Arthur’s Seat

What a joy it is to walk the crags, especially in the snow!
It was icy, and slippery, and it snowed as we were walking, and still so many people were there throwing snow balls and laughing and behaving like kids again :) Just as we were.
There were crazy runners, one fell twice within a meter, because of the ice. Really, these amazing fatalists types, doing it no matter the circumstance. It was part inspiring, and part laughable. I was readying myself to go to their rescue if one of them fell and tumbled down the rough volcanic terrain.
Oh, a good note: there is an old quarry of sandstone up there. Most of it is all volcanic rock, but this one part was pushed up and was used for a couple famous houses in Edinburgh.

I’m not sure if Arthur’s Seat gets the 5 stars or if Edinburgh gets 5 stars for having Arthur’s Seat! Either way, we are very lucky to have a mini mountain in the middle of a buzzing city. Not only does it give us a retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life, but it gives us a tremendous view of the city below.
It has become our tradition (and for many, many, many others as well) to walk up Arthur’s seat on Christmas Day. The atmosphere is amazing, lots of families, locals, tourists, dogs… all out, connecting with nature and with each other — can’t think of a better way to spend Christmas morning.
Whenever you choose to go up, be prepared for a proper hike. Sure it starts gentle, with a nice path but by the end, there is mud and rocks to be scrambled over. But it never fails, every time I go up, I always see a few people in their street clothes and inappropriate footwear trying their best not to get dirty (or to fall over).
There are loads of different ways to go up — if you’re not sure and don’t want to end up on top of the Crags by mistake (still a good view but you don’t get to take a pic with the Arthur’s Seat markers) you can check out walking groups on the Meetup website — they have at least one free guided walk a week. There are also official guided walks run by Holyrood Park/​Historic Scotland — info is on their website or at the little booth in the car park.
Don’t forget your camera — for your selfie at the top — and for amazing photos of the whole of Edinburgh.

Arthur’s Seat in January was a wonderfully snowy experience. The trek up the mountain was a little more challenging than I was expecting, even with a path to follow most of the way. There were a few spots that you had to improvise to get up to the next spot, but noting too crazy. The view from the top is well worth the energy you spend getting there. It is quite windy at the top though, so make sure you tighten down any loose items you may be carrying or wearing.

Snow, ice, and slippery slopes… Oh my!
I clearly didn’t know what I was getting myself into before heading out on the hike. Climbing up was a little challenging at times due to the snow and ice but nothing compared to the trek down. I don’t know how others were speeding down without a care in the world. I nearly slipped and fell numerous times. Regardless, the views from the top –in my safe spot away from any edges– made the trek worth it!
Have I mentioned I’m deathly afraid of heights?

The hike up to Arthur’s Seat is one of my most memorable days of 2015. When the weather is great (or at least decent) and you’re in town — do not miss this. What’s really cool about getting to the top is the feeling that you’re on top of a dormant volcano which is undeniably exciting, at least for me.
The hike itself isn’t difficult but you need to do some climbing up and get back down (which is scarier if you’re not the biggest fan of heights). It’s not something you can do after a few pints for sure, so make sure you do this first thing in the morning before heading out for a nice brunch.
Highly recommended.

Another five star review for Arthur’s Seat, the undeniable thing to do in Edinburgh. As a student at Pollock Halls, it was of course a rite of passage to ascend this awesome summit in first year. As part of a team of five, I packed my sleeping bag, tent, nourishment, and rain gear for the trek. We set out at dawn, ready for the biggest challenge of our lives– the seat of the mythical King himself.
30 minutes later, we reached the top. Okay, I exaggerated the difficulty of this hill by a little margin. Arthur’s Seat is a beautiful climb, which is easily achievable in 30 minutes. It is a steep climb in some parts, so it’s not a simple walk in the park– well, it is a walk in Holyrood Park, but you know what I mean!
However, with a moderate level of fitness, you can easily reach the summit and enjoy some gorgeous views over the entire city, over to Fife; West, East, and Midlothian; and across the sea to the east.
Unfortunately, one of my favourite landmarks, the Cockenzie Power Station, has recently been demolished, so this part of the East Lothian skyline will no longer greet the disgusted eyes of Edinburgh’s tourists. Ah well…

