Musselburgh

Settlement in Midlothian

Scotland

Musselburgh

Musselburgh is a historic town located in the county of Midlothian, Scotland. Situated on the southern banks of the Firth of Forth, it lies just six miles east of the capital city, Edinburgh. With a population of around 22,000 people, Musselburgh is the largest town in Midlothian.

The town boasts a rich history, dating back to Roman times when it served as a significant port and trading center. Today, remnants of this past can still be seen in the form of archaeological sites and local landmarks, such as the remains of a Roman bridge.

Musselburgh is renowned for its picturesque scenery, with stunning views across the Firth of Forth and the East Lothian countryside. The town is home to several beautiful parks and green spaces, including the Musselburgh Links, the oldest golf course in the world.

The town is also known for its vibrant racing culture, with the Musselburgh Racecourse being a popular destination for horse racing enthusiasts. The annual Musselburgh Festival, held in July, is a highlight of the town's events calendar, featuring a variety of activities including parades, concerts, and fireworks displays.

Musselburgh offers a range of amenities and facilities to its residents, including schools, shops, and leisure centers. The town's close proximity to Edinburgh provides easy access to a wider range of services and attractions.

Overall, Musselburgh is a charming town with a rich history, stunning scenery, and a strong sense of community. Its location, amenities, and cultural events make it an attractive place to live, work, and visit.

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Musselburgh Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 55.942897/-3.049325 or Grid Reference NT3472. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Inveresk Lodge Garden

This attractive small garden is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland

Anne Burgess

Fisherrow Harbour, Musselburgh

There has been an active fishing harbour here since the 1600s, now it is primarily used for leisure activities.

Tom Bishop

Musselburgh Doll's Museum

High Street, Musselburgh. Formerly High Kirk of St Andrew.

Tom Bishop

Esk Bridge

This is Musselburgh's old bridge over the Esk, rebuilt in the 16th century on the site of a Roman bridge. It is now a footbridge.

Tom Bishop

Musselburgh Railway Station.

In recent years several new stations have been opened on the surviving railways into Edinburgh. This one brings the nearby suburbs of Stoneybank and Monktonhall into very easy reach, a few minutes, of the centre of Edinburgh - imagine the jump in house prices when this opened. It is served by trains to/from North Berwick, a service that the old BR tried very hard to close, now old intercity 125 units are used as the joke trains normally used in Britain for branch lines cannot handle the demand. The railway is also the East Coast main line to Newcastle and London.

Richard Webb

Himalayan Balsam

An invasive weed that seems to choke every riverbank with fine alluvial silt - that is, if the Giant Hogweed does not get there first. (Hogweed on the other bank of the Esk, here in Inveresk.)

Richard Webb

Adam Ferguson House, Eskmills.

Old mill, now used as office accommodation

Richard Webb

Newhailes

17th Century house and estate that dominates the square and also provides a recreational resource. Managed by the NTS in a way that keeps it a little tatty, just as it was for nearly all its life. This looks like a big country house from the era of big country houses, not tidied to modern tastes and standards.

Richard Webb

Fisherow Sands

Beach, looking towards the harbour, with North Berwick Law in the distance.

Richard Webb

River Esk

The Esk finally meets the sea at Musselburgh. Looking upstream towards the town centre.

Richard Webb

Mouth of the Esk

The Esk meets the Firth of Forth at Fisherrow Sands.

Richard Webb

Reclaimed ash lagoons.

Not long ago this was beach, only exposed at low tide, the shore being by the racecourse. The beach was used to deposit waste ash from the Cockenzie power station and a lot of land behind a seawall was reclaimed in the form of ash lagoons. This industrial wasteland has undergone further reclamation to form a very fine bird reserve with a good overwintering wader population. One of the pools with hides can be seen across the finch filled rough grassland.

Richard Webb

Ash lagoon, Musselburgh.

Land reclaimed from the sea now used to dump ash from the Cockenzie power station. This is next to the bird reserve, and even this grey wasteland is full of wildlife.

Richard Webb

Using fly ash

Ash from coal fired power stations was a waste product to be dumped. A new area of land was made near Musselburgh through dumping ash, some of which is now a nature reserve. Now ash is no longer waste. It is used in a variety of industries like agriculture, carpet making and road building. Here ash from Cockenzie power station is being carried away after being dug from a lagoon. Sprinklers keep the ash moist until its carried away.

Richard Webb

Wallyford

Terraced houses in this former mining village.

Richard Webb

Grandstand

Now that Edinburgh's once homeless football club has settled down over in Livingston, I was surprised to see a stand being built in a barley field at Wallyford. Enquiries at the waste dump next door revealed that this is to be a dog track, replacing Powderhall in Edinburgh, now housing.

Richard Webb

Last of the barley.

Developments connected to the Wallyford Dog Track. When the barley is harvested, there will be more building here. Being inside the A1 Musselburgh bypass, land here will be built upon eventually.

Richard Webb