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If you’ve read 14 Things You Must do In Edinburgh, then you know that if you’re visiting the city and enjoy great views, you cannot miss Arthur’s Seat.
As the highest point in Holyrood Park, it offers one of the absolute best 360 views of the city. And the greatest part is that it is actually in the city (or at least just on the edge) so it’s just a quick walk over from tons of other must-see Edinburgh spots.
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But what is Arthur’s Seat?
Like I said, Arthur’s Seat is the highest point in Holyrood Park. It’s essentially a massive grass covered “hill” (actually the remains of an extinct volcano) located just behind the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Let me warn you, this is a hike. I didn’t expect it to be a very taxing walk to the top but at a height of 822 ft (250 m) I suppose that makes sense. This seems to be a common misconception for first-timers so fret not if you’re with me – we could very clearly tell who had been before by their sensible shoe choices and outfits. This isn’t to say don’t look cute when you go, but prepare to sweat at least a bit.
When I was there in May, there were beautiful yellow bushes everywhere so if you do need to stop for a break to catch your breath, you can pretend you’ve stopped to admire the greenery and not because you’re panting like a 90-year-old asthmatic.
How do we get there?
When I was prepping a tentative itinerary for our trip, this is what tripped me up the most with Arthur’s Seat – I couldn’t really find anything definitive about how to get there and how to get to the top. Even the official website left me guessing about how to get to the path that would lead us to the top.
So I decided we would just wing it…And luckily, a very nice attendant at Holyroodhouse was able to give us quick and easy directions (because it’s really not difficult to find but if you know, you know, and if you don’t know, you’re shit out of luck, you know?)
Anyways, in order to aid anyone else with Arthur’s Seat on their Edinburgh bucket list, I have step-by-step instructions and a map just for you.
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Directions:
If you are at the end of the Royal Mile, facing Holyroodhouse and The Queen’s Gallery (indicated by a purple circle on the map above) walk to your right following the gates of Holyroodhouse (the red line on the map). You’ll pass a roundabout next to a parking lot and just across the street is the beginning of the path that will take you all the way up (the red X).
The light grey dotted lines on the map represent different footpaths you can take within Holyrood Park. If you start at the red X and keep following the path indicated by a red arrow, you’ll be headed in the right direction for this view…
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Pro Tip: Don’t forget to stop at Saint Anthony’s Chapel Ruins on your way up. Not much remains of the ruins but they’re still worth a gander! Details of the chapel are surprisingly scarce but it’s believed to date back to the 1300s or earlier.
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Looking for more Scotland inspiration? Check out my full Edinburgh + Scottish Highlands itinerary and the 5 Places to Add to Your Scotland Bucket List.
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Medicaldevicetrend says
This is a short but fairly steep climb up to the extinct volcanic peak that overlooks the city and surrounding region. The 360-degree views here are stunning, and a great way to orientate yourself with the city s attractions. I d highly recommend this hike to anyone visiting, it s well worth the short climb! It was fun. Something of a free-for-all with all the trails up and down the hills. Tons of people at the top of Arthur s Seat, but apart from that it s certainly not the most crowded trail I ve been on. Great views, great way to stretch the legs. Trails for all ages.
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