Walking Arthur’s Seat Edinburgh Guide
If you’re an active traveller visiting Edinburgh, then walking Arthur’s Seat is an absolute must. Located in Holyrood Park, Arthur’s Seat is a landmark across Edinburgh, almost as famous and easy to recognise as Edinburgh Castle itself!
Arthur’s Seat is the highest peak in the city of Edinburgh and offers breathtaking views of the city’s skyline out towards the sea and over towards the Pentlands.
Getting to the top involves a relatively easy walk that takes a few hours tops for most people and is very rewarding due to the views.
I’ve gone walking in Holyrood Park a few times now, including a run around its perimeter, hiking Arthur’s Seat and walking around the Salisbury Crags area when I was visiting Edinburgh for Hogmanay.
During our recent trip to Edinburgh, we were lucky enough to climb Arthur’s Seat on a beautiful sunny day in January – a rare occurrence for this time of year! We even ended up walking some of the way in just t-shirts but those t-shirts were quickly covered up once we reached the top since it was super windy up there!
Looking for other great hikes in Scotland? Check out this guide to hiking Ben Ledi in the Trossachs!
There are a variety of ways to get to the top of Arthur’s Seat some harder and easier than others. We came up one way and down another to make a nice loop walk of it.
If you’re looking for some of the best things to do in Edinburgh, consider walking Arthur’s Seat as one of them. And, with this guide to the Arthur’s Seat walk, you’ll find out everything you need to know to make complete the walk.
Table of Contents
What is Arthur’s Seat, Edinburgh?
Sure, while Arthur’s Seat is a hill, it’s not just any ordinary hill – it is a historic landmark that holds great significance to Edinburgh.
Arthur’s Seat is in Holyrood Park at the end of the Royal Mile and is the highest point of an extinct volcano that erupted over 350 million years ago. Holyrood Park is over 650 acres large and is home to easy walks, lochs, crags for rock climbing and even some old buildings and ruins left behind from various points throughout its long history.
While the origin of the name “Arthur’s Seat” is unclear, some believe that it is linked to the legend of King Arthur and that this hill may have been the location of the mythical city of Camelot.
How to get to the start of the Arthur’s Seat Walk
There are various routes you can take when you decide to walk Arthurs Seat and depending on which route you go for, the trailhead can vary. You could even make your trailhead Edinburgh Castle if you wanted to combine this with walk down the Royal Mile first!
If you wish to walk from central Edinburgh, Holyrood Palace and Park is about a 30-minute walk from Princes Street.
By bus from Edinburgh to Arthur’s Seat, you can take the 6, 35, or 36 number bus as all of these go near the park from where you can start your walk up Arthur’s Seat.
Below is a map of some of the routes up Arthur’s Seat.
The yellow and blue routes are the easiest to get to via public transport or by walking from the city centre of Edinburgh. I’d say the blue route it the main path for most Arthurs Seat hikers. The green route is short but quite steep and is best accessed by car or bus.
The red route is the one we took which is also quite steep and we then combined it with the yellow to walk back to the car at Duddingston Loch.
There are plenty of car parks in Holyrood Park including Duddingston Loch, Dunsapie Loch, St. Margaret’s Loch and Broad Pavenment as well as near the Scottish Parliament.
However, there are regular road closures for events and other reasons in Holyrood Park so you should check online and elsewhere before relying on a particular route or parking space.
What to know before doing the Arthur’s Seat hike
Here are some important things to keep in mind before hiking Arthur’s Seat:
- Wear good walking shoes or hiking boots for your visit, as the terrain can be uneven and slippery, especially in wet weather. Bring layers, rain gear, water, and snacks. See below for more comprehensive packing guides for hiking.
- Camping, BBQs, and fires are not allowed in Holyrood Park. Be mindful of litter and use the trash cans at the park entrances.
- Check the weather forecast and plan your hike according to daylight hours. It can be very windy at the top and unpleasant in the rain.
- Allow two to three hours for your visit and don’t rush. Take your time to enjoy the views over Edinburgh from different spots along the trail.
- Dogs are allowed in the park but must be on a leash.
- Always practice leave no trace ethics. Leaves things as, or better than you found them and do not leave any rubbish anywhere on the path.
Walking Arthur’s Seat Hike Edinburgh
We walked the red route coming down the yellow route (which has a section of steep stairs), before returning towards where we parked by the loch on the paved trail that runs around the bottom of Arthur’s Seat.
OS Maps are awesome for hiking in the UK. I’ve never found anything quite like them when in other countries. They have all features like churches, rivers, peaks, viewpoints and more. You can get paper maps (which are great for finding new places), and their app is super useful too.
The most popular route is to take the blue route which is arguably more scenic and has a more gentle climb to the top. It’s also one of the better routes if you don’t like stairs, or if you are using public transport since it starts closer to the city centre than the green route from Dunsapie Loch.
There are numerous other trails you’ll find as you approach this area but it’s hard to get too lost since you can see where you’re going and see landmarks for the entire route.
