Battle and Coal Walks: the Best is Yet to Come

There are two lesser known Walks (less well known that is than the John Muir Way which passes the doorstep of The Gothenburg). We have already re-captured one that was seriously lost from the Newtongrange Coal Mining Archives and it is known as the Coal Trail.

Research is now underway to greatly improve the information on its 10 stopping points of interest, most particularly Birsley Brae and Newbattle Abbey. But we are also adding The Gothenburg, the Tranent Cockenzie Tramway and the Ormiston Colliery to the itinerary. When complete we shall make it available here virtually and also produce a leaflet for Newtongrange and more widely making The Gothenburg a key destination for walkers.

The second walk is the event organised annually by Battle enthusiast Peter MacKenzie who works enthusiastically as an SNP agent for the rest of the year. He took time out to give Prestoungrange's party in mid-March a private tour of the fields of battle...and not a moment too soon. We are on the threshold of publishing Michael of Albany's Historical Booklet on The Battle of Prestonpans and Peter MacKenzie was able to give access to a great amount of truly local intelligence as well. It will all be captured in the booklet along with considered analysis of the fabled Thorntree as well.

Peter is pictured personally below along with AnneMarie Allen from the Arts Festival team on The Tramway close by the actual battlefield, and several significant areas on the battlefield are also to be seen. The cairn commemorating the battle is not correctly placed at Meadowmill, but the greatly honoured Colonel Gardiner's home at Bankton House is to be seen as now finely restored and the replanted orchard where he was slain.

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