Mystery stone artwork appears on Arthur's Seat

They include an impressive kilted bagpiper, a boat and a cow alongside declarations of love and the names of those who have taken the time to spell them out using rocks.

News of the bizarre works of art has started spreading across social media sites in the Capital, with people now flocking to the landmark just to look at the intriguing creations and add their own.

Alison Dean, co-owner of the Edinburgh Spotlight website, spotted the artworks while walking this week and posted pictures online.

She said: "It's a walk I do often and (the artworks] weren't there two weeks ago. I know for a fact there will be people going up there just to have a wee look.

"There's thousands of wee rocks up there, so it's limitless as to how many things can be created."

She added: "Perhaps they started by one person creating their name in stones for a photo and they've organically grown - or perhaps it was done overnight by several mysterious stone-designers."

Edinburgh University student Rosie Brown, 19, who was walking up Arthur's Seat with her friend Bethany Kazmierski, added her own handiwork to the collection when she re-structured the cow's nose.

She said: "The Scottish bagpiper is incredible, and the effort that has been put into them is fantastic. People are having a good look at it all when they walk up here.

"We tidied up the face of the cow and gave it back its nose. It's like Arthur's Seat has become a living art project."

Bethany, 19, whose favourite design is the cow's face, said: "There are too many for them all to have been done by the same person, and there are lots of different names, presumably of the people who have done this.

"If you're right at the top of Arthur's Seat, you get a good view of them."

Artist Neil Kempsell, a graduate of Edinburgh College of Art, praised the creations.

He said: "Humans have been leaving marks, symbols and artwork on the landscape for centuries. Do they have any great Scottish cultural or historical significance, or are they just for fun? Who knows?

"They are great fun to look at during a stroll on the hill, and I hope they gave those who placed all the stones as much pleasure to create as I had from viewing them.

"I really enjoy tasteful artistic graffiti, and it's only a matter of time until a pebble encrusted Banksy appears on top of the Salisbury Crags.

"As long as they are not permanent, and are made from local materials, they get my vote."

Roundabout way to show spirit of Easter

Under the cover of darkness, a Bonnyrigg man commemorated the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by erecting an eight-foot wooden cross - in the middle of Sheriffhall roundabout. The 40-year-old, who does not wish to be named, told the Evening News he had done this in the early hours of Good Friday "to encourage people to be brave and spontaneous." He said: "I wanted to remind people that Jesus is the reason why they get a day off work at Easter."

For a 12-hour period, drivers using the A720 roundabout could view the sculpture.

But around 12 hours after erecting the cross, the Christian was instructed to take it down by road agency Bear Scotland.