A working estate changes its activities with the months and seasons.

Firewood and Biomass Fuel

• Firewood bagged or delivered by the trailer load from our Rosebery and Dalmeny Estates.
• Biomass woodchip fuel available early 2008.
• Contract wood chipping service available.

For information on all of the above please contact Anna on 01875 830221

Renovation and conversion of the Bankhead Farm Steading to the east of South Queensferry at the top of the Hawes brae is now underway. Apart from refurbishing existing workspace, an additional 3700 square feet of office space will be provided over two floors. There will be ample car parking within landscaped grounds. There are good communications by road, air and rail.

In 1997 Rosebery Estates was approached by Edinburgh Green Belt Trust and a local community group Balerno 2000 about the possibility of converting an unused area of agricultural land into a community woodland. The 2.92 ha area is adjacent to Sawpit Wood and Bogwood, near Malleny House.

The proposal was the subject of a funding bid to the Millennium Forest for Scotland bid which failed. Subsequently Rosebery Estates, with Edinburgh Green Belt, Trust put applications in to the Scottish Power Rural Care Scheme which aims to support the creation and management of native woodlands, and to the Forestry Authority Woodland Grant Scheme, both of which succeeded.

In early 2002 the area was planted with a mixture of oak, ash, rowan, scots pine, hazel, hawthorn, blackthorn, silver birch, goat willow and alder. The planting was carried out by pupils from Balerno High School and members of Blackburn Adult Training Centre, an organisataion which works with people with learning difficulties. The aim of the new woodland is to improve the landscape, provide for public access, create new wildlife habitat and produce timber.

The adjacent Sawpit Wood plantation which was predominantly planted with Sitka Spruce has now been felled and has been replanted with common alder, silver birch, aspen, oak, grey willow, rowan and sitka spruce.

Rosebery Estates Woodland has been certified under the Soil Association United Kingdom Woodland Assurance Scheme, which is itself approved by the Forestry Stewardship Council. The aim is to ensure that all woodlands within the scheme are managed sustainably.

John Sinclair, tenant of West Craigie Farm on Dalmeny Estate, has opened a Nature Detective Trail on the farm. Over several years John has undertaken nature conservation projects with Edinburgh Green Belt Trust which have involved tree and hedge planting, stone dyking and a wildflower meadow. Now visitors are being welcomed to follow the waymarked Nature Trail around the farm and to find out more about the wild plants and animals living there. The trail's opening times are the same as the farm shop where jams and preserves made on the farm may be purchased.
The farm also runs a pick-your-own soft fruit enterprise. For further details including opening times go to www.thejamkitchen.com

For many years, City Of Edinburgh Council and Rosebery Estates have been working towards the transfer of Ferry Glen to the CEC. The drafting of the deeds has now been completed and ownership was transferred at the end of November 2003. It is almost 100 years since the Councilors of the Burgh Of Queensferry approached the 5th Earl of Rosebery. Stating that ''The Glen is a very pretty and attractive place, and the Provost Magistrates and Council consider it would be a great boost to the Burgh if the privilege of walking therein was sanctioned''. The 5th Earl of Rosebery agreed to this and the creation of footpaths, which it seems were funded by voluntary subscriptions. It is now hoped that the transfer will allow funds to be
released to finance footpath repairs and improvements for the benefit of the public.

Rosebery Estates has transformed Cockhill Wood on the estate into a Community Woodland with the assistance of Dalmeny Primary School and the Edinburgh Green Belt Trust. The woodland has been cleared of litter, nettles and dangerous trees; paths and steps have been built and trees and wildflower bulbs planted.

Lord Rosebery with the children of Dalmeny Primary School.