Monday 2/8/04
In a clearing in Deepsyke Forest just off the road stand an old 20th Century tower, the purpose of which I don’t know- there are also four strange looking pillars on the way along this road marking the fringes of the moorland. Just SW of the tower is the remains of this long cairn. It’s now reduced to a grassy mound only about 50 cm or so high, but still running to a length of approximately 55 metres and is wedge shaped- the eastern end of the cairn measuring about 16 metres wide. Through the long grass many stones still remain at this end, some of which are up to 70 cm long, but most hidden under the moss and grass.
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The tower you see near the cairn (and the pillars which are stretched across Harelaw Moor) are the only visible parts of an underground engineering marvel which supplies Edinburgh with fresh water. The water is fed to thirsty Edinburghers from Talla Reservoir high above Tweedsmuir in the Scottish Borders. The water flows through an incredible gravity-powered aquaduct system nearly 60 kilometres long. It is fed under the river North Esk through a massive syphon powered by the water itself.
The tower and pillars were constructed for engineers and surveyors to correctly align the route. It was completed in 1905.