[3] In the mid 18th century Holm House was described as "A handsome stone building two stories high in good repair with garden and lands attached occupied by Gaven Lindsay, the property of the Duke of Buccleuch"[4] It was located in tranquil surroundings and screened by trees apart from the view across the Crawick Water.

A path from the lodge once led down to an artificial cave cut into soft red sandstone next to the Crawick Water and close to the Soldier's Pool.

The cave has some features typical of an ice house such as double doors, its location in woodland and the insulation afforded by soft red sandstone.

The deeply cut wooded glen with deep pools and waterfalls is formed from blue whinstone rocks with red sandstone overlying in places.

[3][8] The Soldier's or Sodger's Pool[9] lies close to the ruins of Holm House and owes its name to the 60 to 70 French, Italian, German, Polish, etc.

From the army and navy, many were officers, [11] some even with servants, who were under a "Parole of Honour"[11] and as such were given considerable freedom to roam at will, being limited to up to 3 miles from the burgh boundary.

Overlooking the glen near Sarah's Trough is a large and flat faced vertical rock that is covered in graffiti left by the prisoners and other visitors.

[14] The dates 1812 and 1814 are visible,[15] a possible coat of arms, some well-carved initials and the French word 'Souvenir' that can mean 'memory, remembrance, recollection, keepsake or memento'.

[5] A deep pool in the Crawick Water below the Witches' Crag is so called in memory of a girl named Sarah who was drowned there long ago.