Arthur's Seat Notes for Guides

"Hello everyone, and welcome to the Walled Garden – the oldest part of the Oxford Botanic Garden. These high stone walls were built nearly 400 years ago to protect the plants from cold wind and bad weather.

Inside this garden, you’ll see lots of square beds. Each one shows a group of plants from the same 'family' – not like your family at home, but a plant family. Some plants are used for cooking, like mint and thyme. Others are used in medicine.

Let’s take a deep breath – can you smell any herbs? Try to find a plant that smells nice or has a strong scent. You can read the signs to learn where each plant is from and what it’s used for.

🟢 Fun fact: This garden used to grow vegetables and herbs for Oxford students studying medicine in the 1600s!

🟢 Another fun fact: Long ago, students sometimes sneaked into the garden at night to pick herbs for cooking or strange experiments!

Now let’s explore! Try to find:

• A plant from your country

• A plant with a strange or funny name

• Three different colours of flowers or leaves

This building is where MSPs, or Members of the Scottish Parliament, meet to discuss ideas, debate issues, and make laws. They deal with matters such as education, health, the environment, and transport.

The Parliament was officially opened in 2004, and it represents a modern period in Scotland’s political history, when Scots gained more control over decisions affecting their daily lives.

The Scottish Parliament uses a system called devolution, which means Scotland has the power to make decisions about certain areas, while the UK Parliament in London still controls others.

There are also committees where smaller groups of MSPs study issues in detail. These committees are very important because they allow for careful discussion before laws are made.

🟢 Question: Does the building remind you of anything? Do the shapes make you think of something? 

Parts of the building look like they are growing out of the landscape, connecting nature with democracy. Some roofs look like upturned boats, inspired by Scotland’s fishing traditions. Inside, you’ll see the use of natural light, wood, and stone, which help create a welcoming and open atmosphere.
Miralles wanted the building to show the main values of the Parliament: openness, sharing power, and accessibility.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse, often called Holyrood Palace, is the official home of the British monarch in Scotland. It is located at the end of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, close to Arthur’s Seat. The palace has a long and exciting history. It was first built next to an old abbey in the 1100s, and later became a royal residence.

Many important kings and queens lived here, including Mary, Queen of Scots, who experienced both happy and tragic events inside the palace walls. Today, Holyrood Palace is used for royal ceremonies when the monarch visits Scotland, and it is also open to visitors. People come from all over the world to see the beautiful rooms, the historic abbey ruins, and the peaceful gardens.

🟢 Question: Do you have a monarchy in your country? Do they live in a similar place to this? 

"Time to get warm and steamy – welcome to the Glasshouses! These 

The best route up Arthur's Seat is to approach St Margaret's Loch and then go up the path to St Antony's Chapel, where you can take great group pictures. From here, you continue climbing for a while until you reach the lower summit. You have the option to finish here, or to continue on to the real summit, although warn students it can be slippy. Then, climb back down and release students outside the Parliament building.