Photographs, route description and map of a walk over Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh

Arthur's Seat

Pentland Hills

and Hillend artificial ski slope

from Arthur's Seat

Firth of Forth

from Arthur's Seat

Firth of Forth

from Arthur's Seat

( Ailsa Craig on horizon )

Summit of Arthur's Seat

Arthur's Seat

from Salisbury Crags

Salisbury Crags

above Edinburgh

Arthur's Seat

above Salisbury Crags

Holyrood Palace

from Salisbury Crags

Scottish Parliament

from Salisbury Crags

Scottish Parliament

Calton Hill

from Salisbury Crags

Arthur's Seat

from from Calton Hill

Firth of Forth

from Edinburgh Castle

Map of Holyrood Park

and Arthur's Seat

Tourism Map of Edinburgh - capital city of Scotland

Tourism Map of Edinburgh

- the capital city of Scotland

ARTHUR' SEAT AND SALISBURY CRAGS - ROUTE DESCRIPTION:-

Location: Edinburgh
Map: OS Landranger [ GR 277 740 ] — not necessary
Distance: From 0.75 miles [ 1 km ] to 2.5 miles [ 4km ]
Time: 45 minutes to 2 hours
Terrain: paths

This walk this is hard to beat, and the variety of possible routes means there should be something for all the family to enjoy.
The glaciated remains of an ancient volcano, Arthur’s Seat ( 251 metres ) sits in Holyrood Park, encircled by the Queen’s Drive on which there are a nmnber of parking places from which to enter the park. There is a good path network but it is worth noting that, if you’re heading for the summit itself, in places the volcanic rocks have been polished smooth by the passage of countless feet and can be slippery, especially when it’s damp or frosty As long as care is taken and one stays on the main paths, then the walks to the heights are suitable for most.
When viewed from the west, Arthur’s Seat resembles a crouching lion. There is no doubt that this prominent and shapely landform draws the eye to it, so it should be of no surprise that the highest of Edinburgh’s seven hills provides a magniﬁcent viewpoint from which to look over the capital.
The quickest route to the summit is from Dunsapie Loch to the east, but the most scenic approach is from the St Margaret’s Loch car park.
Walk towards Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament, then ascend quite steeply up the Radical Road, the wide pathway which runs beneath the impressive Salisbury Crags.
The pathway levels out, then descends towards the Queen’s Drive where another path leads over the tail end of the cliffs. Staying low and veering left, a path allows an undemanding loop to be made through Hunter’s Bog back to the start. Ahead, however, the crouching lion rears up. Where the main path forks, head up right; the left fork provides a variation, traversing up and left around the base of Arthur’s Seat.
A good path with stone steps leads easily upwards through the seemingly impenetrable mass of the hillside before swinging up right and around on to the lion’s haunches, then up on to the summit area itself and the lion’s head.
Carefully pick your way off the easy-angled ( though polished ) summit rocks and descend to the start of the chained pathway coming up from Dunsapie Loch, then swing left on another path and, Where this forks, go right and head easily downhill back to the start.