River Esk

Gazing at the River Esk, can you sense the echoes of its past? The River Esk, sometimes called the Lothian Esk, winds its way through Midlothian and East Lothian, a vital thread in the tapestry of Scotland. The river begins as two distinct entities: the North Esk and the South Esk. The North Esk emerges from the Pentland Hills, near the North Esk Reservoir. Meanwhile, the South Esk starts its journey in the Moorfoot Hills, on the slopes of Blackhope Scar. These two branches eventually unite near Dalkeith Country Park, forming the mighty River Esk we see today. The river’s journey hasn’t been without human intervention. Numerous weirs and dams were built along the Esk to power industrial mills, particularly the gunpowder mill near Roslin. Imagine the roar of the water powering these mills, a stark contrast to the river’s more natural state. Over 20 weirs once controlled the Esk’s flow. However, in 2016 and 2017, the Roslin Gunpowder Mill weir and the Polton and Springfield weir collapsed, respectively. This allowed the river to begin reclaiming its natural course. These changes are a testament to the River Esk’s resilience. The collapse of the weirs has been a boon for the local trout population, who can now travel further upstream. The River Esk also played a significant role in the paper industry. Many of the former industrial mills were converted to paper mills. The last of these, Dalmore Mill, closed in 2004, marking the end of an era. The River Esk flows northeast past Penicuik and Auchendinny. It’s joined by the Glencorse Burn, which flows from the Glencorse Reservoir. This reservoir was created in the 1820s by the Edinburgh Water Company. It was designed to provide compensation water to mill owners affected by the diversion of water for drinking supplies. The South Esk’s path takes it through Gladhouse Reservoir and Rosebery Reservoir. It then flows by Temple before merging with the Redside Burn near Arniston House. Other tributaries, such as the Gore Water and the Dalhousie Burn, also join the South Esk before it finally converges with the North Esk. From this confluence, the River Esk continues north, eventually reaching the Firth of Forth at Musselburgh. Here, at the river’s end, the echoes of its industrial past mingle with the promise of a revitalized future.