Work has been progressing throughout the first part of the year, with inspection and descaling works taking place in the spring, alongside vital rock trajectory modelling and analysis. This activity has helped us to identify exclusion zones which will guide the future placement of barriers to enhance public safety. Necessary ecological surveys have also taken place, and our team is currently progressing with Ecological Impact Assessments.
In addition to this, other conservation works have also been taking place across the Park, including repair, conservation and maintenance works along the Zig Zag path on Arthur’s Seat, temporary rock fall works on the High Road, and boundary wall inspections and repairs.
A risk of rock fall was also identified on Samson’s Ribs earlier this year, and as a result, it was necessary to close the Duddingston Low Road and footpath to ensure the safety of the public. We are currently exploring a range of public protection measures to enable safe access to the pavement for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists, and work is currently underway to put in place the required infrastructure.
To prioritise public safety, we’ve had to review and adjust how resources and work programmes are allocated across the Park. This has resulted in a slight delay to some of the works on the Radical Road, but it remains our commitment to partially reopen the Radical Road as soon as it is safe to do so.
Next year marks 300 years since the birth of James Hutton, ‘the father of modern geology’, who pioneered a new theory that the Earth’s age could be calculated using observations of volcanic rock, like those found in Holyrood Park. Public access will be reinstated to parts of the Radical Road, from the Hawse to the Northern end of the South Quarry, in early 2026 to allow visitors to access both Hutton’s Section and Hutton’s Rock during this important year in the geological calendar. In the meantime, Park users can still pre-book ranger guided access to this area.
Next steps in the programme of activity to enable public access will include the relocation and installation of barriers, the finalisation of design and installation of interpretation and safety signage, and vegetation management to the path area. Work will continue throughout the winter months, outside of the bird nesting season, to minimise any potential disruption to the biodiversity in the Park. We will also be reviewing the permit process for bouldering and climbing activities in the area.
Holyrood Park is a Scheduled Monument, Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is an important habitat to our animal and plant life, therefore, many of these next steps to reopen the Radical Road will require special consents, such as planning permission and Scheduled Monument Consent, which will include necessary discussions with NatureScot. We are currently progressing work to support the upcoming consent applications and the overall timeline for the programme will depend on how long the application and approval processes takes.
We’re looking forward to welcoming back visitors to the Radical Road early in 2026 and to celebrate the tercentenary of James Hutton.
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Chloe Woodsford
Historic Environment Scotland Media Office
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