Uttershill Castle

I could not believe that Mr Flum hadn't heard of Uttershill Castle until this morning as he perused local maps for our morning walk. I had known about it for years. That is not to say I had deep knowledge of its history but I was aware of its position on Pomathorn Road and considered it to be inaccessible. However, we found a parking place at the entrance to the 1950's Pomathorn Mill (now occupied by local businesses) and ventured to the ruin.

Described in The Buildings Of Scotland, Lothian as : ruined late C16 house of the Prestons of Gorton with a moulded doorway in the middle of one side. It had a straight scale stair ascending from it, and a big segmental-arched kitchen fireplace at one end of the basement. It now has very little except a remarkable panorama of the town

Otherwise described as a 'late-mediæval hall-house, built in 1510' the most detail appears on the Canmore site.

Suffice to say we found it in poor shape, surrounded by scaffolding and Heras fencing, due to the delay in the proposed restoration. Much of the required stone is kept onsite and the cabins are fully supplied.  However, the views over the town and environs, on such a clear day, were stunning.

Our chosen parking space was on the alignment of a disused railway line and we followed the route a little, making discoveries along the way. I have extras of 
1) a suitably revolting fungus growing in the middle of a large tree stump. Measuring approximately 3cms I submit this for Tiny Tuesday, thanks to JDO for hosting.
2) a small tortoiseshell butterfly contentedly feeding on Michaelmas daisies.
3) the weighbridge at the mill site, the office of which still has the curved glass windows intact although the weighbridge itself has collapsed.

I'll stop there before my allowance of extras becomes too depleted.