16 The Stables Welcome pack

Welcome The Stables South

16 The Stables, Preston Hall Estate, Pathhead, EH37 5UG

What3words reference: ///times.presuming.track

Key box code - 2302

Welcome to The Stables.

We are thrilled that you have chosen to spend a little time here and will get to know the place that we call home.

The stables cottage was recently renovated in July 2022. We hope that you enjoy wandering the grounds and exploring the beautiful walled garden located just a stone’s throw away from your doorstep.

We benefit from being a very short drive from central Edinburgh, but also being in a rural location. There are a huge variety of activities and walks in the local area and as an outdoorsy family ourselves, we would encourage you to explore as much as possible.

This is very much a working estate so you may become familiar with a few faces during your visit as well as bumping into us. We have a young family so spend a lot of time trampling around. We are here to help so please don’t hesitate to drop us a line if you have any questions. Enjoy your stay.

About the cottage

As with all old cottages there are a number of quirky or slightly unusual features. If you have any issues, please let us know and we should be able to help.

Wifi

Plusnet-5SC28X

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Television

The TV is a smart TV with Freeview, Netflix and BBC iPlayer (no sky or subscription channels). There should be one remote control. The ‘TV Guide’ button should enable you to see what channels are available

Washing Machine & Drier

The washing machine is located in the kitchen and drier in the cupboard downstairs opposite the front door. There is an instruction manual for the drier sitting on top if you need these.

Thermostat

We have installed a Hive Thermostat which is located outside the master bedroom. This should be on a schedule that provides you with heating and hot water when required. If you do need to boost the temperature, simply turn the entire unit, which will then adjust the temperature. When we are in the cottage, we usually set it to 20 degrees for the winter and we turn it off for the summer months.

Wood Burning Stove & Logs

You are welcome to use the wood burning stove in the living room. Please let us know if you need help lighting it. There are some logs provided in the cottage free of charge. Additional logs are available on request. We charge £15.00 for a ‘handy bag’.

External building lights

There are external lights to the cottage at the front and in the garden. The light switch for the court yard is next to the front door. The switch for the garden lights is by the sink in the kitchen. Please ensure these are switched off at night.

Security

We are fortunate to have very few issues, however if you are leaving the cottage for the day, please ensure that you lock both the front door and back doors. If you require an additional set of keys, please let us know and these can be provided.

Recycling and Rubbish

There are recycling and rubbish bins in the kitchen and outside in the court yard at the front of the cottage for when these are full. We would kindly ask that all rubbish is taken outside before departure.

Walled Garden

You are welcome to use the walled garden as much as you would like. During the summer there is plenty of fruit, please feel free to help yourself during your stay. The green doors are occasionally locked, if you require the code or key just let us know. Please make sure that you always close the doors behind you. There are quite a few deer and hares that look at the gardens like a giant restaurant!

The Team

Will & Henrietta

We moved back to Preston Hall from London in 2019 with our two children, Archie and India, and have hit the ground running. The stables conversion was our second holiday let project on the estate. We are really pleased with how these have both turned out we hope you are too. We have many more projects lined up with lots of exciting plans and ideas so watch this space.

Bill Gray

Originally started as the farm manager in 1997, but has gradually taken on more responsibility since then. Bill now oversees all enterprises on the Estate, from residential cottages, farming and forestry.

Andrew Scougall

Andrew has worked at Preston Hall for a few years and is hugely knowledgeable about its history and what we get up to. He lives opposite The Bothy cottage. He is responsible for keeping the parkland and gardens in such great condition. Over the years Andrew has overseen the restoration of lots of different areas and has made an incredible difference to the overall beauty of Preston Hall.

Richard Edward

Richard came to Preston Hall in 2011 and since then he has transformed the walled garden from a wild brambly wood to what you see today. He has also cleared out the ponds, restored the flower garden and the spectacular holly hedge, and much much more. He really has had a huge impact on Preston Hall!

Richard handed over the reins in 2021.

Kate Danesh

Kate, our Head Gardener, joined the team in Autumn 2021 and oversees all the gardens at Preston Hall. Before coming here, Kate worked at The Royal Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh and Edinburgh Zoo and we are thrilled to have her making her mark in the gardening. We have lots of exciting projects planned with her.

