An extinct volcano towering over Edinburgh
From the peak of Arthur's Seat, the city spreads out all at once, taking in Edinburgh Castle, the tangled medieval alleys of the Old Town, and the grid of the New Town. Your view stretches all the way to the Firth of Forth and, on clear days, out toward the Highlands.
You hike up via dirt and stone trails, passing jagged volcanic rock outcroppings that reveal the true geological character of the hill.
Why climb to the top of Arthur's Seat
Arthur's Seat is an ancient extinct volcano and the highest point in Holyrood Park, sitting at an elevation of 250.5 meters. It formed during the Early Carboniferous volcanic period, around the exact same time as the crag beneath Edinburgh Castle. Lava samples retrieved from the site date back between 341 and 335 million years.
Glacial erosion carved out the steep basalt cliffs of the Salisbury Crags between the hill and downtown. Viewed from certain angles, the entire formation resembles a sleeping lion, with two ancient craters shaping what locals call the lion's head and the lion's rump. Back in 1879, writer Robert Louis Stevenson famously described the landmark as a hill for magnitude, a mountain for boldness of design.
A site occupied since the Iron Age
On the eastern slope of the summit, you can still spot two stone earthen banks, which are the remnants of an Iron Age fort. The exact origin of the name remains debated, with several theories pointing toward legends surrounding King Arthur.
Salisbury Crags, the scenic alternative
If you want a less demanding walk, the lower Salisbury Crags path running along the hillside gives you sweeping views over the city without requiring the full summit climb.
Friendly tip: wear sturdy hiking boots. The rocky, uneven trails turn slick and muddy after a rain shower, which happens often in Edinburgh.
Pros
- Free access and open 24/7
- Unobstructed panoramic views across the city and out to the Firth of Forth
- Easier alternative trail via Salisbury Crags
Cons
- No restrooms or cafes at the summit
- Rocky paths that get slick and muddy
Opening hours
Open 24/7
How long for this activity
Plan for 90 minutes to 2 hours for the complete round-trip hike to the summit.
Pretty physical climb, takes a good hour, with a few pretty steep sections. There is even a stretch where I was a bit dizzy, the narrow trail runs alongside a pretty steep slope.
This is not a climb I would do with young kids or people with limited mobility.
The effort is rewarded by an impressive panorama of Edinburgh, the sea, the region.
Minor disappointment: I was expecting to see a bit more wildlife (birds, animals, flowers, flora...). That said, a fire (it happens even in Scotland now!) had burned part of the mountain a few weeks before my visit.