B7003

The B7003 is a winding link road which passes through Roslin in central Midlothian.

Roslin Glen

The route starts at the Gowkley Moss Roundabout on the A701 and heads east on Penicuik Road, between fields and woodland. It soon reaches Roslin and skirts the southern edge of the urban area, passing the backs of houses on adjacent streets before meeting the B7006. This route continued ahead into the village, home to the famous Roslin Chapel, while the B7003 has to TOTSO right to drop down into Roslin Glen. A sign warns that the road ahead is unsuitable for long vehicles, and a steep, narrow, tree lined descent drops down to a tight right hand bend. A short straighter section then leads more gently down to a hairpin bend, where the route doubles back on itself, still dropping down to cross the River North Esk at the bottom. As a result of the sharp bends the road is never particularly steep after the first short drop. On the far side of the bridge, the Roslin Glen Country Park covers a former industrial site on the riverbank.

The long, winding climb, is less severe and passes a handful of houses, with more hidden away in the trees nearby. It then curves round into woodland, and continues to wind gently as it climbs ever upwards. After a couple of short straight sections, the road bears round to the right to end at a T-junction on the A6094 Rosewell bypass.

History

The route was originally unclassified but had gained its number by 1928, when it is shown on the revised MOT map. Since then it has been shortened slightly at either end. The substantial realignment of the A701 to accommodate Gowkley Moss Roundabout moved the start of the route a little to the east, the original starting point now being a short distance along Bush Loan Road to the west of the roundabout. At the further end the route has been curtailed by the construction of the Rosewell bypass on the A6094. Prior to its construction, the route doglegged left-right under the old railway (the trackbed to the north is now the bypass), and followed Gorton Road into the centre of Rosewell, where it ended on the older line of the A6094.