Arthur’s Seat – a climb up Edinburgh’s volcano

Here’s a guest post from Amy – this climb was something she was keen to do on our visit to Edinburgh. A walk up to Arthur’s Seat.

Arthur’s Seat is the highest point of an extinct volcano that erupted 350 million years ago. It’s located in Holyrood Park at the end of the Royal Mile, just to the east of Edinburgh’s city centre. We visited in mid-September 2020 on a pleasant day. As our hotel was on the Royal Mile, we decided to walk the mile or so past the Palace and Scottish Parliament Building to the start of the trail. There is a pay and display car park on Queen’s Drive. Entry to the park is free.

There are several paths within the park but we decided to take the summit path, as that was our ultimate goal. I also wanted to walk along the Radical Road path adjacent to the Salisbury Crags, but unfortunately this path has been closed since September 2018 due to 50 tonnes of rockfall from the cliffs, and the continued risk of falling rocks.

Not long after we left the tarmac of Queen’s Drive behind, it became clear this was going to be slightly more strenuous than I had imagined. This was because of the months of staying and working at home and not getting much exercise. However, I was determined to walk to the top of Arthur’s Seat for the views so I powered through! On a serious note, I would say the hike is slightly strenuous to the summit but should be manageable for those of relative fitness.

If you want to take your time and soak up the views as you climb, allow around an hour to reach the summit. It would be preferable to wear a good pair of walking shoes due to the stony and uneven ground. Bring some water too.

Once you are nearing the summit, the path stops and the terrain becomes completely rocky. It will become more of a scramble with the use of your hands to guide you if you wish to reach the very top, once you have figured out the best route! Someone did actually tumble while we were there. I realised I had made it this far so wasn’t going to let the last 50 yards or so defeat me! Once at the top, you are met with magnificent panoramic views of Edinburgh and beyond.

It’s very, very windy at the top, so even in the summer months, you might want to bring a light jacket or hoodie.

We decided to retrace our steps back down, as this was the most obvious route, but next time we visit Edinburgh I’d like to try a few of the different trails.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable climb/walk, but a word of warning to others – be careful on the way down! Our Arthur’s Seat walk will be something we do again on our return to Edinburgh.