Arthur’s Seat is an extinct volcano on the edge of Edinburgh’s City Centre overlooking Holyrood Park and is a great urban hike. We walked up from the North West which was a tougher than the way we came down which was the North East side.
Wear comfortable trainers/​hiking shoes as it can be tough on the way up, there are also a lot of loose stones so be careful on the way down. The views from the top are amazing as you can see Holyrood House, the new Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh Castle and the rest of the city. You can even see the top of the Forth Railway Bridge. A must do/​see whilst in Edinburgh!

Look no further for good clean healthy fun and amazing views, all for free!
If you’re visiting Edinburgh and tight on time, I usually tell people to walk up Calton Hill as a) it’s easy peasy, and b) you get views of Arthur’s Seat. But if you’ve got enough time and the weather suits, it’s definitely worth walking up Arthur’s Seat itself. Come on people, it’s a volcano!
I would love to be able to direct you as to the best route to take to get to the top. Thing is, there’s actually no signposts when you get there anyway, and looking down at google maps on your phone is the last thing you want to be doing with such beautiful scenery around you. All I can do is share my experience, which is if in doubt, take the path with most people on it. It’s usually a safe bet, esp if you can see others coming down the same way. The first time I went with school mates and we turned to the right far too early, which lead us to some steep, unclimbable inclines and almost losing one of the girls (though to be fair, that’s because it had rained earlier and she was wearing ridiculous shoes). You’ll probably bump into plenty of well-​prepared locals who walk it for exercise regularly so speak up and ask if you’re going the right way. It’ll take about 2 hours up and down at quite a leisurely pace.
So:
— DO wear shoes with some kind of grip (regular trainers will do)
— DON’T turn right at the first fork in the road
— DO buy a 99 from the ice cream van at the bottom of the hill — you will particularly appreciate this about ten minutes later as your thigh muscles start feeling the work but you’re happily enjoying your flake.
And finally, DO tell all your mates back home that you climbed a volcano. Because, well, that’s awesome!

This hike is a definite MUST DO when you are in Edinburg. This was my favorite part of our time in Edinburg. The trail up is not very difficult, I even saw people walking up in sandals (and even barefoot!) that were not appropriate! I would highly recommend some kind of running shoe/​sneakers/​kicks or whatever other term they may be.
AWESOME VIEWS!!!

I came here with friends and we had an absolute blast. You can’t not have a good time with the sightseeing of the city, ocean and the rest of the park.
The way that the jagged rock has been carved is really unique. The day that we went on the hike, an extremely strong held us up as we stood at a pretty steep angle.
The hike itself is pretty modest — I did it in loafers, so don’t worry. Take your dog if you have one.

Holy Shit.
It’s like climbing Everest.
While drunk.
I need to stop drinking for this climb.
Eh, fuck it.

Parque que se encuentra en el extremo de la cuidad! No me resulto fácil encontrarlo o acceder!!! Una vez ahí tienes una vista de la ciudad de Edimburgo privilegiada !! Todo muy limpio y ordenado

