Forest bathing at Springfield Mill and Hewan Bank

Springfield Mill sits deep in the North Esk valley near Polton, between Roslin and Lasswade. A paper mill stood here from 1742 until the late 1960s; after years of dereliction, the council and the Springfield Mill Action Group restored the site in 2009 with ponds, a wildflower meadow, new native woodland and new paths. Mature oaks grow on Hewan Bank, willow and birch have colonised the old mill waste mound, and a monkey puzzle and copper beech mark where Glenesk House once stood.

It is a modest site, but it joins up with paths along the river to Roslin, Lasswade and Polton village, so you can make it part of a longer, quiet walk through the valley woods. The open central area is brighter; for shade and shelter head onto Hewan Bank. Badgers, roe deer and foxes live in the woodland. Paths are informal in places and the riverside can be muddy.