Penicuik–Dalkeith Walkway

The Penicuik - Dalkeith Walkway, situated in the county of Midlothian in the east of Scotland, stretches for 9.5 miles along the former Edinburgh to Peebles railway. The route passes through many of Midlothian's historic towns and villages. The gentle gradient and nature of the route allows easy access for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to explore and enjoy the spectacular landscapes and visitor attractions of the county.^[1]

Route

From the car park in Penicuik follow the signage crossing the Bowstring Bridge through Beeslack Wood then cross the Firth

Eskbank

are reached and the route continues past Eskbank Railway Station towards Dalkeith. It is, of course, possible to do the walk in the opposite direction.

The route used to go through Eskbank and over the Glenesk viaduct and finish close to the A720 City of Edinburgh bypass. This section followed the trackbed of the old

Waverley Line, which forms part of the Borders Railway

which opened in September 2015.

Nearby attractions

Many of Midlothian's places of interest can easily be reached from this walkway. These include:

National Mining Museum, Dalhousie Castle, Newbattle Abbey

, Ironmills Park and Dalkeith Country Park.

Flora and fauna

Following the closure of the railway in 1967, nature has created an intricate wildlife corridor with a diverse range of habitats. A carpet of

Buddleia, a butterfly favourite, readily colonises vacant spaces on walls and old platforms. The River North Esk meanders through the Esk Valley, flowing into the Firth of Forth at Musselburgh. At one time polluted by Midlothian's industrial past, the river now is home to a rich variety of wildlife, including the shy otter and the exotic-looking kingfisher. Pioneer species, birch and willow are the first to colonise open areas such as railway embankments. Both can live up to 100 years. At Beeslack Woods, 200-year-old oaks dominate the tree canopy. Oak and ash have been the most successful species within the river valley at Roslin Glen for over 400 years. At one time, this ancient seminatural woodland covered most of Midlothian. All these woodland habitats create a haven for wildlife.^[3]

References

^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 July 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Geograph Firth Viaduct".
^ "Roslin Glen | Important Plant Areas | Wild plants". Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.

[1] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 July 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[Geograph-2] "Geograph Firth Viaduct".

[3] "Roslin Glen | Important Plant Areas | Wild plants". Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.

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