has now been repurposed as a walking and
cycling route. It took us back in the direction of Roslin. With a bit of
zig-zagging we found ourselves back in Roslin Glen where the path passed by
Roslin Castle. The castle occupies a high, rocky promontory in the glen which
has been the site of a fortification since the early 14th century.
We walked across the old arched bridge which gives access to the castle and
were amazed to find that not only is a large part of it still habitable but that
somebody was even at home!
We returned to the village green for a picnic lunch. It’s
always nice being in different places during the festive season to enjoy the variety of Christmas lights and decorations. Roslin Inn, an old
coaching inn overlooking the green, is the village’s centrepiece and was adorned with luxurious
festive wreaths.
After lunch, we headed out towards Bilston, passing the memorial to the Battle of Roslin in
1303. It commemorates a Scottish victory in the First War of Scottish
Independence. Beyond here the views
opened up to the Pentland Hills to the north as we found ourselves on another
section of the old railway line. The impressive Bilston Viaduct took our route
high above the cut of Bilston Glen before we turned off north. Here we walked
through disused railway sidings which had grown up with dense birch over the
years. It was a beautiful place and a little bit of wildness tucked away behind
the city’s outlying towns.
We looped back to Roslin by passing to the north of Dryden
Tower, built as a folly by the owner of Dryden House. It’s a shame we couldn’t
go up because the views would have been superb on the crisp, clear day we were there. While the tower still stands tall and
handsome, there is nothing left of the house which fell into ruin and was then
obliterated by Bilston Colliery. Our walking route here had linked together
rural paths and farm tracks that took us across fields and through woods. It was very
pleasant but it was also very muddy with that squelchy, claggy mud that clings
in great lumps to your boots. So, despite our best efforts to remove the mud
with long grass and twigs, by the time we were walking back into Roslin, we
were both pretty grotty. We skipped a visit to the tearoom in the interests of not trailing all the mud in!
On the journey home on the bus, I mused on what a
fascinating little walk it had been and would definitely recommend it. But if you should do it in winter then ... remember, remember the filth of December ... and take wellies.
Fact File
More photos on Flickr: click HERE
Start/finish: Roslin
Public transport: Lothian Buses no 37 from Edinburgh city centre
My route: Off the bus walked towards the chapel but immediately after the car park on the right, a lane heads downhill to the right. Followed this path until we came to a road, turned left and picked a path again which led onto the mills. At the mills crossed the bridge over the river and over a rise joined the old railway line. Turned left and followed it to the old Rosslyn Castle station. Took a footpath to the left which emerged onto a quiet back road. Turned right then left at the next junction which leads to a path back into the glen. It passed the castle and emerged back at the chapel. For the Bilston loop, we headed east along Manse Road in front of the inn, turned left after the viaduct and then followed footpath signs back to Roslin.
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