The Steading – On an uphill path?
A pub which has seen better days. Here's hoping it will see them again.
Having walked up the steep side of the dry ski slope at Hillend (there were a handful of skiers bombing down it in the May sunshine) and over a couple Pentland peaks, I was ready for a pint. Luckily there’s a pub at the foot of the slope, The Steading.
The building dates back to the 19th century, when it was a row of farm cottages. It’s a long, thin one-story white building with green shutters and cartwheels adorning the outside.
Inside, the sun struggles to make its way through the small, thick windows and the place looks pretty tired. I’ve since learned that its owner, a company called Three Thistles, put the pub up for sale in November, which may explain why the place has the air of living on borrowed time. (The company has accepted offers on five of its seven properties, but it’s not clear if this is one of them.)
On the plus side, many tables appear to have ordered food, with the place seemingly popular for large family get-togethers. The conservatory the back is much brighter, while the garden – where I choose to sit – is a delight in the sun. I’m surprised the picnic benches are not more popular in this weather. One of them, in a prime central spot, has cobwebs on it.
I’ve decided to avoid the cask ale. This is purely based on a hunch, as well as the fact that nobody seems to be drinking it, and anyway it’s a sunny day and I fancy something cold and fizzy. I opt for a Stewart Session IPA on keg. It has a slightly musty undertone which suggests it could have been sitting in those pipes for a little while. It’s drinkable, I’ll leave it at that.
I think it’s fair to say this place has seen better days. But it definitely has potential. Despite sitting right alongside the A702, it’s not actually in a bad location – by the ski slope, a good starting point for country walks, without much competition around it and easily accessible by bus or car from central Edinburgh.1 But it seems to have lost its way. Here’s hoping there are better days ahead.
Where is it?
Where next?
The Flotterstone Inn is a five-minute drive down the road. Rather like The Steading, it’s pretty unspectacular but is a useful place to park if you’re going for a walk.
The chaser
Recently, I was listening to an episode of Business Daily on the BBC World Service about “ghost distilleries” – whisky makers which closed decades ago but whose leftover barrels have now become very valuable.
But it was this quote, from French whisky blogger Serge Valentin, which jumped out at me. He was asked what makes some whisky special. His answer sums up why I love food, drink and the places we go to consume them.
It’s a tango between the spirit and the drinker. The spirit only does half of the job. The rest, it’s really the mind of the drinker, you know? What he imagines, if he knows the distillery or not, if he went to the distillery, what he thinks he knows about the vintage, et cetera. So it’s all mental cinema. And the spirit, of course it counts. But it’s not only the spirit.
Give the episode a listen. It’s only 15 minutes long.
Oh, and while you’re at it, give my episode of Business Daily a go too.
If you are heading this way – it’s a good starting point for a walk even if you’re not coming for the pub – and coming by bus, check how you are getting back. Some routes are currently stopping early, while the bus stop outside the pub is closed. The nearest bus stop is about 10 minutes’ walk away, across a couple of major roads.