Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat

A Multi-Media Experience

Bruce M. Gittings, Department of Geography, University of Edinburgh

Holyrood Park, extending to about 650 acres, must be the largest area of charmingly unmanicured wildscape at the centre of any European city. This satellite image shows the City of Edinburgh, surrounding the park, which is the lime-green area on the right of the image. Holyrood park is also known as the Queen's Park, because it is owned by the monarch, although almost always open for the public to enjoy. It is well worth a visit; although entirely surrounded by the city, the park offers solitude and stimulating walking.

These two aerial photographs show the extent of Holyrood Park. Notable are Salisbury Crags, the arc-shaped feature central to the left-hand photograph, and Arthur's Seat is in the lower right of the same photograph. The right-hand photograph shows several of the ancient lava flows which have come from the volcano. Encircling the main features of the park is the road known as the Queen's Drive.

Alongside Arthur's Seat are the Salisbury Crags, which rise majestically from the Queen's Drive.

The view from the summit of Arthur's Seat (giving the impression of a mountain, towering over the city, yet only 823 feet above sea level) is Olympian; the top is not as inaccessible as one might think, particularly if the climb is tackled from Dunsapie Loch on its eastern flank.

The area around Dunsapie Loch (a loch is the scottish name for a lake) gives the impression of remote contryside well away from busy city life. Sitting by its shore, along with swans and ducks, will easily convince tourist and Edinburgher alike that the city is a mirage far distant from this peaceful solitude.

Dunsapie is but one of three lochs within the Holyrood Park. To the north of Arthur's Seat is St Margaret's Loch, shown on this photograph, looking north towards Meadowbank sports stadium (built for the Commonwealth Games in 1970) and the River Forth with Inchkeith Island.

Close by is St. Anthony's Chapel, an ancient ruin perched on the side of the ancient lava flows which decend from the volcanic heart of Arthur's Seat.

More information on Arthur's Seat and Holyrood Park:

The Geology of Holyrood Park

Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags in the context of the Geology of Edinburgh and the Lothians

A 3D computer-generated view of Holyrood Park

A computer-generated fly-through of Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags

Designing a Three Dimensional Visualisation of Arthur's Seat

Climbing in Holyrood Park

		Photograph © K. Roy Gill

These pages are provided by the Department of Geography, University of Edinburgh as part of Scottish Geology Week. Scottish Geology Week is coordinated by Scottish Natural Heritage.