Newtongrange, Midlothian
★★★★
The National Mining Museum Scotland is a wonderful, part open-air museum based in and around the well preserved buildings of Lady Victoria Colliery, Scotland’s first coal super-pit. It’s a fitting tribute to an industry which played such a huge part in Scotland’s economy from the late 1800s until a few decades ago. A visit starts with two floors of exhibitions about coal mining and its effect on people’s lives. Worthwhile, but really just a forerunner to the vast pithead area (with much of the original machinery still in place) and reconstructed coal face (including hundreds of metres of underground tunnels). You can explore by yourself with the help of an audioguide, but you’ll get more out of a proper guided tour, some of which are led by former colliery employees – with the resulting fascinating, personal anecdotes. Allow a few hours to see it all.
Location
O.S. Grid Reference: NT 333638
GPS coordinates: 55.862420,-3.066610
Newtongrange |
Bus stops outside
Car park
Key info
Daily except Christmas & New Year period
£8 adult / £2.50 child for all inclusive ticket – small surcharge for guided tour
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