The dramatic crags and hills of Holyrood Park [3] - including of course, its most famous landmark, Arthur’s Seat – are integral to Edinburgh’s distinctive skyline.

And throughout next month, the Holyrood Park Ranger Service is inviting the public to come along to discover some of the secrets of this fascinating landscape in the heart of the capital.

The Rangers will be leading evening guided walks around Arthur’s Seat each Wednesday on 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th June 2007 to highlight the history of this unique site, its geological and archaeological features and the wildlife that thrives in its natural habitat. The evening walks, which run from 6.00pm to 7.30pm, are suitable for anyone over 8yrs old. Places can be booked by calling the Ranger Service on 0131 652 8150.

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The Rangers will also be hosting special afternoon guided walks on Wednesday 20th and 27th June only from 1.00pm to 3.00pm. These walks are suitable for all ages and again, as places are limited, pre-booking is essential by calling the Ranger Service.

Judi Oates, Historic Scotland Countryside Ranger said: "Holyrood Park more than deserves its designation as both a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Site of Special Scientific Interest as it is absolutely full of geological and archaeological treasures dating back thousands of years. These include Arthur's Seat, hill forts dating from around 2000 years ago, a prehistoric farmstead and also the remains of a medieval rig-and-furrow cultivation.

Our guided walks are designed to give people an opportunity to enjoy a pleasant stroll around the Park and at the same time, learn a wealth of interesting and diverse facts about this wonderful green space. They will be able to see and handle replica artefacts typical of the many archaeological sites here such as arrow heads, fish hooks and sewing needles from prehistory. We will also be pointing out evidence that the Park is an important habitat for an extensive range of plants and wildlife, including a wide variety of birds."