Oh wow! What an amazing experience! Loved every minute of it. At every step and every turn there was something to enjoy and so much fun. I can see why it is the No.1 tourist attraction in Edinburgh.
We approached the climb from the Commonwealth Pool, and was just amazed by the sight of it looming ahead of us. When we reached the bottom, the path forked out. Two people were standing at the bottom, who had just been up. We chatted to them, and they told us they took the path on the right, and said that was the harder climb and very steep and slippery. We could see the steep steps rising upwards. The path on the left should be the easier path, although they had not tried it themselves. Since I had height anxiety, we took the path on the left. It was only later, on the way down, we discovered that there is a third path which is even easier, and works were in progress to make it even more easier and safer. So in effect, we took the middle path.
As we steered our course to the left path, we noticed someone was running up the steep path on the right! Wow!
Our path had some slight slopes and muddy steps too, so it was not altogether too easy or too hard and we got some amazing views on the way, it was also quite narrow along some of the way, making it quite precarious if you walked too close to the edge. We passed three plateaus along the way, one with loads of horses grazing, another with some amazing views of Edinburgh, and as we climbed towards the third plateau, it got even more windy and sleet started to pelt us. However, at the third plateau, not only were we greeted with the beautiful views, a rainbow appeared. We could see a whole rainbow! That was just awesome!
It was exhilarating to reach the top. It was windy though, I thought I would be blown away!
We inadvertently took a different path down which lead to the car park of Holyrood Park, and this route seems to be the easiest as it dips into a valley between the mountains, so there are no views.
Btw, we checked the hourly weather forecasts and it was supposed to be a sunny day in the morning but raining in the afternoon, but when we got off the bus at the Commonwealth Pool, it started to rain very heavily. Then half way up, there was sleet but when we reached almost to the top, it was glorious sunshine, with an added bonus of a rainbow! So the moral, do not believe the forecasts! Although I never do, even though I check it, just out of interest, I suppose!

What an amazing place — a dormant volcano which you can walk to the top and feel like a superman!
We started the climb from the bottom nearby car park at 630am and it only took us about 35 mins to reach the summit — there’s a number of opportunities on the way to really check out the amazing scenery and of course getting great photo ops — especially the amazing sunrise!
The only tough bit is the last few mins up to the summit but it’s a fairly easy climb — it only took us 10 mins to walk back down!
A great place to spend some time and what a great experience — check it out!

Are you in (or planning to be in) Edinburgh?
Do yourself a big favor and hike Arthur’s Seat at sunrise. I know, I know — it’s early. But it shall be worth it. Solo or with pals, it’s a gorgeous ascent with breathtaking views.
*Wear trainers/​sneakers/​running shoes.
*Dress in layers, particularly outside of the summer months.
*Challenge level = ⁵⁄₁₀. Descent is quite easy.
Take a moment and breathe it all in from start to finish. It’s quite a thing to hike up a dormant volcano in Scotland at sunrise. Bucket list? I think so.

I brought this on myself.
I was coming to Edinburgh and wanted to climb the volcano. I bugged my boss and she set it up… At 6am.
And climb it we did. This is Edinburgh’s volcano (don’t call it a hill), named for the legend of King Arthur. And just like the quests of the Knights of the round table, this is one that will make you a hero, or destroy you.
It looks ridiculously night but if you move at a quick pace, it will take you about half an hour to get up. However, once you get up there, it is worth it and the views are amazing. I took some truly beautiful sunrise shots.
Some parts are harder to get up than others and it can be a little steep but wear comfortable shoes, stand tall and strong on the mud, power on and you will make it to that white pillar at the top.
I was going to give it four stars but the people I climbed with just yelled at me because it’s a damn volcano. Fair enough. Five stars it is.

WHOA GET YOUR BOOTS ON! My group had a unique experience…
I have lupus, which I’m open about and MADE IT TO THE TOP (with several breaks). My mom made is almost to the very top and my brother and his fiancé are fit little beings and left us behind to photograph every angle.
WEAR PROPER ATTIRE! My brother wore jeans — make sure yours have stretch in them — lets say his area was not very comfortable scaling rocks… His fiancé’s boot zipper broke — ladies… Don’t wear your FASHIONISTA boots.
I recommend a walking stick — helped my mom (who is 55 and a bit overweight to be honest) — BUT SHE DID IT Y’ALL — and boy was I proud of her!
Not to mention all of the overly friendly locals who have strikingly PRECIOUS pups running around everywhere!
LOVED

