The best places to live in Midlothian

Ideally situated just southeast of Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, residents who live in Midlothian live in a county that manages to be both a serene haven of Scottish countryside and a commuter’s dream. 

As a developer that’s built several new homes in Midlothian, we’ve had the pleasure of exploring this beautiful county and the following are easily three of our favourite places in Midlothian.

Rosewell

One of the many sweet, little villages in Midlothian, Rosewell is one of Midlothian’s quieter areas, boasting plenty of beautiful greenery, including the gorgeous gardens found at the Rosewell Park. 

The heart of the community, Rosewell Park features a pavilion, a number of grass and artificial football pitches and is also home to the Rosewell Tennis Club.

Where is Rosewell?

Rosewell is situated within Lasswade, a civil parish in Midlothian that rests alongside the River North Esk. 

It’s pretty easy for commuters to get from Rosewell to Edinburgh as Edinburgh is just over half an hour’s drive from Rosewell. 

The village is also served by Lothian buses, which provide services to the likes of Bonnyrigg, Dalketh, Danderhall, Newcraighall, Musselburgh, and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Schools in Rosewell

Roswell has two primary schools – The Rosewell Primary School and St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School – as well as an after school club at The Rosewell Pavilion.

Places to grab a bite in Rosewell

Popular spots include Vin’s Café and the Angelina Coffee Snug, as well as the renowned high-end chippy, the Rosewell Fryer.  

If you’d like to find out more about our new homes in Rosewell, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.  

Penicuik

Penicuik is a town in Midlothian known for its idyllic scenery and diverse wildlife – with places like Montgomery Park and Valleyfield Pond being a testament to this – and its excellent golf clubs – like the popular Glencorse Golf Club. 

With its vast wilderness and endless array of trees, the town was also once known as one of Scotland’s preeminent paper makers, with museums in the town dedicated to its ‘storied’ legacy.

Where is Penicuik?

Situated on River North Esk’s west bank, Penicuik is situated just south of Edinburgh with it being just over a half hour drive from Penicuik to Edinburgh. 

The bus operator, Lothian Buses, runs regular services from Penicuik to Edinburgh as well as to other parts of Midlothian too.

Schools in Penicuik

Penicuik has a number of primary schools including the Cuiken Primary School, the Cornbank St James Primary School, the Sacred Heart Primary School, the Strathesk Primary School, and Mauricewood Primary School. 

The town also has the secondary school, the Penicuik High School, as well as the local nursery, the Pinocchio Children’s Nursery. 

Penicuik also had a second secondary school, the Beeslack Secondary School, although, at the time of writing, the school is currently undergoing a redesign. 

Some of the exciting restaurants Penicuik has to offer

Penicuik’s high street is lined with a wonderful selection of international restaurants including Gurkhas Nepalese & Indian Restaurant and the Giovanni Italian Bistro.  

Other well-regarded restaurants in Penicuik include the likes of The Roadhouse and the Taboo Bar & Bistro. 

If you’d like to find out more about our new homes in Penicuik, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Bonnyrigg

Named the ‘most romantic town’ in Scotland by Mills & Boon in 2021, Bonnyrigg is one of the most populous towns in Midlothian, having a population of 16,360 as of 2023.  

As with many of the towns in Midlothian, Bonnyrigg is not short of greenery, with the town having popular golf clubs, like the Broomieknowe Golf Club, as well as an expansive park – the King George V Park – which features ornamental planting areas, football pitches, changing facilities, parking, as well as a war memorial and a monument dedicated to the celebrated miners leader, Mick McGahey.

Where is Bonnyrigg?

Situated just 8 miles away from Edinburgh’s city centre, Bonnyrigg sits firmly in Midlothian’s northern region. 

The town is also about a 7-minute drive (or half an hour walk) from Dalkeith’s Eskbank Station – the main railway station that serves Bonnyrigg, connecting Bonnyrigg to Edinburgh Waverley as well as the likes of Tweedbank and Glenrothes with Thornton. 

Lothian, the bus provider, also offers regular services out of Bonnyrigg to Edinburgh.

Schools in Bonnyrigg

Bonnyrigg is home to five primary schools – Bonnyrigg Primary School, St Mary’s Primary School, Burnbrae Primary School, Hawthornden Primary School, and the Lasswade Primary School as well as its secondary school counterpart – the Lasswade High School - and a nursery – the Mount Esk Nursery.   

Popular Bonnyrigg restaurants

With several friendly casual dining spots like Beetroot Bar & Grill and Gigi’s, Bonnyrigg has a culinary scene that’s perfectly suited to the whole family.

One of Scotland’s prettiest counties, if you’d like to know more about any of our new homes in Midlothian, please feel free to get in touch with our team.