Shaped like a crouching lion, this city centre hill offers a panorama over Edinburgh and the surrounding area.
Arthur's Seat is a 251-metre former volcano which erupted for the last time around 350 million years ago. It is also a prominent Edinburgh landmark and is situated in Holyrood Park in the heart of the city.Many believe that the hill was named for the famed King Arthur of the Round Table, but there is also another school of thought on the origin of the name. This latter theory holds that the name comes by way of the Scottish Gaelic “Ard na Said”, meaning “Height of the Arrows”.Stroll up the relatively easy ascent to the hilltop, where you will find the remains of an Iron Age hill fort. The climb is 4.8 kilometres long, and can take anything from 30 minutes to a couple of hours the length of time is dependent on the route you choose and, of course, on the speed at which you walk. Keep your eyes open for the grey basalt rock formed by solidified lava from the hill's past life as an active volcano. A word of caution: conditions can sometimes be rather windy here, meaning that the climb up Arthur's Seat may prove difficult for people with little hillwalking experience.Once you get to the top, however, all that tramping will be more than worth it this is one of the best possible vantage points from which to view the Edinburgh cityscape. Many find the panorama to the west the most pleasing, taking in Edinburgh Castle and the medieval Old Town, as well as the stylish Georgian layout and design of the New Town. Looking further afield, the Firth of Forth is clearly visible and, on a good day, so are the Scottish Highlands.Near the Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat is situated in Holyrood Park. There are buses running from the city centre to the car park at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the starting point for the walk.
