Midlothians

The Midlothians refers to the inhabitants of Midlothian, a historic county and current council area in the Scottish Lowlands, located immediately south of the city of Edinburgh. The council area includes towns such as Dalkeith (the administrative seat), Penicuik, Bonnyrigg, Newtongrange, and Gorebridge, along with surrounding villages. It is bordered by the City of Edinburgh to the north, West Lothian to the west, East Lothian to the east, and by the border with the Scottish Borders to the south.

Historically part of the sheriffdom of Lothian, Midlothian became a separate county in the medieval period and remained a traditional county until 1975, when it became a district within the Lothian Region. Since 1996 it has been a unitary council area. The area has a longstanding industrial heritage, notably coal mining and quarrying, with later shifts toward light industry, services, and housing for commuters to Edinburgh.

Geographically, the landscape includes the Pentland Hills to the west and river valleys such as the North Esk around Dalkeith. Notable landmarks include Roslin Chapel and the Dalhousie Castle area near Bonnyrigg. The Borders Railway, which reopened in 2015, provides rail links from Dalkeith, Newtongrange, and Gorebridge to Edinburgh and Tweedbank, supporting commuting and tourism.

Local government is provided by Midlothian Council, headquartered in Dalkeith. The area contains multiple primary and secondary schools and community facilities, reflecting a mix of suburban and rural communities within easy reach of Edinburgh's metropolitan economy.