The healing well in Dean Garden, Scotland

in Pinmapple2 years ago

In my last post, I took you for a walk through Dean Village in Scotland.
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My next stop was to St Bernard's Well a short distance away. Actually, in my normal wing it approach, I didn't know about this place, but I saw a sign at the village and decided to check it out. It was after all, only a quarter mile away.
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Dean Bridge

As I turned into the lane, I was walking alongside the Water of Leith now. This is the river that flows through Dean Village, and was used to power the local mills back in the old days. Later on, when new mills were built in Leith less than 3 miles away, Dean Village started to decline.

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Another landmark in the area is Dean Bridge. This was completed in 1831 and is one of the main access roads into the city center. The bridge is 136 meters long and spans across the entire Water of Leith. It looked really grand as I walked towards it.
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As I stood underneath and looked 32 meters upwards to the four massive arches, I felt so small, as if I wasn't petite enough already. Looking up is one thing, I wondered what it felt like to look down from the bridge. Would one be in awe of the beauty of Dean Village ahead? Or perhaps they stood there looking down with desperation? That was in fact, what happened to many, as there was a period when Dean Bridge was a popular suicide spot.... Let's move on.
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This was a very pleasant walk along the river, great for the whole family or if you're walking your dog. The path wasn't ultra spectacular or anything, more of a knowing you on a calm peaceful walk along the river side, near to the city buzz but not at it, if you know what I mean. Autumn walks are always very soothing because there's always an array of colours around you, and the weather is just right.
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St Bernard's Well

I wasn't sure what to expect of St Bernard's Well, until I came across this beautiful statue by the side of the Water of Leith. It was gorgeous, surely this must be it.
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The story goes that in 1760 a few kids discovered a mineral spring here. Some locals swore that that water had healing properties and could cure arthritis, back ache and even blindness. In 1789, a well was built to protect the source, and this was called the St Bernards Well. This is the entrance to the pump room for the well, but sadly it is only open to the public on certain days during the year. Still, it doesn't deserve the graffiti on the door. There are places for graffiti, but this is not one of them.
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Eight pillars were erected above the well and topped with a dome. Finally a statue of Hygieia,the Goddess of Health was placed in the center.

I think it's fascinating how there is a dash of greek mythology in the center of Edinburgh. Hygieia looked so ... Goddess and divine, standing tall up on the open air greek temple.
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Dean Garden

The area from where I left Dean Village. pass St Bernards Well and to the St Bernards Bridge, is called, yes you guessed correctly, Dean Garden. The nicer parts of the garden is on the other side of the river but I didn't go over. Not that I knew at the time. Anyway, it was a very pleasant walk and the short 10 minute stroll took me more than double the time by the time I got to St Bernards Bridge and left.
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You can checkout all my travel post on the Pinmapple here or click on Mr Pinmapple below

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Thanks for joining the Wednesday walk such an interesting area with so much history and cool architecture

Sorry me looked familiar I travelled through Scotland a few times twenty or more years ago but maybe it is somewhere else I am thinking of

Awesome photos and write up make us readers feel we experienced it with you

Thanks for joining Wednesday Walk :), I truly enjoy exploring the world virtually each Wednesday seeing walks from all around the globe and feeling I am there and experiencing it all myself, such as I did in your post just now :)

Thanks @tattoodjay, Wednesday and Thursday are always a delight to read people's walk's from around the world. Thanks so much for organising

Glad you enjoy them Have a great day

Such beautiful village! And somehow, it looks really peaceful as well!
I just love how it all seems to be taken from a fairytale...
I had this place in mind when visiting Edinburgh, but didn't make it... guess I'll need to go to Edinburgh again :P

Come on over again sometime!!

What a great walk and that is very Greek in Scotland! Cool that kids discovered the water too.

I thinks it's great how the statue blended in so well with the surroundings and didn't look out of place at all

Beautiful. As I was reading I thought I'd heard of 'the waters of Leith' - clearly it's reputation extends beyond the town boundaries, such is it's mythological status. Healing on one end, suicide on the other? I can't believe that you were looking up contemplating that.

Love that yellow building - that colour is so cheery and I see it often on buildings in Europe. I really love it.

I can't believe that you were looking up contemplating that.

Not me!!! 😀 Though I was thinking how awful if someone were to fall accidentally!!!

The scenery of the village is very beautiful, and the existing buildings describe the glory of a nation in the past, and its existence that remains and is still well preserved indicates that the glory of the nation is still there.

This is such a wonderful place even the pictures have something holy. Never heard about Hygieia, the Goddess of Health.
Is she a celtic Godess?
Thank you for this journey !LUV
@livinguktaiwan

I'm not sure about the Goddess either, I only found out her name as I was researching to write this post. Maybe the word hygiene comes from Hygieia?

I have to note this and look for when I have time, coul be very interesting.
sounds logical, at least hygiene is good for health

I agree graffiti should not be on historical landmarks 😞
But let's talk about the village, what a gem! When I first looked at the picture, I was like 'are you sure it is Scotland?' 😂
I quite like the tall bridges as well, so many places in the UK have them and each looks so different to one another and yet the same. Completely understand why would you feel petite.

I was so surprised as well. I mean Edingburgh felt very un UK, more like Europe in some ways, but Dean Village really was taking it to another level.

That's a beautiful monument. Nice spontaneous find for the day. I love it how all of the old wells and springs always have stories about healing water. It's It's shame about the graffiti on the door. It's a really nice door too.

Sometimes I do wonder about the healing properties of wells and springs to be honest. I've been to some in Japan where I do feel my skin is smoother after I've been in the spa waters, but a bit skeptical about healing properties. Having said that, I used to use a French brand of skin care products called Avene which was very good. They said their origins were from a spa or something as well...

That was a nice walk. The bridge looks like a very decent piece of the 19th century engineering. Wow. Sorry to hear that it used to be a popular suicide spot but I think this is something a lot of tall bridges have in common, unfortunately...

@tipu curate

UK has some great engineering in the Victorian days, it's really interesting to see a lot of them still around, those were our glorious days!!! 😊

Wow, beautiful shots! Where haven't you travelled? It seems like you have been just about everywhere! This looks like a really awesome place!

Where haven't you travelled?

Too many places still!!! Including many in America. I've only been to New York and San Franscisco, I want to do Utah and all those areas as I've been seeing so many great posts about them on Hive!!!

There are some really beautiful places over here. I have been to New York and San Francisco too. That makes me feel a little better :)

Hah! I love those mossy walls alongside the river. It feels just like and NPC is ready to sell us some items for a far away journey.

Honestly, you have seen many an area of Edinburgh in your visit that I've never seen while living just across the Forth 😂

I guess that's the difference between a tourist and a local, locals tend not to go to these touristy places unless you have visitors. Like I was living in London for year and only went to the London Eye when me mum and sister came to stay with me one weekend. Haven't been back since!!!

That is so spot on! As it was I decided during summer to visit Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh with the parents to give them a day out. The place was pretty neat in fact, glad I did it!

wonderful photos, I love natural springs I go to the one in Glastonbury all the time.

I didn't know Glastonbury had one!!! That said, I've only been once, to the Tor, and that's despite it being my neck of the woods!!!

Yes it has a white spring and a red one, the white is calcium in the red iron. You can fill bottles at the base of the tor for free

Gonna look out for it when I'm next there. Thanks

It looks like you really enjoyed your walk 😀

Yes, I did, it was a very pleasant walk