Arthur's Seat, a prominent Edinburgh landmark and popular visitor destination.


Arthur's Seat, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Arthur’s Seat, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland.

This evening, I am posting information on Arthur’s Seat, an elevated hiking destination in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Arthur’s Seat represents the core of a 350m year old, extinct  volcano. What remains is called a volcanic pipe (agglomerate) as most of the covering cone structure has been eroded.

The summit is 251 meters or 889 feet high, a prominent feature in the Edinburgh landscape. Persons reaching the summit are, subject to visibility, rewarded with excellent views of Edinburgh, Leith and Firth of Forth.

Origin of the name is opaque. It may refer to the legendary King Arthur or represent a corruption of ‘Archers Seat’ dating back to the times when archery practice was mandatory for able-bodied men.


More information on Scotland’s geology can be found here.

Landscape view of Arthur's Seat, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh.
Landscape view of Arthur’s Seat, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh.

Trail to Arthur's Seat at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Trail to Arthur’s Seat at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland.

View from summit of Arthur's Seat, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
View from summit of Arthur’s Seat, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh

Arthur's Seat, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Scotland
Arthur’s Seat, Holyrood Park, Edinburgh

Leith and Firth of Forth from Arthur;s Seat.
Leith and Firth of Forth from Arthur’s Seat.

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