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Edinburgh

Arthur's Seat – The Old Volcano, Then Scones on the Canongate

A few hours.

Directions

The route

Arthur's Seat is the old volcano in the middle of Edinburgh, and from the top the whole city is spread out at once.

It's a hill walk, steep and rocky near the top, but a fit adult is up and down in a morning, and there's a traditional tearoom on the Canongate at the end.

Before you go

  1. Book accommodation nearby

    If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.

    Old Town ChambersClose byOld Town ChambersA place to stayMoment George IV BridgeClose byMoment George IV BridgeSleeps 2The Scott HotelA mile awayThe Scott HotelA hotelWest End MuseA mile awayWest End MuseSleeps 4

The day

Arthur's Seat

This is a morning on foot from the palace gates, with one real climb in it. The path rises past a ruined chapel to the summit of Arthur's Seat, where the whole city is spread out below, and comes back down the same way to the foot of the Royal Mile for lunch.

About three hours

  1. St Anthony's Chapel Ruins

    St Anthony's Chapel Ruins

    Start at the Broad Pavement car park on Queen's Drive, beside the palace: £1 an hour on weekdays and free at weekends. Lothian bus 35 stops by Canongate Kirk, a short walk away; check the times. The park's only public toilets are behind the palace, so go before you climb. Take the path to the left, and it's about 11 minutes' walk up to the ruin of St Anthony's Chapel on its rocky knoll above St Margaret's Loch. Parts of its north wall still stand, and it is on record by 1426. The lower path can be muddy, so wear boots or good shoes.

  2. About 12 min on foot

    Arthur’s Seat

    Arthur’s Seat

    An attraction

    From the chapel the path grows steeper and rockier, and for a fit adult it's about half an hour's climb to the summit, 251 metres up, with a chain railing beside the last stretch of bare rock. The top is often windy, and the rock is polished and slippery when wet: in rain, strong wind or ice, turn back. Keep well away from the edge of Salisbury Crags, where the drops are sheer and unfenced. On a clear day the Castle, the Forth and the Bass Rock are all in view. Come back down the same way, taking the steep top section slowly.

    More about Arthur’s Seat

  3. 7 min on foot

    Clarinda's Tearoom

    Clarinda's Tearoom

    Lunch

    From the palace it's 7 minutes' walk up the Canongate to Clarinda's Tearoom, which has served homemade scones since 1976. Have the soup or a toasted sandwich, then a scone with your tea. It's open from 9.30am to 4.30pm every day but Monday, and it takes no bookings, so you may wait at the door for a table. On a Monday, or if there's no room, the Tolbooth Tavern a little further up opens at 11am and serves food from noon.

    More about Clarinda's Tearoom

If it rains

In rain, strong wind or ice, leave out the summit: the rock near the top is polished and slippery when wet. Walk as far as St Anthony's Chapel for the view over the loch instead, then go straight to Clarinda's, which is all indoors.

Photographs by Miles and Ahmed Al Sayed via Google