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 a 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 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
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.