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West Loathian is a lieutenancy area and one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland. It is bordered by South Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders, North Lanarkshire, Falkirk and the City of Edinburgh. Situated only ten miles from Edinburgh City, West Loathian is blessed with some fabulous terrain, from the Moorfoot Hills in the south of the county to the Pentland Hills in the west and with thick woodlands covering the lands in between.

It also provides some intriguing historical sites such as the Scottish Mining Museum in Newtongrange, one of the greatest and best preserved examples of a Victorian colliery in Britain, or Vogerie Country in Gorebridge, an 19th century country estate featuring a delightful walled garden and a formal park (as well as hundreds of acres of farmland and woodland).

Perhaps the most famous destination these days is Rosslyn Chapel, a fine 15th century Gothic church famous for its intricate carvings and links with the Knights Templar (and now even more famous for its billing in Dan Browns blockbuster Da Vinci Code.) There are numerous other outstanding historical sites, from Borthwick Castle to Arniston Houst, Newbattle Abbey to Dalhousie Castle, Roslin Castle to Roslin Glen Country Park, Dalkeith Palace or Wallaces Cave.

Nevertheless, the majority of visitors to West Loathian will be heading there for Edinburgh, one of the finest cities in the UK and Europe. From its New Town and Old Town districts, recently listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites to the eclectic and bohemian nightlife to be found in the shadow of 15th century buildings; from Greyfriars Kirk to Canongate Kirk to Holyrood Abbey and Edinburgh Castle towering forebodingly over Edinburgh city, history is everywhere in Edinburgh.

For architecture fans, Edinburgh has everything from battlements to castles and for art lovers the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and The National Gallery of Scotland are among the finest art galleries in the world. No trip around the UK is complete without visiting this delightful corner of Scotland.