Barbara Playfair

Barbara is involved in almost everything we do, from accounts to property repairs. She truly is the

Gemma Tully

Gemma, is our most recent team member, and has come on board as Estate Coordinator. Here to make sure our holiday lets work efficiently and to keep us in check, she is the person to ask about creative ideas on what to do with your time.

Sandra Mcdonald

Sandra takes care of all the housekeeping around the estate. You may see her during long stays at the stables when she will pop in to give the place a little clean but do not worry we will always give you a heads up before she stops by.

Tora & Sula

Tora is the laziest Labrador you are likely to come across, but also one of the most loyal. If you see her around, she is likely to be on the lookout for a cuddle. But… if you want to be left in peace for the rest of your stay, it’s best not to feed her as she will never leave you!

Sula is the latest addition to the family. She is still learning so we apologise for any jumping up and her boundless enthusiasm. Keep any food away as she will snap it up in no time at all!

History of Preston Hall

Preston Hall Estate, as it is known today, is the family home of the Callander family. The 18th century Palladian mansion was commissioned by Alexander Callander in 1791. Having returned from India where he made his fortune, Alexander initially bought the neighbouring estates of Elphinstone and Crichton, and finally Preston Hall. The William Adam house had fallen is disrepair and the decision was taken to rebuild it. A London based architect, Robert Mitchell, was the chosen architect and the final work was completed in 1801.

Considered one of Robert Mitchell’s most important works, this Palladian mansion house remains largely unchanged from its original design. Minor alterations have been made over the years with the most notable one taking place in 1850 when David Bryce was commissioned to add a porch to the north side of the house, which then became the main entrance.

The stable block was also designed by Robert Mitchell and was completed shortly after the house. It originally housed over 30 horses, accommodation for up to 15 stable boys and all the family carriages.

The Walled Garden was built around the same time as the house and was then remodelled by Cecelia Margaret Callander (CMC) in 1885. She was a great lover of the outdoors and created a walled garden to supply fruit and vegetables for the main house, as well as create a flower garden to supply flowers for the numerous high-profile guests that would stay with the family.

The most notable feature of the walled garden is the two gazebo’s. One gazebo is a staircase that leads up to a walkway taking you to a small octagonal room. This room was used by Cecelia to have afternoon tea whilst watching her gardeners hard at work.

At the peak of the garden’s life (in about the 1890’s) there were over 15 gardeners working. The garden continued to bloom until the 1970’s, when it became too expensive to maintain.

In November 2011, the Callander family received and knock at the door. Richard Edward had heard of the derelict walled garden and asked if he could see it.

Nine years later, the walled garden is the design and dedication of Richard. His hard work has created this magnificent garden. Over the last few years friends and family have all contributed to its upkeep to keep it in the condition that you see it in today.

The Garden Bothy was originally built to house the many gardeners employed at Preston Hall. At its peak it is understood that over 21 gardeners were living in the bothy in a series of bunk rooms. The head gardener lived in the cottage opposite that is built within the garden walls. This was so that he could keep an eye on the gardens from one side of the house whilst also ensuring his juniors were not partying late into the night!

Local Area and Walks

There are plenty of local walks which we can happily recommend. However, the best walks vary from season to season, so it is best to let us know and we can recommend a few good walks that are slightly off the beaten track. If you are after a nice walk on Preston Hall there are a number of good farm tracks and estate walks that we can show you. Please be aware we do have livestock (sheep and cows) on the farm and as such please ensure any dogs are under close control. There is also a local game shoot that have rights to shoot on occasional days at Preston Hall. These will always be between November and February, but we will let you know if people are likely to be nearby.

Dogs

When out walking with dogs please be aware of the following:

In the spring and early summer birds will be nesting, often very close to walkways and paths. Please keep dogs on the lead and under control to avoid disturbing them. If they are disturbed it is likely the mother will not return to the nest.

Sheep and Cows are often afraid of dogs and will react accordingly. All dogs are capable of chasing livestock which causes serious issues.

There are a number of sporting estates in the local area, please ensure that you avoid any woodland during the winter months.

If we are aware of a shoot day during your stay, we will let you know.

Please clean up after your dog when out walking around the estate.

