Run the Midlothian Border - Route 2 - Loanhead Railway

 I was brought up in Loanhead so it is always nice to take a run around routes that I used to run when I first started running. Although the railway is no longer a functioning railway but instead has been turned into a path which takes you around the outskirts of Loanhead. 

When I was at school in Loanhead there was the occasional train carrying coal would trundle past but the line closed in the late 80's and is now part of the railway path which goes all the way to Shawfair from 

The Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway was a railway line south of Edinburgh, Scotland, built primarily to serve mineral workings, although passenger trains were operated. It is also known as the Glencorse Branch of the North British Railway. It opened from a junction at Millerhill on the Waverley route, to Roslin in 1874 and was extended to a location near Penicuik to serve Glencorse Barracks and a colliery in 1877 and to Penicuik Gas Works in 1878.

Bus services substantially eroded the passenger carryings on the line, and passenger trains ceased in 1933. There was some revival in colliery activity after World War II but most of the traffic had ceased in 1969 and the line finally closed completely in 1989.

My run began at the car park which is in Station Road, down where the original station platform was. This was also where the gates to my Primary school were (long gone with houses on the site now). 

First of all Kobi and I went to look at the bronze statues that depict different aspects of the Bilston Glen pit. There is a pit pony with miner and child and there is the Coghorn which used to have a small black cat on it (but this was stolen by vandals). The Coghorn is a memorial to remember all the miners killed in the pit over the years. 

After looking at the statues Kobi and I headed down onto the railway. As we ran along we spotted a path going up from the railway to what I fondly remember as 'the bing' it is now official called Ramsay Law but it will always be the bing to me. The view from the top was great, and the sun finally came out after quite a gloomy day. The hills in the back ground are the Moorfoots, where Kobi and I were on route 1!

After taking in the sights from the top of the bing we headed back down the hill, after a quick detour to say hello to Mum and Dad and get Kobi a quick drink of water we headed off towards the Straiton Nature Reserve (for those who are from Loanhead it was known as Dirty Dicks - in 1961 it was a trout fishery and the pond was called the Lang loch, it was run by a man called Richard (also known as Dick) he had somewhat of a reputation with the ladies during this time, and the rest is history! this is the only explanation of the name I could find, happy to be proven different).

After Kobi had a bit of a swim in the pond, we headed back up onto the railway. First stop was to go and admire the graffiti art that marks the edge of Midlothian before you go under the by-pass to carry on the railway path into Edinburgh. I always like seeing the changing art as different artists make their own mark. Stunning pictures this time.

Turning back along the railway back towards the car park Kobi and I ran along the railway path, and back to the car. Great wee run to the edge of Midlothian. One sleepy doggy when we got home. 

Next run Vogrie Country Park to take in the border near Gorebridge. 

don't worry, be happy :)