One of 2 self-guided walks in Edinburgh. See every walk.
In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Arthur’s Seat (251 m) is free and Holyrood Park is open 24 hours. From Dunsapie Loch on the east side is the shortest way up, about 0.7 km over a grassy slope. From Duddingston it is about 1.2 km. The loop from the Queen’s Drive car park near the Scottish Parliament is 4.75 km, 2 to 2.5 hours, with 279 m of ascent, over Salisbury Crags, the summit and Whinny Hill. The Radical Road under the crags and the climbing areas are closed, and the High Road is closed to motor traffic. Wear sturdy shoes: Historic Environment Scotland warns of sheer drops and slippery surfaces. Or go with a guide: GetYourGuide’s 3-hour Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill hikead is from £26.
Which route
| Route | Distance | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| From Dunsapie Loch, east | About 0.7 km to the summit | The grassy slope above the loch, the easiest ascent. The Dunsapie Loch car park is open to vehicles Tuesday to Thursday, 9.30 to 15.00 only |
| From Duddingston | About 1.2 km to the summit | Start in Duddingston village, on The Causeway by the Sheep Heid Inn, on the south-east side |
| The Holyrood loop | 4.75 km and 279 m of ascent; 2 to 2.5 hours | From the car park on Queen’s Drive just south of the Scottish Parliament, over Salisbury Crags and the summit, and down by Whinny Hill |
The loop’s distance, ascent and time are from Walkhighlands. The park is roughly circular and about a mile across, and it can be entered from many points around its edge.
Walkers on the path up Arthur’s Seat, with Holyrood Park and the Firth of Forth below. Photo: 4300streetcar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
The Holyrood loop
- Skip the Radical Road. The diagonal path under Salisbury Crags is closed after a rockfall. Take the main walkway towards the back of the crags, through the wide gap between the two lines of cliffs.
- Along the top of Salisbury Crags. Keep to the path along the edge with the view back over the city, and take care near the edge. Do not go on to the far end, where the descent is rocky and difficult: drop slightly left to the path below and cross to the steps.
- The steps to the summit. A path of zigzagging steps climbs the steep slope, which is rocky and short. The summit has a trig point and views over the city and east along the coast to the Bass Rock.
- Down by Whinny Hill. Descend east to a path with a metal chain railing, then follow the main path through the gorse towards St Margaret’s Loch and out onto Queen’s Drive. Turn left past the loch to the car park.
What to skip: the ends of the crags and any short cut off the path; the surface is the hazard, not the distance.
Edinburgh Castle seen through a gap in Salisbury Crags. Photo: Ermell, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What is closed
- The Radical Road is closed because of falling rock hazard. Sections from the Hawse to the South Quarry are open.
- The climbing areas are closed.
- The High Road is closed to motor traffic. Pedestrians and dismounted cyclists can use it.
- The Duddingston Low Road is closed to vehicles for rock-fall risk, and on 15 October 2026 it and its pavement close to all users from 9am to 4pm.
- Park roads are closed to vehicles during the day on Saturday and Sunday.
Rules and facilities
- Dogs: welcome. Owners clean up, and keep dogs on leads where signs say so in the nesting season.
- Not allowed: camping, fires, barbecues and golf. Drones cannot be flown from inside the park without permission. Cycling is on the roads and the green path beside Queen’s Drive, with no off-road cycling.
- Toilets: next to the Holyrood Park Education Centre on the north side, behind the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
- Parking: £1 an hour at Broad Pavement car park near the Palace, from 8.30 to 17.30 daily except Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Historic Scotland members pay too. There is no overnight parking in the park.
- Audio guide: free on the Geotourist app.
With a guide
A guide takes the route and adds the history. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices, per person.
Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill hike
From £26 · 3 hours · 93 reviews
Edinburgh: Picturesque Hike to Arthur’s Seat & Calton Hillad leads up Arthur’s Seat by the most picturesque route and includes Calton Hill.
The hill
Arthur’s Seat and the crags are the remains of a volcano that erupted about 340 million years ago, shaped later by glaciers. In the 18th century James Hutton studied the rocks of Salisbury Crags, and his observations helped develop the theory of deep time. The Palace of Holyroodhouse stands at the foot of the park, and Holyrood Abbey was founded in 1128, according to legend after King David I saw a stag with a cross between its antlers while hunting below the hill.
Dunsapie Loch in Holyrood Park. Photo: Bill Boaden, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Getting there
The loop starts at the foot of the Royal Mile, near the Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which are 1.4 km on foot from Waverley station. The Royal Mile walk ends at the Palace, close to the start of the loop. Calton Hill is the other free hill in the centre, and the best views page covers it.
On a day the Palace of Holyroodhouse is shut, from 17 September to 20 May on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the hill is open. Free things to do in Edinburgh lists the rest, and what to book before you go to Edinburgh has the closed days for every sight. To stay near the start, see hotels near the Royal Mile and where to stay in Edinburgh.
Common questions
How long does it take to climb Arthur's Seat?
The loop from the Queen's Drive car park near the Scottish Parliament over Salisbury Crags, Arthur's Seat and Whinny Hill is 4.75 km and takes 2 to 2.5 hours, with 279 m of ascent. The shortest way up is from Dunsapie Loch on the east side, about 0.7 km.
Is Arthur's Seat free?
Yes. Holyrood Park is open 24 hours a day, year-round, and free to visit. A free audio guide is on the Geotourist app.
Is the Radical Road open?
No. It is closed because of falling rock, and the climbing areas are closed. Historic Environment Scotland says the sections from the Hawse to the South Quarry are open.
How high is Arthur's Seat?
251 m. It is the highest of the hills in Holyrood Park, the remains of a volcano that erupted about 340 million years ago.
Can I drive up to Arthur's Seat?
Not to the top. The High Road is closed to motor traffic, all park roads are closed to vehicles on Saturday and Sunday during the day, and the Dunsapie Loch car park is open to vehicles Tuesday to Thursday, 9.30 to 15.00, only.
What should I wear to climb Arthur's Seat?
Sturdy shoes with good grip. Historic Environment Scotland warns of sheer drops and of uneven and slippery surfaces. The ascent from the crags is steep and rocky.
Are dogs allowed on Arthur's Seat?
Yes. Owners must clean up after them, and signs ask for dogs to be on leads in some areas in the nesting season to protect ground-nesting birds.