Local Attractions

Crichton Castle

The castle and the surrounding land was purchased by Alexander Callander before he bought Preston Hall. The Castle was gifted to Historic Scotland in the 1950’s and opened to the public. (Summer months only). Even when the castle is not open it is still a very nice walk.

Glenkichie Distillery

(4.5 miles)

Tours and tastings at the distillery can be booked in advance. A great tour to experience a little Scottish history and to taste our local whiskey.

National Mining Museum

(6.3 miles)

Midlothian contains vast quantities of coal under its beautiful landscape and many of the small villages around here were built for coal miners. The museum gives a great insight into the area’s history.

National Museum of Scotland

There are a number of coal deposits across the area and indeed many villages and towns were built on coal mining. This museum provides a fascinating insight into the industry. Great

National Museum of Flight (15 miles)

An outdoor museum with 4-hangar collection of aircrafts, including Concorde and Boeing 707 to board. Second World War themed family trail where you will learn about how the airfield was used by the Royal Airforce in 1944.

Country Houses & Estates

Arniston House

(7 miles)

Thirlstane Castle (16.3 miles)

Gilmerton House

(14.6 miles)

Hopetoun House & Estate (30.3 miles)

Penicuik House

Gorebridge, EH23 4RY

North Berwick, EH39 5LQ

Lauder, TD2 6RU

Penicuik, EH26 9LA

South �ueensferry, EH30 9RW

Kelso, TD5 7RL

Edinburgh Attractions

Edinburgh City Centre (13.1 miles)

It is possible to spend days wandering around Edinburgh, and there is far too much info to include in this booklet. Let us know what interests you and we can give you some ideas of where to go and what to see. There is a regular bus from Pathhead, there is an hourly train from Gorebridge (10 minute drive). We would suggest that you do not drive as parking is often difficult and very expensive!

Edinburgh Castle (13.1 miles)

The Castle is a great place to visit. Not only is it an impressive building with a rich history, but it also provides spectacular views over the rest of the city. Highly recommended if you have a few hours to spare.

The Royal Botanical Gardens

Beautiful gardens with an amazing collection of plants. It is not the largest botanical garden in the UK, but there is more than enough

There are also a collection of bulbs that were gifted by the Callanders to the Botanics when they were replanting a large

The Palace of Holyrood house (12.2 miles)

Holyrood is the King’s Edinburgh residence. Various tours and exhibitions are often available and can be booked on the website.

For more ideas have a look at the Visit Scotland or This is Edinburgh. www.visitscotland.com/destinations-maps/edinburgh/see-do/ www.edinburgh.org/

Activities for Children

Since moving from London with our children, Archie and India, we have found lots of fun places to explore with him, but always keen to find out more, so if you find any other great places, please let us know.

Vogrie Country Park (2.5 miles)

EH23 4NU

EH22 1ST

Newhailes House and Gardens (9 miles)

EH21 6RY

Edinburgh Zoo (17 miles)

EH12 6TS

Fort Douglas at Dalkeith Country park (6.3 miles)

Foxlake Adventure Park (18.8 miles)

EH42 1XF

EH27 8BY

Whitekirk Hill (21.6 miles)

EH39 5PR

East Links Family Park (22.4 miles)

EH42 1XF

Jupiter Artland (21 miles)

Local Food Shops

Local Bakery – Walhbergs in Pathhead. (1.2miles)

This is a family-owned bakery that supplies fresh bread, rolls and pastries every day. When in the shop you can see the bakers at work in the back of the building. They do not have a website, so if you can’t find them just give us a call and we can point you in the right direction.

Local Community Store - The Hub at Humbie (6.5 miles)

https://www.humbiehub.com/

The Hub was started in 2013 and has quickly become an essential shop and community meeting point. The small café serves coffees and snacks, whereas the shop provides a great range of essentials.

Local Farm Shop – East Coast Organics (6.5 miles)

https://www.eastcoastorganics.co.uk/

East Coast Organics is a brilliant farm shop that provides all the usual produce plus a little more. You can see the produce being grown in the surrounding fields and the team there are very helpful and friendly.

