INVESTIGATING Ice
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Holyrood Park in the heart of Edinburgh is a unique landscape forged by volcanoes and carved by INVESTIGATING ice. This resource encourages learners to explore this landscape, discover its HOLYROOD PARK variety of plants and wildlife and examine its influence through the ages on people and biodiversity. Information for teachers LEARNING INVESTIGATING HISTORIC SITES: SITES 2 holyrood park Using this resource Contents Holyrood Park is a unique historic This resource contains: landscape in the heart of the Edinburgh. • the story of Holyrood Park P2 Its dramatic crags and hills give the city Using this resource • suggestions for preparatory and its distinctive skyline. The park’s famous follow-up activities P3 landscape was forged by volcanoes and Organising your visit carved by ice. • descriptions of four themed teacher- led tours of the park, each of which P7 The park contains a remarkable variety focuses on different aspects: Supporting learning of plants and animals, has been home and teaching to humans over thousands of years, and Tour 1: Landscape and beginnings P10 has been witness to key events in the Tour 2: Human traces Integrating a visit with history of Edinburgh and Scotland. Tour 3: Rare plants and animals classroom studies This resource is designed for teachers Tour 4: Managing for a sustainable P12–13 who are planning an independent visit future Timeline: the story of to Holyrood Park with their classes. It is Holyrood Park • glossary of terms used in the resource most suitable for secondary teachers, (words explained in the glossary are P14 although primary teachers will also find italicised in the text) The story of Holyrood much of interest. Park • suggestions for other places to visit Please note that the material in this • list of additional useful resources P21 resource is designed for teachers and Suggested tours is not intended for independent use by Each tour includes six locations with suggested activities and discussion P22 learners. Tour 1: Landscape and points that develop the theme. beginnings P30 Tour 2: Human traces P38 Tour 3: Rare plants and animals P47 Tour 4: Managing for a sustainable future P56 Places to visit P58 Glossary P59 Other resources Cover image: St Anthony’s Chapel with Looking towards Arthur’s Seat from Edinburgh Castle Arthur’s Seat in the background investigating historic sites: sites HOLYROOD PARK 3 Organising your visit Historic Scotland’s Ranger Service and the Holyrood Park Education Centre The Ranger Service, based at the Holyrood Park Education Centre, plays an active role in managing the park and delivers a programme of activities and events to schools, community groups and the general public throughout the year. A Ranger can lead or accompany your group in an exploration of Holyrood Park. We offer a variety of sessions, both Ranger-led and self-led/Ranger- accompanied, many of which can be adapted to suit your group’s needs and ability. In our work with schools, we aim to: © Angus Miller • promote understanding of the Holyrood Park Education Centre wildlife, geology and history of the sites • encourage a sense of ownership and commitment to Visiting Holyrood Park the future of the park amongst local school children The four suggested tours in this resource can each be • develop a greater understanding of environmental completed in about 2½ hours, but your group may need issues among young people more or less time. The Holyrood Park Education Centre is available free The tours all start at St Margaret’s Well, close to the of charge for use by schools, with or without a Ranger. Palace of Holyrood House, and then follow different It provides wet-weather accommodation, toilets and routes. They finish at points on Queen’s Drive, where classrooms. you can meet your transport, or continue through the For more information on the park, educational visits, park and back to the start point. guided walks and other activities run by the Rangers please contact: The suggested tours are just a guide, and you might 0131 652 8150 want to use a combination of locations from different [email protected] tours or combine your visit with other activities in the www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ranger park. investigating historic sites: sites 4 HOLYROOD PARK How to get to Holyrood Park Facilities Holyrood Park is close to Edinburgh city centre and There are virtually no facilities within Holyrood Park, accessible by public transport. Lothian Buses services including no shelter and nowhere to buy food or drink. stop nearby at the Scottish Parliament. Visiting groups need to be self-sufficient and well- Minibuses and coaches entering the park require equipped. Publicly accessible toilets are available free at permission from Historic Scotland, which can be the Holyrood Park Education