Edinburgh's Radical Road: Campaigners launch petition demanding reopening of path up Arthur's Seat

Groups have launched a petition to ‘stand up for public access’ at the historic path.

Campaigners have issued fresh calls for a popular path up Arthur’s Seat to be reopened after five years of ‘temporary’ closure.

They are demanding a ‘pragmatic solution’ to open the Radical Road below Salisbury Crags, which is still closed after being shut to the public in 2018 due to concerns about rockfalls.

The Radical Road is one of the most popular ways up Arthur’s Seat. But the the iconic 200-year-old path remains fenced off with warning signs, which campaigners have branded ‘farcical’.

Radical road remains closed after 'temporary' closure five years ago

Groups including Ramblers Scotland, the Cockburn Association, Edinburgh Geological Society, Mountaineering Scotland and rights-of-way society ScotWays argue it’s ‘high time that the proper effort was put into getting this historic route reopened’.

Campaigners will submit a petition on Tuesday 19 December to mark the date when HES closes its ongoing public consultation about the future management of the entire Holyrood Park area. It’s claimed consultation documents ‘completely ignore’ the future of the Radical Road.

The Cockburn Association assistant director James Garry said: “Holyrood Park is one of the city’s premier greenspaces and is of great value to residents and stakeholders alike as an ecological, historical, recreational and wellbeing resource in the heart of the city. The Radical Road and the wider path network are essential parts of the value of the park. A pragmatic solution to the current restrictions on the Radical Road is imperative.”

Ramblers Scotland director Brendan Paddy said: “We are calling on Historic Environment Scotland to urgently reconsider its farcical closure of the Radical Road, following half a decade of its missed deadlines and broken promises.

"I urge the public to sign our petition before 19 December so that we can stand up for public access at this much-loved historic path. Residents and tourists should be advised of the risks then allowed to make informed decisions, like everywhere else in Scotland.”

ScotWays chief operating officer Richard Barron said: “One government department managed to reopen the A83 within three weeks of a major landslip, yet another can’t reopen the Radical Road within five years of a rock fall. It’s high time that the proper effort was put into getting this historic Edinburgh route reopened for people to appreciate once again.”

As well as being popular with walkers and runners, the Radical Road is deemed important to boulderers seeking to climb on Salisbury Crags, geologists visiting world-famous sites and tourists seeking panoramic views of the city.

Campaigners want HES to weigh the ‘low risk’ of rockfall injury against the harm the closure causes to the economy, landscape, tourism and people’s health and wellbeing.

The groups added that HES’s own risk assessment failed to mention that outdoor recreation is enjoyed at people’s own risk across Scotland every single day, by thousands of people. This includes popular sites where signage is used to advise of potential risks such as cliffs, tides or forestry and farming.

Campaigners held a public meeting attended by more than 100 people at Greyfriars Charteris Centre on Sunday, 3 December. It’s claimed HES bosses were invited but failed to attend.

A spokesperson for Historic Environment Scotland: “In line with our statutory obligations we acted to manage the risk identified with the input of our geotechnical engineers and temporarily restricted access to the Radical Road. From 2017-2020, there were at least 82 rock fall incidents, ranging in size, with the majority either small or small to medium rocks. Two incidents have involved large or very large rocks. Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we have not actively monitored rock fall incidents at the Radical Road due to the path being closed to the public. However, we are aware of at least two rock falls.

“After temporarily restricting access, we undertook an initial outline options appraisal. We were subsequently requested to review elements of our rock risk management approach by a statutory authority. This took much longer than anticipated and was interrupted by COVID and the need to respond to high-level masonry challenges across our wider estate, which we have been working on at speed.

“Our specialist geotechnical engineers are about to commence a re-assessment of risk and potential mitigating measures in relation to the Radical Road and other areas of the Park. We will work with them to deliver an options appraisal on what technical and management interventions may be feasible. Any proposals need to consider statutory consents and require engagement with the relevant statutory bodies.

“We are mindful of both making progress towards improved access where this can be done safely and our need to prioritise the resources at our disposal. We aim to deliver Ranger-led access to Hutton’s Section and Hutton’s Rock as part of our guided walks and learning group programmes.”