Taking the red route you’ll start climbing immediately uphill through an open and grassy area before coming out at the paved road that goes around Arthur’s Seat and is popular with walkers, runners and cyclists.
Cross over the road, and continue uphill reaching a false peak where you’ll be able to see the summit of Arthur’s Seat.
You’ll descend slightly here before your final climb up the rocky and scramble Arthur’s Seat.
Take your time on this section when walking Arthur’s Seat, use your hands where needed and enjoy the final push to the top.
Views from Arthur’s Seat
The views from the summit of Arthur’s Seat are absolutely stunning, offering 360° panoramic views of the city.
From here, you can see Edinburgh Castle sitting on the remains of another extinct volcano, just a mile away.
After taking in the breathtaking views, there are several options to continue your journey from Arthur’s Seat. You can retrace your steps, or take another route on the way down.
Descending Arthur’s Seat Scotland
We chose to take an alternate route and came down the trail I’ve marked as yellow on the map above.
This involves some steep stairs which reminded me of some of the hikes in Lofoten like Reinebringen and the Svolvaergeita!
Once you reach the bottom, you can walk along the wide, paved trail either back to your starting point by Scottish Parliament, or the other direction before coming down the grassy field area back to Duddingston Loch car park.
Whichever route you choose, you’re sure to enjoy some amazing views and have a great time walking Arthur’s Seat.
Stats for walking Arthur’s Seat
- Elevation: around 225m depending on the chosen route
- Distance: 2-4 km
- Duration: 1 – 2 hours
What to pack for Arthur’s Seat walk
Though Arthur’s Seat is. relatively easy walk for most, it’s still important to pack properly and prepare as you would for any hike. This means remembering your 10 essentials and wearing sensible footwear.
When we were staying in Edinburgh, someone was actually helicopter off the top of Arthur’s Seat so accidents can happen!
What to pack for this hike depends on what season you’re hiking in.
- Check out my day hike packing list here.
- If you’re hiking in summer you should pack sunscreen, sunglasses, layers, water and bug spray as well as everything in the 10 essentials for hiking list.
- Here is what to wear hiking in hot weather
- Check out this post on the best leggings for hiking or what to wear hiking in summer for more details and my gear recommendations.
- If you’re hiking in winter after the snow has started falling you’ll need microspikes at the very least. If there is a lot of snow you will probably need snowshoes.
- You should also take plenty of layers including a fleece layer, a puffy insulated jacket and a wind and waterproof outer layer. Hats and gloves are also necessary as well as a good backpack to keep everything in.
- You should also pack water and some snacks too to keep you going as they’re part of the 10 essentials for hiking!
- Planning a hiking date? Check out what to wear on a hiking date but still look cool.
More things to do in Edinburgh
If you’re looking for more fun things to do in Edinburgh, check out these guides below which include things to do in Edinburgh as well as fun day trips from the city and places to visit nearby.
- Best free things to do in Edinburgh
- Fun things for couples in Edinburgh
- What to do in South Queensferry
- Best things to do in Portobello
- What to do in Leith
- What to do in Edinburgh at night
Final thoughts on walking Arthur’s Seat Edinburgh
Walking Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh is a must-do activity for anyone who loves the outdoors and is looking for some of the best views in Edinburgh.
Arthur’s Seat is the highest point in Holyrood Park and is the remains of an extinct volcano that erupted over 350 million years ago.
The Arthur’s Seat walk is relatively easy and takes under 2 hours for the majority of people.
While it’s an easy walk, it’s important to wear sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots, bring layers and rain gear, water and snacks, and always take your rubbish home with you.
Another great easy hike in Scotland is the Ben A’an walk in the Trossachs!
FAQs on the Arthurs Seat Walk
How hard is it to walk up Arthur’s Seat?
Walking up Arthur’s Seat can be moderately strenuous, especially for those who are not used to hiking. If you are moderately fit, the hike shouldn’t be too hard for you. The hardest part is perhaps at the top as there are some rocks to navigate.
Is Arthur’s Seat an easy walk?
While the hike is not considered difficult, there are some steeper sections and uneven terrain, so proper footwear is important.
How long is the Arthur’s Seat hike?
Depending on the route you take, the hike is between 2 – 5km.
Which trail is best for Arthur’s Seat?
The route up through Holyrood Park is one of the most popular, whereas the route along the paved trail at the foot of Salisbury Crags followed by the stairs up to the summit is a bit harder but perhaps more interesting.
Last Updated on June 2, 2023 by Hannah
Hannah started That Adventurer after graduating back in 2013 and has documented all of her adventures since then. From backpacking South America to city breaks in Europe, a 3 month road trip across the USA in a self-converted van and 6 years living in Canada, you’ll find posts on all of this.
Hannah specialises in active travel and on That Adventurer you’ll find hiking, walking, biking, skiing and all sorts of active travel guides to allow you to see a destination in an adventurous way.
Now back in Europe, you’ll find new guides as Hannah and her husband spend the next year ‘digital nomading’ from Norway to Portugal, Switzerland to Scotland and places in between.
