Browse Descriptions for: Castle Rock

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Rating: 5 | Votes: 1 | Date: 10/07/2026 23:13:00

This volcanic plug of dolerite and basalt, formed around 340 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, rises 130 metres above the surrounding terrain and provides the dramatic natural platform on which Edinburgh Castle has stood since at least the twelfth century. The rock's three sheer cliff faces, scoured by glacial action that carved the valley now occupied by Princes Street Gardens, made it one of the most naturally defensible sites in Scotland. The only practicable approach is fro...