VILLAGE OF ROSLIN

Roslin for Tourists

Firstly, how do you get to Roslin?  Most tourists come to Roslin by car or by bus out from Edinburgh.  Roslin lies just 7 miles (11km) south of the heart of Edinburgh, in the county of Midlothian, close the town of Penicuik (pronounced "Penny-cook").

By bus:  Take the number 15 bus from the city centre of Edinburgh (Gardens side of Princes Street).  View the timetable here.  The journey from the city centre takes about 40 minutes.  Buses run every half an hour at peak times and every hour at all other times.  As the bus comes into the village you want to alight at the 4th bus stop, which is directly outside The Original Hotel.  (This is the closest bus stop to Rosslyn Chapel, which is a three minute walk away.)   A word of warning:  The last bus from Roslin back into Edinburgh leaves generally at around 8pm weekdays, 6.20pm weekends, so don't get caught out out.  (Check the village bus stops which tell you when the last bus back into town is.)

You can also get bus no's 37, 47, X37 and X47 which stop in the village of Bilston, which is a good 15 minute walk to Roslin. 

By taxi:  A taxi will cost you about £16-£20 each way from and to Edinburgh City Centre.

By car:  Roslin and Penicuik are signposted from the A720, Edinburgh City By-pass at "Straiton Junction".  Follow signs for "A701 Penicuik, Peebles" past IKEA and a large car showroom on the left.  carry straight on through the lights and enter the village of Bilston.  Take first left at a small roundabout just after you enter Bilston, to go on the B7006 road to Roslin.  From the bypass it is a five minute journey to Roslin.

Local Weather Advantage:

Due to it's location 7 miles south of Edinburgh, Roslin often doesn't get as badly affected by the coastal sea haar (fog) that afflicts Edinburgh, especially during the spring and early summer.  Often when it's cold and foggy in the city centre of Edinburgh, Roslin can be warm and sunny; so do be aware of that in planning your trip out from Edinburgh.

There are quite a number of things to see and do in Roslin as well as just Rosslyn Chapel.  Find out more below:

Rather than reinventing the wheel, find out all you need to know about Rosslyn Chapel at the Chapel's official website.  

If you want a special tour of the Chapel then why not use the services of Roslin's very own tour company Rosslyn Tours?  They can pick you up from your accommodation in Edinburgh or Edinburgh Airport and bring you out to Roslin for your own personal tour of Rosslyn Chapel. 

One thing you won't find find out about on the Rosslyn Chapel website was what was it like for the villagers when they did the filming of The Da Vinci Code at the Chapel back in September 2005?  Well for starters after a lovely spell of weather the week before, the week of filming was rather spoiled by a huge storm, when it didn't stop horizontally raining for virtually the whole week!  They really couldn't have timed it any worse!  Although some villagers got jobs as extras, most of us were kept at arms length at the top of Chapel Loan behind the security barriers and security staff.  Did any of us see the stars of the movie?  Mostly no, as Tom Hanks and co stayed in a top hotel in Edinburgh each night.  However, some people who were there at the end of a day's filming did say that they saw Tom wave at them as he sped past in his car along Main Street.

Finally. the protective steel canopy that has spoiled the look of the Chapel for well over a decade is now off!!  

Watch the Rosslyn Chapel introductory video below:

Rosslyn Castle

Although not signposted, the 14thC Rosslyn Castle can be found by walking down the steep lane on the right hand side of Rosslyn Chapel towards Roslin Cemetery.  At the foot of the lane, take the lane on the left that runs between the two of the three cemeteries.  The Castle is a three minute walk from here.  The Castle is now a holiday home, available for let (and very nice inside too we hear!), so you cannot actually go into it, unless you hire it for a night or a week from The Landmark Trust.  The Castle featured in "The Da Vinci Code" film, in the scene after Rosslyn Chapel when Robert and Sophie bid a fond goodbye to one another. (You may be interested to hear that the small pool which Sophie dips her foot into, doesn't exist in real life.  It was put there by the film crew for the filming.)  More information on Rosslyn Castle..

Battle of Roslin (1303) Monument

Plaque to "Bovril" Johnston

The plaque commemorating the birthplace of humble butcher John Lawson Johnston who invented the famous beef-brew, Bovril, which went on to be sold worldwide and become a favourite of football fans for decades, can be found on the wall adjacent to Bovril Johnston's Cafe on Main Street just down from Roslin Library.

Born in 1839 at 29 Main Street, Roslin, Johnston was a local butcher who reportedly responded to Napoleon III's challenge of getting a million cans of beef for his hungry army by inventing Johnston's Fluid Beef, later re-named Bovril in the 1870s.

Roslin Glen Country Park

Dorothy Wordsworth, sister of the English poet William, (he of "I wandered lonely as a cloud...") wrote, after the pair's visit to Roslin Glen in 1803 that, "I never passed through a more delicious dell than the Glen of Rosslyn".  Indeed you'll find the same in the 21st Century, as little has changed.  This is a lovely place in which to wander yourself for an hour or two, away from the hubbub of modern life.

