River Esk

The River Esk flows through Midlothian and East Lothian in Scotland. It begins as two separate rivers, the North Esk and the South Esk. The North Esk starts in the Pentland Hills near Carlops and passes through Penicuik and Auchendinny. The South Esk rises on the slopes of Blackhope Scar in the Moorfoot Hills and flows through Gladhouse Reservoir and Rosebery Reservoir. The river’s history is tied to the Edinburgh Water Company, which built Glencorse Reservoir in the 1820s. This reservoir supplied water to millowners after they diverted the Glencorse Burn for drinking supplies. The North Esk continues past Roslin Glen and the Penicuik–Dalkeith Walkway, while the South Esk passes Newbattle Abbey before reaching Dalkeith. Visitors can explore the river’s scenic routes, including the Penicuik–Dalkeith Walkway and the grounds near Dalkeith Palace. The rivers meet near Dalkeith Palace before flowing into the Firth of Forth at Fisherrow in Musselburgh. The landscape includes reservoirs, wooded glens and historic sites such as Hawthornden Castle and Melville Castle.