Talks about River Esk planned to help people learn about river

Organised by the Esk Valley Trust, which focuses on the river from source to sea, the talks on Zoom are open to everyone.

It is hoped that these and, when Covid-19 restrictions ease, guided walks will entertain and inform both people who know the area well and those who are new to it.

The river North Esk rises in the Pentland Hills, while the source of South Esk is beyond Gladhouse Reservoir in the Moorfoot Hills.

Both rivers flow northeast through wooded valleys rich in wildlife, history, towns and villages, to their confluence at Waters’ Meet in Dalkeith Country Park.

As one river, the Esk then flows through Musselburgh to the Firth of Forth.

River Esk. Copyright Richard Webb and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The first talk, on Thursday, April 22, at 7.30pm, will be given by Dr Iain Reid, a well-known aquatic ecologist at the Forth Rivers Trust.

Entitled ‘Fish of the Midlothian Esks placed within the wider context of the Forth district’, it will deal with present challenges and future potential for improving healthy fish populations in the rivers.

Future subjects this year will include the development of the North Esk Way, managing river impacts, artists and photographers along the Esk valleys and the nature of the Esks.

The trust has been helping to develop pathways along the North Esk for many years, providing insights into the features and attractions of the Esk valleys.

John Oldham, trust chairman, said that the new programme should have something for everyone interested in issues of pollution and flooding, as well as natural and cultural history.

John Oldham, chairman of the Esk Valley Trust, is hoping that, through a new programme of talks via Zoom and guided walks when Covid-19 restrictions ease, people will find out more about the features and attractions of the Esk River valleys.

He said: “Some of the folk who live in the Esk valleys know a great deal about the natural and social history that surrounds them but not everyone does. With so many families moving into the area, perhaps for the first time, there are places of great beauty and rich heritage to discover and to learn about through our talks and walks programmes.”

He added: “The last year has reminded us all of the importance of getting out into the open air to stretch the legs and relax the mind. The paths along the Esk valleys take you through beautiful woodland, magnificent estates, sites of previous intense industry and places of great geological, biological and historical interest.

“To walk these ways is to follow in the path of significant figures of the Enlightenment, artists, poets and writers, industrialists of note and some great scientists, plus a few rogues.”

Mr Oldham added: “No rivers are without their problems and the Esks have their share. Some are legacies of the industrial past and others from more recent developments. To learn about the rivers and how they are being managed for the future is important to us all.

“Visitors to the area, even from quite short distances away, can be surprised to see what the Esk valleys have to offer.

“To take a friend for a walk along Roslin Glen, through the woods at New Hall, around Gladhouse Reservoir or to see the birds at the estuary in Musselburgh and hear ‘this is fabulous; I never knew it was here’ is quite normal.”

The talks are free and can be booked via the ‘News and Events’ page on the Trust’s website, eskvalleytrust.org

The programme is: Friday, May 28 (including the annual general meeting), John Oldham – The Esk Valley Trust: What is it for? What has it done? Where is it going; Thursday, June 24, Dr Anna Griffin (SEPA) – Managing river impacts in the Esk rivers; August 26, Professor Roger Crofts from Musselburgh – The Esk valleys: working with nature for a better future; Friday, October 8, Dr Joanna Soden – Artists and Photographers along the River Esk.