Penicuik: Paper History, Monuments and Paths

Penicuik can be explored through three distinct themes: papermaking, places of remembrance, and landscapes with their paths. If you’re looking for hotels in Penicuik, these themes can help you tailor your stay to your interests: local industrial history, a monument, or a walking route. The following places and paths show the different ways the town can be explored through craftsmanship, remembrance and landscape.

Hands-on Paper History

Papermaking in Penicuik dates back to 1709, when Agnes Campbell founded the first mill on the Esk. At the Penicuik Papermaking Heritage Museum, visitors can make a sheet of paper themselves. This connects the history of the industry with a practical step in the process. The Penicuik Papermaking Museum is considered the only papermaking museum in Scotland. Next to the museum is Pen-y-Coe Press, which offers insights into printing techniques from the pre-digital era. The two attractions have different focuses: the museum centres on papermaking, while Pen-y-Coe Press focuses on printing techniques. Together, they illustrate two sides of local paper and printing history.

Places of Remembrance in Penicuik

The Hearse House features nine exhibition panels on Penicuik’s history and heritage; it also contains a model of the Clerk Mausoleum. The French Prisoners of War Memorial focuses on a different period: it commemorates 309 prisoners of war who died in this neighbourhood between 21 March 1811 and 26 July 1814. The monument is the centrepiece of a new housing development on Bellerophon Drive in Penicuik. The development was built on the site of the former Valleyfield Mills. Here, you’ll find both an account of the area’s heritage and a memorial with a clearly identified group of people and time period.

Landscape on the Edge of the Pentland Hills

Penicuik House lies on the eastern edge of the Pentland Hills, and the River North Esk flows through its parkland. The Penicuik Designed Landscape is an outstanding example of landscape design by Sir John Clerk of Penicuick in the early 18th century. Its established woodlands and bodies of water are of significant nature conservation value. Those interested in the landscape will find two aspects side by side here: the history of its design and the conservation value of its woodlands and waters.

Walking Trails with Different Highlights

Two distinct trail themes are available for exploring on foot. The Penicuik-Dalkeith Walkway follows an 11.5-mile section of the former railway line from Edinburgh to Peebles. The Walkway has a tarmac path with a Whin surface, suitable for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. The Penicuik Paper Trail is an easy walking route that connects the town of Penicuik with the Penicuik House estate. The two trails offer different points of reference to help you choose: the Walkway is defined by the former railway line and its length, while the Paper Trail is an easy walk linking the town and the estate.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Loanhead, Rosewell, Roslin, Dalkeith, Gorebridge, North Middleton, Polton, Bonnyrigg

For the main travel overview: Midlothian.