Blackridge

Settlement in West Lothian

Scotland

Blackridge

Waterlogged track A bit of nifty footwork to keep boots dry — Waterlogged track Credit: Jim Smillie

Blackridge is a small village located in the county of West Lothian, Scotland. Situated approximately 25 miles west of Edinburgh, it lies within the Bathgate Hills and is surrounded by beautiful countryside. With a population of around 1,600 people, it maintains a close-knit community atmosphere.

The village primarily developed as a mining community in the late 19th century, with coal mining being the main industry for many years. However, the closure of the last mine in 1962 led to a shift in the local economy towards other sectors such as agriculture, retail, and service industries.

Blackridge is well-connected to nearby towns and cities, with good transport links including a train station on the Glasgow-Edinburgh line. This makes it an attractive location for commuters working in either city. The village is also served by regular bus services.

In terms of amenities, Blackridge has a range of local shops, including a post office, convenience stores, and a pharmacy, catering to the day-to-day needs of its residents. There are also several pubs and restaurants, offering a variety of dining options.

The village benefits from its picturesque surroundings, with opportunities for outdoor activities such as walking, cycling, and horse riding. There are several parks and green spaces nearby, including the popular Blackridge Reservoir, which offers scenic views and wildlife-spotting opportunities.

Blackridge is home to a primary school, providing education for local children, while older students typically attend secondary schools in nearby towns. The village also has a community center, which hosts various events and activities throughout the year, fostering a sense of community spirit among residents.

Overall, Blackridge offers a peaceful and rural lifestyle, combined with convenient access to nearby urban areas, making it an attractive place to live for those seeking a balance between countryside living and accessibility to amenities.

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Blackridge Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 55.884211/-3.767977 or Grid Reference NS8967. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Waterlogged track

A bit of nifty footwork to keep boots dry

Jim Smillie

Track across moorland

This led to Drumelzie, now a ruin

Jim Smillie

Through the woods

Some deciduous trees surviving along track in a conifer plantation

Jim Smillie

Improved grassland

Just east of Blawhorn Moss

Jim Smillie

Through the gap

The track leads to the edge of Blawhorn Moss Nature Reserve

Jim Smillie

Flat area of long grasses

Probably hiding boggy area. Pond might be visible when vegetation dies back

Jim Smillie

Series of Dams on Blawhorn Nature Reserve

This set of plastic corrugated dams obviously replaced an older set of now-rotten wooden ones which can also clearly be seen. The dams are situated along a fairly steep drain (in relation to its surroundings at least) and the aim is to stop areas of this protected raised peat bog here from drying out. I'm sure there is solid reasoning behind this method, but having seen this setup before, often wonder whether it would not be easier filling in the drain with peat sourced from elsewhere. Perhaps because we have so much peat in Britain, particularly the Northern bit, we seem to almost stand alone in wanting to keep it in situ - other countries dig it up and sell it as a matter of course. It being managed land, it is possibly not done for fear of introducing the unknown effects of tiny alien species contained within the peat. I am actually set to study this area as part of an environmental course, so perhaps I will be able to add more to this square than my usual 'educated' guesses in the long run! Incidentally, the name 'Blawhorn' is said, according to the online pamphlet about the reserve, to derive from the practice of somebody once blowing a horn up here to alert the innkeeper in the nearby village of Blackridge to the appearance of travellers on foot and horseback heading in their direction. While plausible in a way, this is also slightly ridiculous in others, unless the innkeeper was regularly a good distance away tending a farm. Surely the travellers on the Glasgow to Edinburgh route would know that there was a stopping point in the village, and if not, the inn would surely have a sign? Therefore even if the innkeeper was short-staffed and working in the surrounding fields he could just leave out a horn for his customers to blow - this would surely be cheaper and more effective than relying on a sentry positioned in a peat bog?!

Ian Dodds

Dead Stag Tree

This picture was taken from the pavement on the North side of the A89. The sole reason for taking it was that the dead tree to the left of the copse straight ahead looked like a deer's head with antlers from this viewpoint! The overhead lines running above the horizon are only visible in the parts of the sky that are clouded over, something I have never noticed before in pictures - the short section to the right of the dead tree looks very odd indeed.

Ian Dodds