After spending a week in chain-​smoking, sarcastic, snooty London, I spent a lovely day in Edinburgh. I bookmarked Arthur’s Seat prior to leaving Hawaii and I was determine to squeeze this hike in.
Arthur’s Seat is a short distance away from the Royal Mile. It is a peaceful, fun and an easy walk/​hike. The path is paved and wide to accomodate a lot of hikers (and there are a lot). As you work your way up the path, there is a slight detour where you can take photos by an old ruin that used to be St. Anthony’s chapel.
From there you follow the main path and can see a body of water, crags and a view of Edinburgh and the sea. Beautiful sights to behold all the way up, especially if the weather is breezy and sunny like it was when I went.
The last leg of the hike has railing and cobblestone. You know you’re nearly at the top when you reach this point. As you work your way up, you’ll have to climb some rocks. Incentive: It’s a 360 degree view of Edinburgh at the top.
When in Edinburgh, add this 45 – 60 minute hike (casual walking pace) to your itinerary. It’s relaxing, it’s not too difficult and it’s a nice escape from the city.

Hiking Arthur’s Seat was such a fun and crazy experience. We were hoping to get up before sunrise, hike to the top, and watch the sunrise over the city, but the weather did not really agree with us! It was raining the whole time, but we didn’t care because it was just so beautiful. We made it up there, but it was completely foggy so you could not see anything — but still a very memorable experience.
We heard from many Edinburgh locals that this is the best place to get a view of the city, so if you are able to go on a clear day, I’m sure it will be beautiful! The hike itself isn’t too strenuous, especially in the beginning. However, some of the trail is not too wide on the edge of a cliff, which was not scary for me (probably because it was foggy and I could not see the bottom) but it might be for some. I’m very glad I had this experience.

Der Arthur´s Seat — DER Aussichtspunkt für Edinburgh, da höchste Erhebung.
Es gibt 2 Zugangswege nach oben.
1. Leicht
2. Schwieriger
Für den Aufstieg habe ich den schwierigeren Zugangsweg gewählt. Links am Parlament vorbei, dann rechts in den Holyrood Park. Dann gehts erst nach oben, das ist aber ein gut gehbarer Weg. Kurz darauf kurze Erholungspause auf einer Ebene, bevor es dann ziemlich steil aufwärts geht.
Bei diesem Weg nach oben gibt es verschiedene Varianten:
a)Stufen aus Stein, die aber eine sehr unregelmäßige Tritthöhe haben und nicht sehr leicht zu gehen sind und
b)sanfte Wege, die dann aber unmittelbar in Kletterwege übergehen. Macht mir persönlich mehr Spaß
Von oben hat man (bei gutem Wetter und klarer Sicht) einen Ausblick über ganz Edinburgh und den Firth of Forth bis hin zu den Highlands.

Un peu de marche, beaucoup de grimpette et vous voilà au sommet d’Arthur’s Seat (251 mètres d’altitude). Probablement l’un des plus beaux endroits de la ville !
Reprenez votre soufflé, asseyez-​vous et profitez. Ecoutez le silence, émerveillez-​vous devant ce superbe paysage qui s’offre à vous. Et pensez à ceux qui sont en bas d’Arthur’s Seat et qui vont devoir souffrir à leur tour. :)
Si vous êtes très courageux, essayez de monter de bon matin pour apprécier le lever du soleil. C’est tout simplement splendide !
N’oubliez pas votre appareil photo pour profiter pleinement de la vue et rapporter de beaux souvenirs de ces quelques heures de marche. Pensez aussi qu’il y fait un peu frisquet en haut.

En la vida, las cosas buenas CUESTAN LO SUYO. Casi tanto como subir el Arthur’s Seat, una montaña no demasiado alta pero sí algo escarpada que promete, desde su cima, unas vistas absolutamente increíbles. Y la verdad es que, pese a lo que cuesta subir este pequeño monte, ¡no decepciona para nada! Las vistas son maravillosas, se ve toda la ciudad, se divisa el mar y a tu lado tienes a decenas de personas que han completado tu misma hazaña.
La bajada también es bastante escarpada (¡cuidado con las piedras lisas, seguro que te escurres) pero irás tan ensimismado con la vista de Edimburgo a la altura de los pájaros que no te darás ni cuenta.