Supermarkets & Convenience

• Pathhead Post Office and General Store – Pathhead Main Street (0.9 miles)

• Ormiston Co-Op - https://finder.coop.co.uk/food/store/EH35-5HS/co-op-buildings (3.8 miles)

• Tesco at Dalkeith - https://www.tesco.com/store-locator/uk/?bID=2387 (6.5 miles)

• M&S at Fort Kinnaird - https://www.fortkinnaird.com/ (8 miles)

Grocery Delivery

If you would prefer to have your groceries delivered there are several local supermarkets that can go to The Stables South. By pre booking a time slot for your arrival, there will be more time to relax by the fire and take in the views.

• Waitrose

• Sainsbury’s

• Morrisons

• Tesco

• Asda

The Edinburgh Catering Company

The Edinburgh Catering Company offer exclusive private dining experiences, drinks packages, drop off meals and a premium fridge fill service. All can be delivered for arrival. Orders must be placed at least 7 days before arrival to guarantee delivery.

https://issuu.com/prestonhallestate/docs/the_edinburgh_catering_company

Local Restaurants & Pubs

The Goblin Ha in

www.restorationyard.com/

The Juniperlea Inn (5.2 miles)

Blackshiels, Pathhead, EH37 5TE Pencaitland, EH34 5DN

Gifford

Main Street, Gifford, EH41 4�H

The Restoration Yard (6.3 miles)

Dalkeith Country Park, EH22 1ST

Greywalls Hotel & Chez Roux (16.5 miles)

www.greywalls.co.uk

The Bonnie Badger (17.4 miles)

www.bonniebadger.com

Archerfield Walled Garden (18 miles)

www.archerfieldwalledgarden.com

Floors Castle Walled Garden (31.9 miles)

www.floorscastle.com

Dirleton, EH39 5HQ

Muirfield, Gullane, EH31 2EG

Main Street, Gullane, EH31 2AB

Kelso, Roxburghshire, TD5 7RL

Beaches

The East Lothian coastline is pretty spectacular, with a lot of great beaches. Purely for ease we would suggest either Gullane or Yellowcraigs as they have great parking facilities and a short walk to the sand.

Please note that most car parks charge a small fee. Usually, £2 for the day.

Relaxation

Dalhousie Castle (7.6 miles)

www.dalhousiecastle.co.uk

Fletcher’s Cottage Spa, Archerfield (18 miles)

www.fletcherscottagespa.com

Whitekirk Hill Spa (21.6 miles)

www.whitekirkhill.co.uk

Stobo Castle Spa (26.8 miles)

www.stobocastle.co.uk

Bonnyrigg, EH19 3JB

Dirleton, EH39 5HU

North Berwick, EH39 5PR

Peebles, EH45 8NY

Golf Courses

We are fortunate to have some of the best golf coasts on our doorstep. However, none of us play golf, but we have been told that some of them are very good.

Musselburgh Golf Course

(7.2 miles)

www.themusselburghgolfclub.com

Kings Acre (9.9 miles)

www.kings-acregolf.com

EH21 6SA

Liberton Golf Club (10.4 miles)

www.libertongc.co.uk

Gifford Golf Club

(10.6 miles)

www.giffordgolfclub.com

EH16 5UJ

Castle Park Golf Club (12.3 miles)

www.castleparkgolfclub.co.uk

Craiglielaw golf course (13.1 miles)

www.craigielawgolfclub.com

EH41 4PL

EH32 0PY

EH18 1AU

EH41 4JE

Luffness Golf Course

(14.6 miles)

www.luffnessnew.com

Gullane Golf Club

(16 miles) www.gullanegolfclub.co.uk

EH32

Muirfield, Home of the Scottish Open

(16.5 miles)

www.muirfield.org.uk

EH31

Fidra Links, Archerfield

(18.8 miles) www.archerfieldgolfclub.com

EH31

West Links Golf Club

(19.9 miles)

www.northberwickgolfclub.com

EH39

Dunbar Golf Course

(24.4 miles) www.dunbargolfclub.com

0�A

2BB

2EG

5HQ

EH39 4BB

EH42 1LL

Medical

First aid box

There is a first aid box under the sink in the kitchen if required.

Pathhead Pharmacy (1.6 miles)

210 Main Street, Pathhead EH37 5PP 01875 320020

Lloyds late night Pharmacy (7.5 miles)

Sainsbury’s, Straiton Mills, Loanhead, EH20 9PW 01314404205

The Royal Infirmary (9.7 miles)

Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh EH16 4SA