Plan to partially reopen Edinburgh’s Radical Road

Edinburgh’s Radical Road is set to be partially reopened next year – almost seven years after it was closed by a rockfall.

The 200-year-old path is set high along cliffs at Salisbury Crags and named after the Radical War, a week of strikes and social unrest that occurred in 1820.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) plans to reopen part of the route early next year, according to a report to Edinburgh city councillors.

Under the plan, the path between an area called The Hawse to the northern end of South Quarry would be open again.

The Radical Road was closed in September 2018 after 50 tonnes of rock fell from nearby cliffs.

The path overlooks the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, where senior royals stay when they visit the Scottish capital.

Ranger-led guided walks take place along part of the route.

But there have been calls, including from Ramblers Scotland, for a fuller reopening of the path.

New barriers and signage would be added as part of the partial reopening.

HES looks after the Radical Road and wider landscape.

City of Edinburgh Council’s transport and environment committee chairman, Stephen Jenkinson, said the local authority welcomed progress being made to reopen the path.

The path got its name from the unemployed west of Scotland weavers who were set to work paving a track round Salisbury Crags – a plan suggested by author Sir Walter Scott in the aftermath of the Radical War.

Reporting by local democracy reporter Joe Sullivan.