Auf den Hausberg Edinburghs, den Arthur’s Seat
Der Arthur’s Seat ist der Hausberg Edinburghs und 251 Meter hoch.
Er liegt nicht weit entfernt von der Stadt entfernt und ist völlig von Vororten Edinburghs umgeben.
Das zeichnet eine malerische Szene in das Stadtbild, denn die typischen Häuser der Stadt zeichnen sich vor dem runden Berg ab, der ein tiefes, schottisches Grün hat.
Der Berg ist vulkanischen Ursprungs und das ist deutlich zu bemerken, sobald die Wanderung auf den Berg unternommen wird. Der Arthur’s Seat kann mit Normalwegen erkundet werden und auch eine geführte Wanderung ist möglich, die noch interessantere Stellen des Berges zeigt.
Die Salisbury Crags sind ein Zeugnis des Vulkangesteins uns wirken faszinierend im Grün des Berges.
Sobald der Gipfel erreicht wurde, kann über die ganze Stadt, aufs Meer und den Vulkan North Berwick Law. Die Tour ist sechs Kilometer lang und verläuft durch den Holyrood Park, der den Arthur’s Seat umgibt. Klare Empfehlung bei einem Urlaub in der schottischen Hauptstadt.

Wenn man zwei gesunde Füße hat und in Edinburgh Urlaub macht sollte man sich das auf keinen Fall entgehen lassen. Ein kleines Stückchen Highlands in der Stadt.
Der Aufstieg ist ansträngende, aber der Ausblick entschädigt für alles.
Beim nächsten Besuch gerne wieder.

Wir sind bei trockenen Bedingungen einfach direkt eingestiegen, also quasi senkrecht hoch, bis wir auf den ersten Weg und die ersten Touris stießen. Auf dem Berg ist gerade so viel los, dass es noch nicht stört. Schon beim Aufstieg genießt man eine gute Aussicht, und die blühenden gelben Büsche riechen nach einer Mischung aus Kokusnuss und Vanille. Mit etwas Glück sieht man auch die wilden Hasen, mit Pech nur ihre Hinterlassenschaften ;)
Noch mehr als das man eine wahnsinns Rundumsicht hat, verwundert, dass der Berg einfach mitten in der Stadt steht. Oben ist es dann grasig-​mosig also barfußgeeignet und windig. Und irgendwie hats nach Popcorn gerochen!

Arthur’s Seat ist definitiv die beste Möglichkeit sich einen ersten Überblick über Edinburgh zu verschaffen. Der Aufstieg ist in einer halben Stunde bewältigt und sollte auch für weniger fitte Zeitgenossen unproblematisch sein.
Die Rundumsicht ist gigantisch. Bei klarem Wetter ist ein Weitblick über Old Town, die umliegenden Stadtteile sowie den Fourth of Firth möglich. Der Blick schweift ständig in neue, eindrucksvolle Ecken der Stadt. Ob Castle, Calton Hill oder das Stadion der Hibs Easter Road, es gibt immer neue Seiten zu entdecken.
Die Kamera sollte natürlich mit im Gepäck sein. Hier sind tolle Panoramaaufnahmen möglich.
Inklusive Hollyroodpark kann man hier ohne Probleme einen halben Tag verbringen. Die Zeit sollte man sich auch nehmen.

