Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat

Oliver O'Brien

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Holyrood Park is a huge Royal Park open to the public, an area of parkland, rough terrain, lochs, hills and crags, yet is right in the centre of Scotland's capital city. This walk is a tour of the park, visiting Salisbury Craigs, St Anthony's Chapel, Arthur's Seat (251m) and Dunsapie Loch. Holyrood Park is always very popular with joggers, walkers and tourists and it's easy to see why, once you walk it! The park is a prime location, adjacent to the new Scottish Parliament.

The walk starts opposite the Palace of Holyroodhouse, climbing immediately and steeply to follow a path directly below the impressive Salisbury Craigs, an imposing sight when viewed from the centre of the city. It then heads 'inland' down a flat valley, before climbing again to visit St Anthony's Chapel, a ruin perched high on crags above a loch. It next turns back and climbs steeply, right up to the top of Arthur's Seat (251m). The views from the top are fantastic – all of Edinburgh can be seen, as well as much of East Lothian, Midlothian and across the Firth of Forth to Fife. The route continues down the 'tourist route' to Dunsapie Loch, finally heading down beside the public road and around, past the lower loch, back to the start.

Scotland - Central Scotland - Edinburgh - Town or city

Features

Church, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Lake/Loch, Stately Home, Toilets

20/10/2006 - Michael and Marian Vaughn

Did this walk on a long weekend to Edinburgh with our son who lives there. For someone, like Marian, with a fear of heights it was a bit daunting but quite an achievement. Fantastic views from the top and much easier going down!