Explore Penicuik Policies

Penicuik House stands within some 1,389 acres (561 hectares) of designed landscape which extends from the A766 in the north to Brunstane Castle in the south.

The River North Esk flows through the policies in a north easterly direction. The south bank of the river rises steeply to the upland moorland of Hare Moss. The north bank of the river, to the east of the house also rises steeply before leveling out across the plateau on which the house stands. Directly south of the house the land slopes away more gently.

The River North Esk is joined by several tributaries on its way through the park including the Cornton Burn which flows through the walled garden, the Hare Burn which flows through the woods to the south of the house and the Silver Burn which joins the North Esk to the east of the house.

The Penicuik House Preservation Trust owns a parcel of land centered on Penicuik House and includes the immediate garden features. The Penicuik House Project formalizes access to the house and opens walking routes through the estate linking the estate with the town of Penicuik.

Tympany Gates to House 830m - tarmac surface
House to Chinese Gates - 150m - mown grass
Bastion Walk (Chinese Gates to Chinese Bridge) - 300m - mown grass
Chinese Bridge to Black Pool Park Gate - 70m - crushed stone
The Scobie's Well Path (355m) and The Ladies Walk (410m) are currently woodland walks but will be upgraded as part of the Penicuik House Project.

The former Tympany Entrance and Driveway has been re-opened to provide a dedicated public access route. A new 30 space car park has been formed and the new tarmac driveway provides links to the house. Visitors are asked to park at the entrance and make their way to the house by foot. Blue badge holders can drive to the house where there is designated parking. The single track drive has three passing places spread over the steepest part. These have been levelled to provide resting points for visitors with restricted mobility.

To the east of the drive the Knights Law Tower is visible. The tower was designed by the Baron, possibly with assistance from John Baxter, and built by Baxter between 1748 and 1750. There is a sketch for it in the Baron's hand and it is mentioned in accounts and memoranda.

The driveway extends from the Tympany Gates on the A766 to a shared estate drive at Knights Law Bridge.

Knights Law Bridge is a three arch ashlar stone bridge over the East Burn on the northern driveway to the house.

A circular route around the house passes such features as:

The Chinese Bridge which spans a cutting through the terrace to the south-west of the house. It is a segmental arched stone bridge with painted oak rails in the Chinese taste. The original rails survive in pieces and what we see today are replicas.

Water Willie is a lead statue standing on an aedicule which forms part of the retaining walls adjacent to the Chinese Bridge. The water emerges from a spout in the centre of the niche and is collected in a circular well at its base. Following vandalism the lead statue has been taken away for safe keeping and will be reinstated as part of the project.

The Bastion Wall is a 2m high rubble retaining wall running for the full distance from the high pond, past the house and is about 810 meters long. About 270 m is within the Penicuik House Preservation Trust's ownership.

The Chinese Gates stood to the east of the house on the edge of the bottom wall on the axis between the house, the Roman Bridge and the Ramsay Monument. It is recorded that the gates were erected by James Blaikie in 1758 and cost £7 18s 1d. They stood on stone bases and were constructed of fretted and painted oak. The gates have been dismantled but were recorded in a survey drawing. The rubble stone bases survive but are overgrown.

The Roman Bridge and the Ramsay Monument can be seen in the distance from the Lime Avenue.