Eighteen of us gathered for our evening walk beside the former deer park of Limefield House in Polbeth. The day had teased us with a little sunshine, but by the time we met, the clouds had rolled in & the wind had picked up. Still, optimism was alive & well with one brave soul turning up in shorts, clearly backing the sunshine to make a comeback.
Before we’d even taken a step, we were already uncovering stories. This was once the home of James “Paraffin” Young, a name many of us recognised. However, what really shaped Limefield’s story wasn’t industry, it was friendship. In the 1830s, Young met David Livingstone while studying at Anderson College (now the University of Strathclyde) & the two formed a lifelong bond. While Young built his fortune here in West Lothian, Livingstone ventured deep into Africa, exploring places few Europeans had seen.
With that in mind, we set off past Limefield House & followed the Harwood Water to Limefield Falls. Here, the story came to life as these falls were created by Young as a tribute to his friend, inspired by the mighty Victoria Falls on the Zambezi that Livingstone had named. Though now slightly tamed (lowered for safety reasons), they still made for a lovely stop, especially from the new viewing platform where photos were enthusiastically taken.
Continuing through woodland alongside the river, we reached West Calder & paused at the War Memorial. Here we uncovered a striking coincidence: 111 men from the area lost their lives in each of the two World Wars. Among the names is one woman, Sarah O’Keefe, a Wren who died not in battle but during the Spanish flu pandemic while serving on HMS Crescent.
West Calder had more to reveal. Tucked away on a quiet residential street, we peered over the wall to the Auld Kirk, the ruins of the original church dating back to 1647. From stories of the time, we were reminded just how harsh life could be, with executions for those who didn’t follow the official church & heavy fines for supporting the Covenanters.
In Union Square, we stopped to look at the old Cooperative building, founded by shale miners determined not to rely on company shops. We discovered at one time you could pick up everything from boots & lunch tins… to gunpowder!
A more sobering moment followed at the Burngrange Memorial, marking the 1947 mining disaster. An explosion underground claimed the lives of 15 men, 14 of whom were trapped despite desperate rescue efforts. As we read the names, one member shared that they had a relative among those lost, a powerful reminder of how close these stories still are.
Our return journey took us along residential streets, past Hermand Park, home to West Calder United & back into woodland, where recent rain had left some muddy reminders underfoot. Following the opposite bank of the Harwood Water, we made our way back to Limefield Estate.
There, under the glow of streetlights, we ended with tales of Limefield’s ghostly residents including a black labrador said to wander the corridors of the house. At that exact moment, a young couple happened to walk past us… with their black dog. Pure coincidence—or something more? We’ll let you decide.
Another thoroughly enjoyable evening walk & a great reminder of how good it feels to get out, stretch the legs, share stories & unwind after a busy day. Photo credits – Trisha C & Nat C
Our next evening walk takes place on Thursday 30th April & details of this along with many more opportunities to join us, can be found on our website.
Natalie C
