Cookie Policy
On this page, you will find details of the Park Authority’s Cookie Policy.
What is a Cookie?
Cookies are small data files which are placed on your computer, mobile or other handheld devices as you browse through our websites. On our websites, cookies are used to remember information about your browsing history, for example, the on-line resources you use, the pages you visit and how often you visit them.
Types of cookies
- ‘Session’ cookies remain in your browser during your browser session only, i.e. until you leave the website.
- ‘Persistent’ cookies remain in your browser after the session (unless deleted by you).
- ‘Performance’ cookies collect information about your use of the website, such as webpages visited and any error messages; they do not collect personally identifiable information, and the information collected is aggregated such that it is anonymous. Performance cookies are used to improve how a website works.
- ‘Functionality’ cookies allow the website to remember any choices you make about the website (such as changes to text size, customised pages) or enable services such as commenting on a blog.
How we Use Cookies on our Websites
Our websites uses cookies to help improve the users experience while visiting our websites. Where applicable our websites use a cookie control system allowing the user on their first visit to the website to allow or disallow the use of cookies on their computer / device. This complies with legislation requirements for websites to obtain explicit consent from users before leaving behind or reading files such as cookies on a user’s computer / device.
Our websites use cookies to collect anonymous information about how well the site is performing via Google Analytics.
This table explains the cookies we use and why.
| Cookie | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary cookies | WordPress_test_cookie PHPSESSID |
‘Wordpress_test_cookie’ is a cookie used on sites built with WordPress. It tests whether or not the browser has cookies enabled. ‘PHPSESSID’ is a general purpose identifier used to maintain user session variables. |
| Universal Analytics (Google) | _ga _gat _gid |
These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use our website. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the website. The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone, including the number of visitors to the website and blog, where visitors have come to the website from and the pages they visited. Read Google’s overview of privacy and safeguarding data. |
| Hotjar | _hjid _hjclosedsurveyinvites _hjincludedinsample |
This cookie is set by a third-party web application called Hotjar, which helps us to gather feedback from website users so that we can improve the functionality of our website. This cookie is set when the user first lands on a page with the Hotjar script. It is used to persist the random user ID, unique to that site on the browser. This ensures that behavior in subsequent visits to the same site will be attributed to the same user ID. |
Google Analytics
Please note – We do not collect personal information via Google Analytics.
Our websites use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA (“Google”).
Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States.
Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of our websites, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf.
Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.
You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of our websites.
By using our websites, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.
To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, visit Google’s opt-out tool.
Our websites use Facebook plugins and pixels provided by Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA (“Facebook”).
For the information on the purpose and scope of data collection and processing by Facebook, as well as your rights in this respect and settings options for protecting your privacy please visit Facebook’s privacy policy or Facebook’s Advertising Guidelines.
Our websites use Twitter widgets, a social plugin service provided by Twitter, Inc., 1355 Market Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA (“Twitter”).
For the information on the purpose and scope of data collection and processing by Twitter, as well as your rights in this respect and settings options for protecting your privacy please read Twitter’s Privacy Policy.
Disabling Cookies
If you would prefer to disable Cookies you need to change the browser settings on your computer to reject Cookies.
Website Archiving
The Park Authority has given consent for the National Records of Scotland, the British Library and the National Library of Scotland to archive our website on an annual basis. These organisations may make our archived website available to their customers for research purposes.