Discover Carlops: Village History and Landscape

Carlops combines the history of a long-established weaving village with a landscape extending to the Pentland Hills Regional Park. A large part of the village lies within a conservation area. This creates an interesting combination for planning your trip: you can explore the local architectural and industrial history while also including walks through the countryside in your plans. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday cottage in Carlops will therefore find a place for a stay combining village discovery and walking.

Weavers’ Cottages and Village History

The origins of Carlops are closely linked to the year 1784. At that time, Robert Brown, the Laird of Newhall, established a cotton weaving mill and had rows of weavers’ cottages built on both sides of the Edinburgh–Biggar Road. This foundation explains the village’s distinctive character better than a general description: the village was shaped as a place where weavers lived and worked.

The rows of the original houses in the conservation area remain largely unchanged. They are single-storey and feature projecting front sections. As you walk around Carlops, it is worth paying attention to this uniform historic structure. The houses tell the story not only of an earlier economic system but also make visible how the village’s development was connected to cotton weaving.

Patie's Mill is located at the northern end of the village. The former mill, dating from 1800, stood on the River North Esk and originally produced wool felts for local paper mills. Patie's Mill is a Category B listed building. Also at the northern end of Carlops is Patie's Mill Bridge, a single-span, segmental-arched rubble-stone bridge over the River North Esk. Its construction provides another specific point of interest for anyone interested in regional architecture and the history of craftsmanship.

Paths Towards North Esk Reservoir

The landscape around Carlops can also be explored on foot. From Carlops, footpaths lead on a relatively easy walk to North Esk Reservoir and onwards to the Bore Stane. This allows you to make your excursion different from a simple village walk and combine the historic village centre with a tour of the surrounding area. North Esk Reservoir is privately owned. Take this ownership situation into account when planning your trip and follow the routes that are actually designated for use.

Another distinctive feature is the name of the village itself. It is thought to be connected with a local legend about two witches, Jenny Barry and Mause. According to the tradition, they leapt between two rocky outcrops in the village known as “Carline’s Loup”. The legend adds a narrative detail to the visible history of the village without equating it with Carlops’s historical origins.

Important Note for Planning Your Day

The bridge on Core Path 165 in the Carlops area is closed until further notice. If you include paths in your day’s plans, you should take this information into account in advance and not plan to use the bridge in question as an open section of the route. This ensures that your walking plans are aligned from the outset with the route that is actually possible.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Stay?

Choosing a holiday apartment in Carlops depends above all on what you would like to focus on. For days centred on culture, the rows of original weavers’ cottages, the history dating from 1784, Patie's Mill, and the bridge over the River North Esk are the main attractions. If you would rather spend time in the countryside, the footpaths to North Esk Reservoir and onwards to the Bore Stane may be the deciding factor.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to compare other places besides Carlops, here are the direct destinations in the surrounding-area selection: Roxburgh, Peebles, Kelso, Heriot, Saint Boswells, Selkirk, Earlston and West Linton.

For the higher-level travel overview: The Scottish Borders.