Edinburgh: Arthur’s Seat
After touring the Edinburgh Castle and walking down the Royal Mile for lunch, we climbed Arthur’s Seat! The views of the city were amazing and well worth the climb. I hope you enjoy this photo journal of our adventure!
I wanted to visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse, but the tour did not fit in our time schedule/I was the only one interested in visiting. They boys did let me stop by for a photo op outside the gates. We also saw the grounds from above during our hike. Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the Monarchy in Scotland. When the Queen is in residence, you can not tour the palace, so always check ahead before visiting!
Background:
Arthur’s seat is now a part of Holyrood Park was was formed around around 350 million years ago from a volcano. The peak sits about 822 feet high. Arthur’s Seat is now the highest point in Holyrood park.
Choosing a Route
This being our first “hike” in Scotland, I didn’t know what to expect in regard to signage/route maps etc. Coming from the US with souvenir shops and map handouts, starting this hike already felt completely different than anything we’ve done. I knew from research there was an easier and a harder route, but there was not much signage at the start of the hike (at least from where we met the trail head). Tim chose the more scenic route that faced the town. I’m glad we did go this way, because the views were amazing; however, we found later the other side was a lot easier of a trail! The earthtrekkers posted a great review with a MAP of their experience climbing. For reference, we walked across the street from the Palace of Holyrood House to the trail start and headed right.
Our Climb
start of the trail
Mr Jack Rest Stop
For inexperienced hikers such as ourselves, the trail did get a bit strenuous at times. There were plenty of places to step off the trail for a rest break and to let others pass.
parts of the trail (ascent)
Tim off roading
Tim climbed these steps to the point in the title picture! We called him the goat during this trip as he could climb up any terrain. He was rewarded with amazing views and great pictures! Another difference we noted between hikes in Scotland and something here in the US was the lack of any barriers. You could walk anywhere in this park without restraint. There were no signs or fences keeping you away from the edges.
Views:
Even though we chose the “harder” route, we were rewarded with views of the city.
Calton Hill
The Palace of Holyrood House
Edinburgh Castle
Reaching the Top
After climbing for a good while, we reached a plateau before the summit. This proved to be a great spot for views of the entire city. It was also a great resting spot.
Reaching the Summit
Evan and his dad stayed on this plateau while Tim and I climbed to the very top of Arthur’s Seat. Coming from this direction, it was a bit of a scramble in places, but so rewarding! We took a few pictures before heading back down to join Evan and his dad. It is hard to tell in the pictures, but I am sitting down because it is a straight drop off behind me! I am not as brave as Tim. 🙂
Tim and Ali climbing to the top. (at the bottom of the trail)
made it to the top!
Hiking back Down
We completed the loop around the summit to climb back down, joining what we came to find was the easier path! The path we took back to the bottom was a much easier grade, wide path and gravel. You could even take that easy path straight up to the top!
easier path
panoramic views
my favorite picture!
Take Away
Climbing Arthur’s Seat is worth your time and effort! It was easy enough for us to complete without it feeling super duper hard. We did take several rest breaks climbing that outer loop to the top. Bring water and snacks and GO potty before climbing. There’s no place to stop for things like that along the way. The Palace of Holyrood house had bathrooms outside of their gate we were able to use before crossing the street and starting our hike. After finishing our hike, we walked back up the Royal Mile and found a bar/restaurant for post hike refreshments 🙂
Click here for a link back to our entire Scotland Itinerary. I plan to update each week!
My name is Ali and I'm learning how to be a country girl! I'm a physical therapist, wife, lover of running and reading and I love to travel!