Edinburgh Region, United Kingdom (UK)
Destination guide
Capital treats abound, from mighty castles and royal palaces to gourmet restaurants and arguably the world’s best performing arts festival.
Travel bucket list idea:
Walk up Arthur’s Seat
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)
Last updated: 06 February, 2024
Dog-walkers do it daily while tourists tramp up for the view and to say they’ve ‘done it’. The mysteriously named Arthur’s Seat is a 250m-high craggy hill – one part of an extinct volcano, which rises right out of the city centre.
The enjoyable one-hour walk to the top (relatively easy on the legs) rewards with panoramic views over the city and out over the Firth of Forth to Fife.
Logistics
Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 4+
When: All year around
Duration: 2 hours
Getting there & doing it
Arthur’s Seat is in Holyrood Park, in the centre of the city; there are car parks at three good starting points: near Dunsapie Loch, near the Scottish Parliament, and near St Margaret’s Loch.
The easiest ascent is via the grassy slopes rising above Dunsapie Loch, but wherever you start from, it’s easy to pick out the well-defined paths that snake to the top. The hike up to the top is relatively easy, and takes an hour (two if you’re very slow).
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