Centre, close to the start obtained by contacting the Ranger Service on of the tours. Access to the Education Centre may be 0131 652 8150. There is no charge for educational possible if the weather is poor. groups. To help with the management of Holyrood Park all The main entry point on foot into Holyrood Park is at school groups are expected to take their litter home. the south side of Holyrood Palace, and all tours start Preparing for your visit from there. We strongly encourage teachers to make a pre-visit For coaches being used by educational groups, there themselves before bringing a class. This gives you the is limited parking in the main Holyrood Palace car chance to carry out a risk assessment, try out material park: contact the Ranger Service for advice. There and become familiar with the site. are safe coach drop-off points around Holyrood Park, at Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament, The tours are just a starting point. You may wish to use Horse Wynd and Our Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Road. a selection of different locations to suit your group, Metered minibus and coach parking is available at the learning outcomes you wish to achieve, and time Regent Road. available. Although the tours all start near Holyrood Palace, you may wish to start elsewhere; the general points addressed at Location 1 can be covered at other places. Inchcolm Abbey Blackness Castle A904 Eagle Rock A901 Trinity House St Triduana's Aisle, Edinburgh Chapel & Wellhouse A8 EAST A89 Corstorphine Castle Dovecot LOTHIAN A71 02 Craigmillar A1(T) CITY OF A7 Castle A6 A7 EDINBURGH 124 (T) 5 A 70 89 A A720 9 A70 Holyrood Park WEST Palace of Holyroodhouse & Gardens LOTHIAN Castlelaw Hill Fort Holyrood Abbey & Souterrain Abbey Strand Miles 02.5 5 Crichton N Km 02.5 5 MIDLOT HIAN Castle Map showing some other Historic Scotland sites around Edinburgh investigating historic sites: sites holyrood park 5 The tours follow different routes through Holyrood Park, giving a range of topics, length and difficulty of walking. Together they provide a comprehensive survey of most aspects of the park. Several of the tours overlap at different points, and, if you have time, you might consider extending a tour to include other aspects. Ideally, local schools will make several complementary visits to the park to consider different aspects. You can also combine a self-led visit with activities offered by the Ranger Service, such as conservation or survey work. The summit of Arthur’s Seat is not included in the tours, as it is difficult to go to the top and achieve a range of other locations and learning outcomes in the time that most groups have available. It does however offer a rewarding challenge for groups if appropriate safety measures are in place and the time is available and it would work well as an extension to any of the tours. Items to take with you • For Tour 1 we suggest you take the following items with you: some rock samples to give learners a chance to explore and experiment with the properties of local rocks; a simple line sketch of Arthur’s Seat for learners to use as a template to which they can add details; some pictures of modern volcanic eruptions such as Mount Etna and those on Hawaii. • For Tour 3 you might want to take pictures of grass and bog plant species, including adder’s tongue fern, © DCSH to help illustrate the range of plant types that learners The path leading up to the summit of Arthur’s Seat might find and their distinguishing characteristics. Fungi growing in Holyrood Park investigating historic sites: sites 6 holyrood park Risk assessment • Weather conditions are variable at all times of year and the park is often significantly colder than the city Risk assessment of the site is the responsibility of the centre. Long-sleeved, waterproof clothing should teacher in charge of the group. You can contact the always be carried. During the summer months hats, Ranger Service for advice and support. Key points to sun screen, sun glasses and water bottles are also bear in mind are: recommended. • Learners should be supervised at all times. • Many accidents occur at the end of walks and Looking after Holyrood Park excursions, when people are tired and travelling downslope. Be aware of the dangers of running Holyrood Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest downhill over rough ground. (SSSI) and a Scheduled Ancient Monument, therefore all the geology, archaeology, plants • You should have enough adults to deal with and animals are protected. Please make sure in emergencies and to ensure adequate supervision if a advance that your group is aware of this. learner falls ill or has an accident. While you are in the park, do not allow members • Parts of the park have cliffs and steep slopes and will of your group to remove or damage any plants, not be suitable for some groups.