Part of Edinburgh’s Radical Road to reopen ahead of James Hutton anniversary

A section of historic path where the founding father of geology arrived at his theory of how and when the world was formed is to reopen in the summer.

Edinburgh’s 200-year-old Radical Road, which is set high along cliffs at Arthur’s Seat, was closed in 2018 over rockfall concerns.

Historic Environment Scotland, which manages the site, plan to have the section where Hutton’s Rock stands open in time for the 300th anniversary of James Hutton’s birth on 3 June.

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

Near the south end of the path is Hutton’s Section, the spot where geologist James Hutton found proof in the late 18th Century for his theory that the world’s landscape had evolved over time.

The layers of rock at Salisbury Crags supported his belief that igneous rocks are formed from magma.

His work is responsible for one of the fundamental principles of geology, and discovered that the Earth was significantly older than had previously been believed.

Applications for scheduled monument consent and planning permission have been submitted for part of the path from the Hawse to the northern end of the South Quarry.

Temporary barriers, which were erected when the path was closed, need to be relocated as well as interpretation and safety signage and vegetation management has to be carried out before it can reopen.

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 of 1820.

Also known as the Scottish Insurrection, this uprising was the result of social unrest among workers who were fed up with what they perceived to be unjust working and living conditions.

An HES spokeswoman told BBC Scotland News that inspection and descaling works, vital rock trajectory modelling and analysis, and necessary ecological surveys and ecological impact assessments had been carried out at the site.

“It remains our commitment to partially reopen the Radical Road, from the Hawse to the northern end of the South Quarry, once it is safe to do so next year to allow visitors to access both Hutton’s Section and Hutton’s Rock during the 300th anniversary of James Hutton’s birth in June 2026.

“In the meantime, park users can continue to pre-book ranger guided access to this area.”