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Roslin for Tourists
Firstly, how do you get to Roslin? Most tourists come to Roslin by bus or by car 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 LRT number 15 (maroon) 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 30 minutes throughout the day. Interestingly, the bus passes Midlothian Snowsports Centre - Europe's largest and most challenging dry ski slope - which lies on the Pentland Hills just as you exit Edinburgh; and Easter Bush Estate - Edinburgh University's picturesque Veterinary Sciences campus. Many tourists are confused when the bus turns left at a large roundabout, close to the village, after seeing signs for "Roslin" pointing straight ahead! Don't worry, the bus just goes into the village by another access road about half a mile away.
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 left behind. (Check the bus times back into Edinburgh on the bus stop beside the Roslin Cave shop on the other side of the road, which will all the buses run.)
You can also get bus no's 37, 47, X37 and X47 or First Bus no. 62 from the city centre, which stop in the village of Bilston, which is a good 10-15 minute walk to Roslin.
LRT bus service no. 40 also serves the village, but goes on a circuitous route from Portobello in the NE of Edinburgh.
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, an ASDA supermarket and a large Nissan car showroom on the left. Carry straight on through the lights at the Nissan dealership entering the village of Bilston. Take the first left at a small roundabout just after you enter Bilston, signposted "B7006 Roslin". Roslin is one mile from here. (From the bypass it is a five minute journey to Roslin.)
There's no need to write all this information down as you can see the mobile version of this website on your phone when you are in the village. Bookmark it now on your cell/mobile phone.
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. See what the weather looks like now in the village on our stunning Haar webcam page! |
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 and Roslin Glen.
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 arm's 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 and the superb new Visitor Centre is open.
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 steep 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 actually 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
- Download an information sheet all about the battle here.
After the Battle of Roslin memorial cairn the path continues on, along an old railway line, all the way to the small town of Loanhead (1½ miles away) over the spectacular Bilston Glen viaduct, which is well worth a look with its high views over Midlothian. From Loanhead, you can catch the LRT no. 37 bus back into Edinburgh.
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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 this houes in 1839 at 29 Main Street, 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 peaceful place in which to wander 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 walks 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 Heritage Society. It can be purchased in the Rosslyn Chapel Gift Shop and Roslin Post Office 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 18th 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 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.
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.
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.
Accommodation and Food 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. The rooms have recently been refurbished and 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(0)131 440 2384. E-mail the hotel.
The Roslin Glen Hotel - The other of our two local hotels is The Roslin Glen Hotel situated directly opposite The Original Roslin Hotel.
The hotel is just a three minute walk away from Rosslyn Chapel. The hotel boast a warm, friendly atmosphere and food is available all day in the hotel's bar or dining room. Open from Easter to October. Address: 2 Penicuik Road, Roslin. Tel: +44(0)131 448 0001. E-mail the hotel.
Bovril Johnston's Cafe - Bovril Johnston's is the wonderful 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! A lovely place to while away an hour. Facebook page.
The Copper Bowl Restaurant & Bar is an Indian restaurant situated at the Gowkley Moss Roundabout at the edge of the village, about a 10 minute walk from the other two hotels. They do a £8.95 two-course lunch meal deal as well as a full A la Carte menu in the evenings. Address 1 South Road End, Gowkley Moss Roundabout, Penicuik, EH26 0NX
Roslin has its own campsite: Slatebarns Caravan Park which is situated just next to Rosslyn Chapel in a pretty, sheltered setting.
For self-catering accommodation try Rosslyn Castle - see Rosslyn Castle piece above. Also try Gorton House or Hunter Holiday Cottages, just 2 miles away from the village and surrounded by the pretty Midlothian countryside. Alternatively, unwind in the stunning and well-appointed Eastside Cottages, beautifully hidden away in the folds of the nearby Pentland Hills.
Our other hotel recommendations in the general area of Roslin are the historic Dalhousie Castle Hotel and Spa - a very grand castle with stunning interiors; the wonderful, family-orientated Peebles Hydro Hotel with it's magnificent Border hill views and leisure facilities; and The Barony Castle Hotel - with lovely hill views, beautiful gardens, small but nice leisure facilities and stylish modern interiors.
Gift 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, jewelery, wooden furniture and other items.
Opened by local, Diane McCarry, RoseLine Gallery is situated beside Roslin Library at 15 Main Street, just down from the Roslin Glen Hotel. It is not just a gallery for encaustic Art, which is a wax medium that artists have been using since ancient Egyptian times, but also stocks 100's of unique gifts for any occasion including jewelery, ornaments, crystals and geodes and books and CD's. Tel: 0131 448 0896. E-mail the store here. Download an exclusive voucher worth 10% off everything in the store! |  |
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.
