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River Esk | |
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Location | |
Country | Scotland |
Region | Midlothian, East Lothian |
Physical characteristics | |
Mouth | Firth of Forth |
• coordinates | 55°56′40″N3°03′05″W / 55.94453°N 3.05137°W Coordinates: 55°56′40″N3°03′05″W / 55.94453°N 3.05137°W |
The River Esk (Brythonic: Isca (water), Scottish Gaelic : Easg (water)), also called the Lothian Esk, is a river that flows through Midlothian and East Lothian, Scotland.
It initially runs as two separate rivers: the North Esk and the South Esk.
The North Esk rises in the North Esk Reservoir in the Pentland Hills, in Midlothian, a mile (1.6 km) north of the village of Carlops. It flows north-east past Penicuik and Auchendinny, where it is joined by the Glencorse Burn, flowing in a south-easterly direction from the Glencorse Reservoir. [1] The reservoir was built by the Edinburgh Water Company in the 1820s, to supply compensation water to millowners on the Esk when they started to take water from the Glencorse Burn for drinking water supplies. [2] The river continues through Roslin Glen and the Penicuik–Dalkeith Walkway, past Hawthornden Castle, Polton, Lasswade and Melville Castle.
The South Esk rises at the southernmost extremity of Midlothian, on the western slopes of Blackhope Scar (the highest of the Moorfoot Hills). It flows north through Gladhouse Reservoir and Rosebery Reservoir, and by the village of Temple, before receiving the Redside Burn close to Arniston House. It is joined by the Gore Water at Shank. The Dalhousie Burn joins just to the west of Newtongrange. The South Esk passes Newbattle Abbey and proceeds through Dalkeith.
The rivers converge just about 1.25 miles (2.01 km) north-east of Dalkeith at the edge of the grounds of Dalkeith Palace. From here the River Esk continues north for about 4.3 miles (6.9 km), entering the East Lothian region, skirting Inveresk and flowing into the Firth of Forth at Fisherrow (Musselburgh).
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was also known as Haddingtonshire.
Midlothian is a historic county, registration county, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east-central Lowlands, bordering the City of Edinburgh, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.
Lothian is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, while other significant towns include Livingston, Linlithgow, Bathgate, Queensferry, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg, Penicuik, Musselburgh, Prestonpans, North Berwick, Dunbar, and Haddington.
The River Tyne is a river in Scotland. It rises in the Moorfoot Hills in Midlothian near Tynehead to the south of Edinburgh, at the junction of the B6458 and the B6367. It continues approximately 30 miles northeast, and empties into the North Sea near Belhaven.
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540. The settlement of Dalkeith grew southwestwards from its 12th-century castle . Dalkeith has a population of 12,342 people according to the 2011 census.
The River Esk, also known as the Border Esk, is a river in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, that enters the English county of Cumbria and flows into the Solway Firth.
Penicuik is a town and former burgh in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the west bank of the River North Esk. It lies on the A701 midway between Edinburgh and Peebles, east of the Pentland Hills.
The Pentland Hills are a range of hills southwest of Edinburgh, Scotland. The range is around twenty miles in length, and runs southwest from Edinburgh towards Biggar and the upper Clydesdale.
Lasswade is a village and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River North Esk, nine miles south of Edinburgh city centre, contiguous with Bonnyrigg and between Dalkeith to the east and Loanhead to the west. Melville Castle lies to the north east. The Gaelic form is Leas Bhaid, meaning the "clump at the fort."
The Edinburgh and Dalkeith Railway was an early railway built to convey coal from pits in the vicinity of Dalkeith into the capital. It was a horse-operated line, with a terminus at St Leonards on the south side of Arthur's Seat.
Pathhead village is a conservation area in Midlothian, Scotland.
Gladhouse Reservoir, formerly known as Moorfoot Loch, is a reservoir in Midlothian, Scotland, five miles (8 km) south of Penicuik. It is the most southerly reservoir in Midlothian, as well as being the largest area of freshwater in the Lothians. It is used to supply Edinburgh with drinking water.
Glencorse Reservoir is a reservoir in Midlothian, Scotland, UK, two miles west of Glencorse, in the Pentland Hills.
James Jardine was a Scottish civil engineer, mathematician and geologist. He was the first person to determine mean sea level. He built tunnels and bridges, including for the Innocent Railway, and built reservoirs including Glencorse, Threipmuir, Harlaw for Edinburgh Water Company, and Cobbinshaw for the Union Canal.
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.
Cockpen is a parish in Midlothian, Scotland, containing at its north-west corner the town of Bonnyrigg, which lies two miles (3.2 km) south-west of Dalkeith. It is bounded on the west and north by the parish of Lasswade, on the east, by Newbattle and on the south by Carrington. It extends about three miles (4.8 km) from north to south and its greatest breadth is about 2+1⁄2 miles (4.0 km).
Glencorse is a parish of Midlothian, Scotland, lying 7 miles south of Edinburgh. It is bounded on the north-west by the former parish of Colinton now within the City of Edinburgh, to the north and west by Lasswade and to the south and west by Penicuik.
Edinburgh Water Company and its successors have provided a public water supply and latterly sewerage and sewage treatment services to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh since 1891. The original company was established to supply drinking water and did so until 1870, when it was taken over by a public Water Trust, with representatives from Edinburgh, Leith and Portobello. That in turn was taken over by Edinburgh Corporation and in 1975, responsibility passed to the Lothian Regional Council, as did the duty to provide sewerage and sewage treatment services. Both services were moved out of local authority control, and taken over by the East of Scotland Water Authority in 1996. The three Scottish regional water authorities were merged to form Scottish Water in 2002.