Es gibt verschiedene Touren, wie man Arthur’s Seat erleben kann.
Wer nicht so gut zu Fuß ist, wählt den flachen Weg (auf dem auch
abschnittsweise Autos fahren) durch Holyrood Park am Duddingston Loch
vorbei und steht dann nirgendwann ziemlich sicher vor dem Sheep Heid, dem ältesten Pub Schottlands mit einer Schanklizenz aus dem Jahr 1340.
Wer besser zu Fuß ist, geht etwas höher auf der Radical Road, einem gut sichtbaren Fußweg unterhalb der Salisbury Crags. Man kommt dann auch wieder auf einen Abschnitt Straße, die an der Steilseite mit einem Geländer
eingefasst ist. Wenn das Geländer aufhört, geht kurz darauf ein Fußweg,
der später eine Art Treppe wird, zum Duddingston Loch bzw zum Sheep Heid Inn. Wer es sportlich liebt, steigt direkt ein und dann hoch zum «Gipfelplateau», das eine außergwöhnlich gute Fernsicht bietet. Man sieht das alles übrigens gut auf der Satellitenansicht bei Googlemaps. Nicht weit vom Sheep Heid Inn gibt es eine Bushaltestelle (Nr. 42) mit der man bequem
Edinburgh wieder erreichen kann. Für alle drei Spaziergänge braucht man
ungefähr eine Stunde.

War etwas erstaunt, wie schön die Natur direkt an der Stadt ist. Der «Aufstieg» geht locker, außer man geht senkrecht hoch ;) An einem Sonntag habe ich viele andere getroffen, war aber nicht unangenehm viel Betrieb. Der Ausblick auf die Stadt von oben ist super, deutlich besser als vom Castle oder Calton Hill.

É ralmente muito lindo.
Video link:

merveilleux

Ein Klassiker. Meiner Meinung nach ein Muss, was man mit Besuch in Edinburgh unternehmen sollte. Der Wanderung ist schon fantastisch und von oben hat meinen traumhaften Blick über die Stadt bis zum Meer!

Une des collines rocheuses de la ville, appelée Arthur’s Seat, (le Siège d’Arthur en français), offre de nombreux itinéraires de promenade avec vues sur le Château d’Edimbourg et la vieille ville. Par temps clair, vous pourrez même apercevoir les monts Ochil et le Firth of Forth.
Il faut savoir que le 1er mai, il est de tradition de monter en haut de la colline et de laver son visage dans la rosée du matin. Ainsi, vous serez beau et aurez beaucoup de chance. Un écossais m’a raconté cette tradition. Pour l’anecdote, j’y suis monté en hiver. Le chemin était boueux et mes fesses ont finies dans la rosée du matin La seule chose dont je sois sûre c’est que mon jean était pourri. Espèrons que je garde de belles fesses encore longtemps (lol).

Um die Anstrengungen des Aufstiegs zu verkraften, sollte man direkt im Sheep Heid Inn einkehren, um sich bei Ale und Essen zu erholen. Die kleine Wanderung lohnt sich aber auf jeden Fall, man hat einen tollen Ausblick!

Es war die Hölle da hoch zu kommen, vor allem, wenn man den direkten Weg fast senkrecht hoch nimmt, weil man aus einer anderen Richtung kam als alle anderen Touris und nicht gesehen hat, dass es hinter dem Berg einen lockeren Weg hoch gibt, der langsam ansteigt. Wie auch immer, die ganze Anstrenung ist vergessen sobald man oben angekommt, hinsitzt, den tollen Blick über diese schöné Stadt wirft und sich ein kühles Guiness aufmacht.

For those willing to make the challenging hike to the top of Arthur’s seat, you will be rewarded with a stunning 360 degree view of Edinburgh and it’s surrounding environs.
Dress in layers as the hike is sure to get your heart rate up. Being able to shed a layer or two will keep you dry so you’re not overly cold when you’re resting and taking in the view from the summit. Also, a sturdy pair of shoes or sneakers will make the hike more enjoyable.
We hiked to the top in early May and the blooming, vibrant yellow gorse bushes made for excellent pictures. The coconut scent of gorse flowers hung low in the air due to the moist air and is something I’ll remember about our wonderful climb.
After the hike, we visited the Palace at Holyrood House, which I’d also highly recommend.
Find a good pub for a hearty meal and a pint afterwards.