ENGINEERS have inspected the rock faces above an Edinburgh road at Arthur's Seat due to an “increase in rockfalls” following a wildfire in August.
The High Road in the Scottish capital has been closed for more than six weeks since a huge blaze tore through the popular tourist spot on August 10.
At the time, plumes of smoke could be spotted for miles after a fire broke out and engulfed a large portion of the Holyrood Park.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES), the organisation that manages the royal park, said the fire had burnt away the gorse that stopped rocks from falling onto the road below, leading to an increase in rockfalls.
The organisation said that a geologist's report is due in October, and then park officials said they will decide on whether to reopen the busy road.
A Historic Scotland spokesperson said: “There has been an increase in rockfalls impacting the High Road in Holyrood Park due to the recent wildfire burning away the gorse that provided protection from these events.
“Independent engineering geologists have attended site to carry out inspections of the rock faces above the road.
“They are now completing their report and carrying out a trajectory analysis of the slopes.
“We are expecting to receive these results in October which will dictate our next steps.”
The road runs around the back of Arthur's Seat, on the opposite side to where the Palace of Holyrood House sits in Holyrood Park, and is popular with cyclists, runners and hillwalkers.
