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June

Walk of the Year

chapel

Rosslyn Chapel

 

Walk leader

George

Route

Eskbank Station – Bonnyrigg – Lasswade – Hewan Bog – Rosslyn Chapel – RossylnCastle – Roslin Glen – Penicuik – return by bus to Eskbank Toll.

Weather

Warm and sunny until late afternoon when it clouded over.

Walkers

George, Ron, Sandy, Diane, Lance, Julie.

Excuses

Bernie - Blaydon Races

Ashley - injured back

Comments

Those of us from Newcastle took the train from Tweedbank to Eskbank, where we met up with Julie and Lance. Evelyn continued on to Edinburgh, and then got the bus out to Roslin.

We walked along the old railway to the edge of Bonnyrigg before dropping down to Lasswade and walking up the north side of the river North Esk to the Hewan Bog, site of the Battle of Roslin on 24 February 1303. We passed the monument to the battle and a couple of agricultural research units. We stopped at the village green at Roslin to wait for Evelyn who arrived on the bus 12 minutes after us. We had lunch on the green beside the war memorial. A green vintage MG which was parked outside the Original Rosslyn Hotel was attracting a lot of attention.

We strolled along to the Chapel, where we left Evelyn to go inside while we walked the short distance to the Castle – an impressive ruin on a promontory with a steep drop into the glen. There were some curious alcoves on the northern wall. We descended into Roslin Glen underneath the rampart which is built on a large natural rock. Lance and Julie left us here to head south for their holiday.

We walked through Roslin Glen Country Park, and saw the ruins of the carpet factory where George’s grandfather had been manager. Two turbines were on display outside. These were made by Marine Energy Reclaim, who occupied part of the building. Lots of dogs were running around, and wild flowers were prolific.

Further up the glen we walked through the ruins of an explosives factory which had made gunpowder for over 200 years until its closure in the 1960’s. Eventually we climbed up to join the old railway track to Penicuik – including going through a couple of tunnels. In Penicuik, a helpful bus driver gave us a lift along to the next bus stop to get the bus back to Eskbank. We contacted Evelyn, who, because there was a screen showing the progress of the bus, was able to sit in Dolly’s Café until the bus arrived.

Wildlife: 2 buzzards, wagtail, lambs, lots of hooded crows, tortoiseshell cat in Penicuik. Riders on horses.

Meal

Justinlees Inn, Eskbank Toll. Nice meal, very friendly dogs. Ruby met an admirer.

Photo Gallery

monument

Scott Monument, Edinburgh

 

livingstone

David Livingston (and seagull)

lunch

Walkers lunching on Roslin Green

MG

MG at Roslin

lunch

Packing up

chapel

Entrance to Rosslyn Chapel

 

 

chapel

Rosslyn Chapel

 

castle

Rosslyn Castle

 

house

House at Rosslyn Castle

 

rampart

Rampart

 

rampart

Below the ramparts

 

boat

Roslin Glen Country Park

 

turbines

Turbines

 

river

River North Esk

 

glen

Roslin Glen

 

river

The river again

 

tunnel

Auchendinny Tunnel

 

tunnel

Inside the Tunnel

 

 

 

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