Arthur's Seat and Holyrood Park 4.6 km

Where can you experience a real hill walk in the middle of a European capital? The volcanic Holyrood Park with its summit Arthur’s seat offers this unique opportunity, as well as great views of Edinburgh, the Firth of Forth and the surrounding countryside including the Pentland Hills and the coast up to Bass Rock. The hike starts from a parking lot on Queen’s Drive near the Scottish Parliament and Holyrood House, and can be easily reached from Edinburgh Waverley station by walking up to High Street and then go east on Canongate until you get to Holyrood House. The climb on grassy and rocky slopes can be steep, but is not difficult, although challenging on city shoes especially with wet conditions… There are no facilities on the way, although there was an ice cream truck near the start.
You cross the road from the parking and follow the footpath east along Queen’s Drive until you get close to St. Margaret’s Loch. You walk south of the lake until you get back to Queen’s Drive. You follow this road for 200 m, and then turn right on a grassy path. The path directly starts climbing and soon you get views towards the north. You keep climbing through gorse to a highest point of about 180 meters (Whinny Hill). To the west you see the main path to the summit. Views towards the east open up as you go down a bit and then steeply climb towards the main path and follow this path on a rocky climb to the summit. There is a marker here at the highest point and an orientation point. The views are great, but winds can be very strong here. After having enjoyed the view you go down to the south side, walk across the grassy Nether’s Hill and soon after start your descent to the bottom of the former crater, partly on steps. Opposite you see the Salisbury Crags. Down in the crater, you could walk up and along the Salisbury Crags, but we chose to walk back to the starting point through the crater on the easy Volunteer’s Walk. You pass by Hunter’s Bog, a small pond in the middle of the grassy crater. At the end you keep to the left to return to the starting point.