For more details on walks in and around Roslin Glen we would thoroughly recommend the new "Roslin Rambles" leaflet that has been produced by Roslin Heritage Society.  Updated in 2010, it has been renamed "Campbell's Rambles round Roslin" in honour of the founder chairman of the Society who would have been 100 years old in February.  It can be purchased in the Rosslyn Chapel Gift Shop and Bovril Johnson's Cafe and Roslin Post Office both on Main Street.  

• Link to the Roslin Glen webpage on Midlothian Council's website.
• Download the official Roslin Glen Information Leaflet,

Roslin Gunpowder Mills & Carpet Factory (ruins)

As you walk through Roslin Glen Country Park, it’s hard to believe that this was once a highly industrialised area.  When you arrive at the large open Roslin Glen car park - now all grass, trees and wild flower meadows - can you imagine Queen Victoria’s linen tablecloths and napkins (beautifully made in Dunfermline) lying spread out on grassy banks to bleach in the sun?  Can you hear the chatter of the factory workers as they scurried down the steep steps of Jacob’s Ladder to start their day in what was then the world famous Roslin Carpet Factory?  And further upstream, “through the gates”, can you imagine the horror and distress when there was an accident in the Gunpowder Mills and a massive explosion shattered the peace of the countryside for miles around?

The Bleachfields (what is now the car park of Roslin Glen Country Park) were used for over 100 years from early in the 18^th Century until bleaching became more of a chemical process and the site was taken over by Whytock’s carpet factory, looking to relocate from further downstream at Lasswade in 1868.  Whytock had invented a special method of making tapestry carpets and table covers - these amazing works of art being produced in Roslin Glen for many years up to when the factory closed in 1969.  Both these industries required copious amounts of water, and in the early days the machinery was water powered.  The site, right on the bank of the river North Esk, was ideal and remains of weirs, mill lades and filter beds can be seen.

The atmospheric ruins of Roslin Gunpowder Mills can be found towards the southern end of Roslin Glen, a 20 minute stroll from Rosslyn Castle. To get to it, take a right out of the Roslin Glen Car Park and walk over the road bridge above the River North Esk until you come to a very sharp hairpin bend.  Cross the road here and pass through the old mill gates and carry on walking on the path, high above the river, for a good 10 minutes.

Here, the protection of the deep, steep wooded valley proved to be an ideal site for Roslin Gunpowder Mills which started production in 1804 and continued producing "Black Powder" gunpowder until they closed in 1954.  As well as making blasting powders for the quarrying and mining industries, they also produced military and sporting powders.  There was a large munitions factory working during both World Wars and even earlier.  You can see the remains of many buildings as you walk along the track, some recessed into the bank to help guard against an accidental explosion spreading from one to the next.  In the beginning, the mills were water powered and the remains of two of the incorporating mills, with gables to hold a water wheel can still be seen.  If the river is in spate, you can imagine the force of the water driving the gear as it rushes over the picturesque nearby weir. 

Food & Accommodation in Roslin

The Original Roslin Hotel - One of our two local hotels, "The Original" as we call it here in the village is a comfortable family run business, run by the Harris family.  Food is served daily from their friendly Lounge Bar.  Their accommodation has recently been refurbished.  All rooms are fully en-suite and free WiFi is available.  The hotel also includes "The Grail" Restaurant which is open at weekends.  The hotel is just a three minute walk away from Rosslyn Chapel.  Address: Main Street, Roslin.  Tel: (+44)0131 440 2384.  E-mail the hotel.

The Roslin Glen Hotel - The other of our two local hotels is The Roslin Glen Hotel situated opposite The Original Roslin Hotel.   The hotel is just a three minute walk away from Rosslyn Chapel.  The hotel boast a warm, friendly atmosphere. A place to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.  The friendly staff at the Roslin Glen Hotel will ensure that your stay with them is comfortable and enjoyable. Address: 2 Penicuik Road, Roslin.  Tel: (+44)0131 448 0001.  E-mail the hotel.

For self-catering accommodation in Rosslyn Castle see Rosslyn Castle piece above. 

Bovril Johnston's Cafe - Bovril Johnston's is the wonderful new cafe situated within the Roslin Chapel visitor centre where you can sample the famous brew Bovril in its hot drink form and also as an ingredient in a number of the cafe's recipes. They also do mighty fine coffee, shakes and juices, hearty soups and sandwiches and cakes as big as your head....oh and Bovril! A lovely place to while away an hour or two. Facebook page.

Shops in Roslin

Roslin Cave

Opened in summer 2011, Roslin Cave is situated beside the bus stop adjacent to the Roslin Glen Hotel and sells locally, hand-made leather goods, jewellery, wooden furniture and other items.   

Do you have a tourist question about Roslin you'd like to ask us?  If you do, please e-mail us here. 

For a brief history of Roslin and the surrounding area, we would recommend reading Roslin Heritage Society’s book "Old Roslin", published by Stenlake Publishing.  The Society’s CD-ROM "Roslin Gunpowder Mills", which also includes information about some of the flora and fauna of the area, gives a comprehensive history of the Gunpowder Mills; whilst the Esk Valley Trust’s DVD "The River North Esk - From Source to Sea" has some stunning film of the North Esk Valley (especially Roslin Glen of course!) and includes archive footage of the Gunpowder Mills in operation.

Both of the above are available to buy at the Rosslyn Chapel Shop.