Old Photograph Samson's Ribs Kings Park Edinburgh Scotland

Old photograph of Samson's Ribs in Kings Park, Edinburgh, Scotland. Samson's Ribs are a formation of columnar basalt. Holyrood Park, also called the Queen's Park or King's Park depending on the reigning monarch's gender, is a royal park in central Edinburgh, Scotland about 1 mile to the east of Edinburgh Castle. It has an array of hills, lochs, glens, ridges, basalt cliffs, and patches of gorse, providing a remarkably wild piece of highland landscape within its 650 acre area. The park is associated with the royal palace of Holyroodhouse and was formerly a 12th century royal hunting estate. The park was created in 1541 when King James V had the ground " circulit about Arthurs Sett, Salisborie and Duddingston craggis " enclosed by a stone wall. Holyrood Park is now publicly accessible. Arthur's Seat, the highest point in Edinburgh, is at the centre of the park, with the cliffs of Salisbury Crags to the west. There are three lochs; St Margaret's Loch, Dunsapie Loch, and Duddingston Loch. The ruined St Anthony's Chapel stands above St Margaret's Loch. Queen's Drive is the main route through the Park, and is partly closed on Sundays to motor vehicles. St Margaret's Well and St Anthony's Well are both natural springs within the park. Holyrood Park is located to the south east of the Old Town, at the edge of the city centre. Abbeyhill is to the north, and Duddingston village to the east. The University of Edinburgh's Pollock Halls of Residence are to the south-west, and Dumbiedykes is to the west.



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