Everything you need to know about climbing up to Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland!

By: Christina Szewczuk
October 3, 2024

The climb up to Arthur’s seat is not for the faint of heart… or people with bad knees… 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🫣 I know, I know, it’s commonly known as a reasonably easy climb. But it was kind of hard for me, so don’t judge!

Arthur’s Seat is located in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the foot of the Royal Mile and is accessed through Holyrood Park. At 823 feet above sea level, this ancient volcano is the highest point in Edinburgh towering high above the city and offering breathtaking views that showcase the beauty of Scotland all the way up to the summit. You can see far out past the city with the Loch and mountains in the background. The photos just don’t do it justice!

Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning on attempting to climb up to Arthur’s Seat.

 1)       There is a path! You can find a little sign with an arrow pointing to the entrance of this path in Holyrood Park near the Palace of Holyroodhouse. It starts out as a dirt/gravel path and gets rockier as you go up.

2)        Make sure you are wearing proper clothing. Sneakers/trainers with good grippy soles or hiking boots are best.

3)       As I mentioned earlier, it does get rockier as you head up. There are parts where you’ll need to climb a little because the path is too rocky. It’s also slippery in spots. If you are shaky or have bad knees, you may want to consider a walking stick. The top of the summit requires a little rock climbing. (You can see what I mean in the photos) I did not make it up this last part due to my bad knees. (Booo!) I wanted to mention this so that you know to expect it. I made it up most of the trek without much issue, but that last bit was not doable for me. It’s not an “easy” climb but it is very doable and if you’re having trouble there are plenty of beautiful places to stop for a respite.

4)       Plan to give yourself an hour or two to complete this hike. It really depends on whether you want to take a leisurely stroll up or if you are a faster hiker. If you want to just get up to the top, an hour or so. But if you want to really take it in and stop a few times to take a look around, give yourself two hours.

5)        I would recommend against taking little guys. We did see a few kids but now that I’ve done it myself, I don’t think my kids would have been able to make the climb as little guys. I’d say about 7+ would be a great age. 

6)       Remember to stop periodically and turn around so you can enjoy the view at different heights! Bring a snack and a water bottle with you and stop for a few minutes to admire your surroundings while taking a little break. It is so beautiful.

 This is a fun nature adventure. It’s free, beautiful to see, and provides a little exercise.  We are not a rock climbing or hiking family, so this is about our limit. If you are a rock climbing/hiking family, absolutely do not miss this. I was really bummed my knees were not cooperating, but even though I didn’t quite make it to the tippy top, the views on the way up were totally worth it. My daughter and husband made it up to the top and took a few photos for me. It was cool to do and check off my Scotland bucket list. Although I probably wouldn’t do it again, I am so glad I took the opportunity to do it. Is Arthur’s Seat on your itinerary???