The River Esk ( Brythonic: Isca (water), gd, Easg (water)), also called the Lothian Esk, is a river that flows through Midlothian and East Lothian,

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. It initially runs as two separate rivers: the North Esk and the South Esk.

Route

The North Esk rises in the North Esk Reservoir in the

Pentland Hills The Pentland Hills are a range of hills southwest of Edinburgh, Scotland. The range is around in length, and runs southwest from Edinburgh towards Biggar and the upper Clydesdale. Etymology The name is first recorded for the farm of Pentla ...

, in Midlothian, a mile (1.6 km) north of the village of

Carlops Carlops ( gd, Leum na Caillich) is a small village in the Pentland Hills, within the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, close to the boundary with Midlothian. It lies between West Linton and Penicuik. The village was founded in 1784 and develope ...

. It flows north-east past

Penicuik Penicuik ( ; sco, Penicuik; gd, Peighinn na Cuthaig) is a town and former Police burgh, burgh in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the west bank of the River Esk, Lothian, River North Esk. It lies on the A701 road, A701 midway between Edinburgh a ...

and

Auchendinny Auchendinny (Scottish Gaelic: Achadh an t-Sionnaich, meaning field of the fox) is a small village in Glencorse near Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland. The village had a paper mill at Dalmore, until its closure in 2005. This was Midlothian's last r ...

, where it is joined by the Glencorse Burn, flowing in a south-easterly direction from the

Glencorse Reservoir Glencorse Reservoir is a reservoir in Midlothian, Scotland, two miles west of Glencorse, in the Pentland Hills. It is retained by an earth dam, and it was built between 1820 and 1824 by James Jardine to provide water for the mills of Auchendin ...

.Ordnance Survey, 1:25000 map The reservoir was built by the

Edinburgh Water Company 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 1819. The original company was established to supply drinking water and ...

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. The river continues through Roslin Glen and the

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 ...

, past

Hawthornden Castle Hawthornden Castle is located on the River North Esk in Midlothian, Scotland. The castle lies a mile to the east of Roslin at grid reference , and is just downstream from Roslin Castle. Hawthornden comprises a 15th-century ruin, with a 17th-c ...

Polton Polton is a village located in Lasswade parish, Midlothian Midlothian (; gd, Meadhan Lodainn) is a historic county, registration county, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian li ...

Lasswade Lasswade is a village and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River North Esk, nine miles (14.5 kilometres) south of Edinburgh city centre, contiguous with Bonnyrigg and between Dalkeith to the east and Loanhead to the west. Melvil ...

and

Melville Castle Melville Castle is a three-storey Gothic castellated mansion situated less than a mile (2 km) west-south-west of Dalkeith, Midlothian, near the North Esk. History An earlier tower house on the site was demolished when the present stru ...

. The South Esk rises at the southernmost extremity of Midlothian, on the western slopes of Blackhope Scar (the highest of the

Moorfoot Hills The Moorfoot Hills are a range of hills south of Edinburgh in east central Scotland, one of the ranges which collectively form the Southern Uplands. Etymology The name ''Moorfoot'' was recorded as ''Morthwait'' in 1142. The second element is O ...

). It flows north through

Gladhouse Reservoir 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 Lot ...

and Rosebery Reservoir, and by the village of

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

, 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 Newtongrange () is a former mining village in Midlothian, Scotland. Known in local dialect as ''Nitten'', or ''Nitten by the Bing'' (), it became Scotland's largest mining village in the 1890s, with the sinking of the Lady Victoria Colliery an ...

. The South Esk passes

Newbattle Abbey Newbattle Abbey ( gd, Abaid a' Bhatail Nuaidh) was a Cistercian monastery near the village of Newbattle in Midlothian, Scotland, which subsequently become a stately home and then an educational institution. Monastery It was founded in 1140 by ...

and proceeds through

Dalkeith Dalkeith ( ; gd, Dail Cheith, IPA: �t̪alˈçe 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-cent ...

. The rivers converge just about north-east of Dalkeith at the edge of the grounds of

Dalkeith Palace Dalkeith Palace is a country house in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland. It was the seat of the Dukes of Buccleuch from 1642 until 1914, and is owned by the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust. The present palace was built 1701–1711 on the site of th ...

. From here the River Esk continues north for about , entering the East Lothian region, skirting

Inveresk Inveresk (Gaelic: ''Inbhir Easg'') is a village in East Lothian, Scotland situated to the south of Musselburgh. It has been designated a conservation area since 1969. It is situated on slightly elevated ground on the north bank of a loop o ...

and flowing into the Firth of Forth at

Fisherrow Fisherrow is a harbour and former fishing village at Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland, to the east of Portobello and Joppa, and west of the River Esk. History There has been fishing at Fisherrow and Musselburgh since Roman times, and the p ...

( Musselburgh).

Photo gallery

Image:Esk sign.jpg, River Esk signpost Image:Esk weir.jpg, River Esk weir Image:Esk fishing.jpg, River Esk angler Image:Esk bank erosion.jpg, River Esk bank erosion Image:Esk swans.jpg, River Esk swans Image:Esk Musselburgh1.jpg, River Esk, Musselburgh Image:Esk Rennie's Bridge.jpg, River Esk, Rennie's Bridge

Route

Photo gallery

Bibliography

References

See also