About Gladhouse Reservoir Wildfowl Nature Sanctuary
Heritage background, architectural provenance & visitor guide
Victorian Civil Engineering at the Moorfoot Edge
Constructed in 1879 by water engineer James Leslie to supply industrial Edinburgh, Gladhouse created a magnificent 186-hectare inland loch with wooded islets surrounded by open moorland.
Ramsar Wetland and Wintering Pink-Footed Geese
Designated an internationally important Ramsar wetland site, the reservoir hosts thousands of migrating pink-footed geese each autumn, filling the sky with calling flocks at dawn and dusk.
Key Highlights & Facilities
Verified visitor amenities, accessibility, and distinctive features
Visitor Perspectives
Verified authentic traveler observations
“Watching five thousand pink-footed geese descend onto Gladhouse at sunset with the Moorfoot Hills turning purple is pure poetry.”
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