Welcome

Penicuik is situated in the Pentland Hills about 10 miles south of Edinburgh with a population of around 25,000. The original small village of Penicuik began expanding in the 1770s with the arrival of the papermaking industry. The last mill closed in 2004. Since then the town has undergone further expansion to accommodate the many commuters now working in nearby Edinburgh.

As well as being popular with walkers, the nearby Pentland Hills features several historic sites, including the ancient Iron Age Castlelaw hill fort, as well as being the site of the battle of Rullion Green in 1666. Napoleonic prisoners of war were also housed in one of Penicuik's papermills.

Penicuik and District U3A is a branch of the international organisation "University of the Third Age" and is affiliated to the Scottish U3A. The aims of the U3A are to provide retired and semi-retired people with the opportunity for learning, education and leisure activities, giving space and time to meet other people with similar interests and to keep an active mind, and in some groups an active body too. The activities of individual interest groups are self funded and self managed and work by drawing on the skills and experience of the membership. Each local U3A branch decides on the activities it wishes to organise and its interest groups are set up and run by the members themselves.

Penicuik and District U3A welcomes members from Penicuik and the surrounding district. Our U3A was founded in 2009 and we have around 70 members. Our annual membership is £15. We hold open meetings in the Town Hall on the fourth Thursday of each month when we have a guest speaker followed by tea/coffee and refreshments. Members can also join any of our growing number of interest groups.