Hewan Wood

In the picturesque Roslin Glen, we can follow in the footsteps of Sir Walter Scott, William Wordsworth, Robert Burns and the artists Nasmyth, Ibbetson and Daguerre. Also in the glen are Wallace’s Cave, said to be capable of hiding 60 or 70 men, and Hawthornden Castle, home of the poet William Drummond and now a retreat for writers and artists.

Watch the Gardeners Brae Video Watch the Hawthornden Video(extracts from ‘The North Esk River, From Source to Sea’)

The Esk Valley Trust purchased the Hewan Wood in 2002. The site includes the Hewan Bank, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its geology of glacial deposits and has a resident colony of sand martins. The bank is unstable and has suffered from landslips and serious erosion to the extent that the footpath which used to cross the top of the bank has had to be diverted, a task carried out by teams of local volunteers.

Hewan Wood is also the site of the former Maiden Castle. The area is thought to have been the site of the third encounter of the Battle of Roslin in 1302 when the casualities were so horrendous that the location became known as “The Hewing” or “The Hewan”. The riverside below Maiden Castle is a beautiful and peaceful spot.

Downloads

The Esk Valley Trust has produced three interpretation boards for Hewan Wood:

Slipping Slopes
Step Into the Iron Age
Stop Look & Listen

The Esk Valley Trust have produced a leaflet showing walking routes between Loanhead to Roslin.

Walk the North Esk Way – Loanhead to Roslin

Midlothian Council has produced a series of leaflets of maps and information on Walks in Midlothian.