Hillend, Midlothian

Hillend is a small hamlet in Midlothian, Scotland. Lying just south of Edinburgh, it is close to the boundary between Midlothian and the City of Edinburgh council area (partly denoted by the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass road) and takes its name from being situated at the end of the Pentland Hills. It was the site of a fort, but all the stone has been removed and the land is now cultivated. Today, Hillend is best known for the Midlothian Snowsports Centre (formerly the Hillend Ski Centre), an artificial ski slope. Swanston Golf Course and Lothianburn Golf Course are located nearby. The terrain is well suited to paragliding and is flyable in NE and SE winds, although care needs to be taken when landing in the relatively small landing field. It is also a well known camping spot among teenagers from Edinburgh.

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Old Pentland Cemetery

Old Pentland Cemetery is a cemetery in Old Pentland, near Loanhead in Midlothian, Scotland. A category B listed building, the cemetery dates back to the early 17th century. The cemetery contains the remains of members of the Covenanter movement who died during the Battle of Rullion Green in 1666. The Gibsone burial vault was built in 1839 to designs by the architect Thomas Hamilton, and there is an 18th-century watch house, used to guard against body snatchers. There are several medieval cross-slabs in the cemetery. The burial ground lies on the site of Pentland Parish Church, built in the 13th century and used for worship until the parishes of Pentland and Lasswade united in 1647. The cemetery was still in active use in 1907, although the church had long since vanished.

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Morton, Edinburgh

Morton is a locality and former barony, in Edinburgh, Scotland. King Robert I of Scotland rewarded Henry St Clair for his bravery with the gift of Pentland, Pentland Moor, Morton and Mortonhall. The St Clair family disposed of the Morton estate in the late 16th century. In 1630, Morton came into the ownership of William Rigg, whose son sold it to the Porterfield family of Comiston; it was later bought back by another son, and in 1789 it was sold to the Trotter family. Morton House was constructed in the 17th century incorporating parts of an earlier structure.

Old Pentland

Old Pentland is a locality, former parish and former barony in Midlothian, Scotland.

Swanston, Edinburgh

Swanston is a village and residential area on the southern edge of Edinburgh, Scotland, noted for its picturesque thatched cottages set around an informal village green. Because of its relatively isolated position at the foot of the Pentland Hills, it has remained largely unaffected by commercial or suburban development. The village grew up in the 18th century, originally to provide accommodation for farm workers on Swanston Farm. The farm, in turn, can trace its origins back at least to the 13th century and possibly earlier. The area has also played a role in supplying Edinburgh with fresh water. Its most notable resident was the young Robert Louis Stevenson, whose family leased a holiday home in the village during the late 19th century.