Between West Linton and Carlops The Pentland Way passes a number of interesting features:
The Sillar Holes from which, in mediaeval times, lead and silver were mined and with the latter, it is recorded, Mary of Guise, mother of Mary Queen of Scots, used to pay her troops;
Fair Slacks, a former blacksmith’s shop[ whose name comes from the response “Fair Slack” to questions put about the success of the proprietor’s trade;
The cottages of Trafalgar and Waterloo named after the battles in which the former neighbour occupants fought;
Windy Gowl Farm, a stud for the breeding of the singular Icelandic ponies and the red Angus cattle;
Windy Gowl, a deep valley, the remains of a 13000 year old sub-glacial meltwater channel along the line of the Pentland Fault. Within the channel are a series of hillocks known as “kaims”.
Carlops
This village ends the first section of The Way. Its name is, possibly, derived from the story of the two local witches, or carlins in old Scots, called Jenny Barry and Mause, who used to jump between two outcrops of rock in the village. Carlins’ loup is the first thing you see looming above the car park as you approach the village from West Linton. Like West Linton, the village, in the 18th century, was dedicated to the cotton weaving industry and the buildings you pass as you walk along are mainly old weaver’s cottages. At the
north end of the village at Patie’s mill, the outflow waterfall carrying the North Esk is what remains of the water supply powering the old mill.
The poet, Allan Ramsay, 1686 to 1758, is closely associated with Carlops and the hotel, currently closed, bears his name. Ramsay, like Burns, was a pioneer in the Scottish literary tradition – his pastoral drama “The Gentle Shepherd” was set in the area around Carlops and New Hall and many of the features’ names in the surrounding countryside are derived from the characters and scenes described in his play.
Note: The Allan Ramsey hotel is currently closed.
Access
The bus stops for the Houston Coaches 101 / 102 bus services (hourly service throughout the day) are conveniently located by the Allan Ramsay hotel.
There is a generous visitor car park with useful map board to the south of the village.
West Linton << Carlops >> Ninemileburn & Cap Law