Making one of city’s most iconic sites even more special

Arthur's Seat offers great walks, as well as solace, wildlife, volcanic geology and unparalleled vistas of the city from its many vantage points

It is used by people from all backgrounds; athletes, families, commuters, dog walkers, cyclists and bird watchers.

When I first arrived in Edinburgh I used to hike up Arthur’s Seat, pictured, twice a week to get some free and regular exercise and to see the famous views across our capital and across the Forth.

During the Covid pandemic I would do a weekly circuit of the park, using it as a chance to enjoy some quality and safely distanced time with friends. Now I have it on my doorstep every day when I go to work at the Scottish Parliament.

Yet, increasingly residents have joined me in raising their concerns about the number of cars that are using our park as a through-road, the closure of historic monuments and Radical Road and the decline of local nature.

Last Monday I was delighted to hold a public meeting on the future of Holyrood Park, with more than 150 local people joining me to engage and participate in debate and discussion.

It was an energising and inspiring evening, with people from all over our city and from local charities and stakeholder groups coming to discuss ideas and support our calls for a new sense of direction and action. It was a big success and the kind of community engagement that we need far more of in our politics.

I am grateful to the Edinburgh City Councillors and to my parliamentary colleague Sarah Boyack for coming along to the meeting.

Two days later I held a debate in the Scottish Parliament, with MSPs from all parties invited to join me in debating the future of our wonderful park. I’m delighted that so many joined and that there was a great deal of cross-party agreement.

Standing up and delivering my opening speech I made the case that the top priorities raised at the meeting were about protecting and restoring nature in the park, supporting active travel and activities, and concerns about the speed and volume of traffic through the park.

My parliamentary colleagues and I understand that reimagining Holyrood Park is a massive and complex project: restoring monuments, repairing paths, displacing a busy commuter route and providing a welcoming safe tourist location.

It is a campaign that is only getting started and that I hope will see us working positively and constructively to make one of Edinburgh’s most iconic sites even more special.

Lorna Slater is Scottish Greens co-leader