Ten miles south of Edinburgh, the Midlothian village of Gorebridge makes an unlikely but rewarding escape. It grew up around Scotland's coal industry in the 19th century — the area sat on one of four major coalfields, and workers once mined three principal pits here, including the Emily, which dropped nearly 1,000 feet. Today the industry is gone, but the village has kept its history, its green spaces and a couple of genuinely good places to eat.

Gorebridge is unusually well set up for walkers. A booklet called "Gorebridge Walks" maps ten routes that all begin at the train station, nine of them circular — so you can arrive by rail, spend the day on foot and head home without a car. The two-mile Newbyres Circular Path leads through fields and woodland to the remains of Newbyres Castle, a 16th-century ruin once known for its hospitable owners. The five-mile Borthwick Circular takes in Borthwick Castle, a 15th-century fortress that has survived in impressive shape.

If you fancy a longer outing, there's a 10-mile route from the station to Vogrie Country Park, where a stately home sits among ponds, wildflower meadows and walking trails. It's family-friendly too, with a toddler play area, bookable BBQ spots and a cafe with a kids' menu. Closer to town, Arniston House offers tours of an 18th-century mansion filled with art, with stories told by the Dundas family, who have owned the estate since 1571.

History buffs have plenty more. Dalhousie Castle is a 13th-century fortress where Edward I supposedly stayed before beating William Wallace at Falkirk. Dalhousie also runs as a 29-room hotel with medieval towers, secret passages and dungeons — a memorable place to spend a night if a day trip isn't enough. And in the village itself, the 19th-century Gorebridge Parish Church adds a tall Gothic spire to the skyline.

Then there's the food. The Coronation Restaurant, in the town centre, builds its menu on local ingredients — think haggis, ox cheek and Scottish salmon, plus a shortbread dessert called Highland Mist topped with fudge sauce. Alternatively, Stobbsmill Inn & Brunton's Restaurant is a gastropub in a 150-year-old building serving everything from fresh mussels and Peking duck to a proper steak pie, washed down with Scottish ales or cocktails. It hosts live music nights and themed events, so it's worth checking what's on.

Why bother with a day trip to a former mining village when Edinburgh has so much? Precisely because it feels nothing like the capital. Gorebridge gives you castle ruins, woodland walks and honest pub food without the crowds — and the train gets you there in minutes. It also slots neatly into a wider Midlothian or Borders itinerary, and if you catch the small-town Scotland bug, Fife's coastal villages like Kinghorn are only an hour's drive from Edinburgh.