Quiet wander through the Powder Mill Glen, Roslin

When I first started working at Loanhead in 1966, there was still an industrial presence in the Roslin Glen area.   I can remember visiting the carpet factory which was run by Henry Widnell and Stewart who also had two other factories in Bonnyrigg and Eskbank.    On the other side of the Powder Mill Brae was the site of the old gunpowder factory which opened in 1804 and operated for around one hundred and fifty years.    There was still a magazine on the Oatslie Road and I can recall checking it out when its licence was due for renewal.
However down in the Glen the main factory was falling into ruins. I took a wander down there today,m while the sun was shining and there were still leaves on the trees.

The gunpowder factory was a number of different buildings , many built into the hillside to absorb explosions (as accidents did happen) and the main power source came from waterwheels driven by water from the Esk diverted at a weir and running through sluices and tunnels.

I really needed more time to explore as there are ruins of a barrel factory further into the glen and nearer Auchendinny,  maybe another day.