Hill proves sight for sore eyes

Written by Helen Fowler

It is the sight that welcomes drivers from north, south, east and west back to Edinburgh. At 250 metres tall, Arthur's Seat is visible many miles from the city centre, a beacon that draws people home after they have been foolish enough to venture away.

Few Edinburgh residents have not breathed a sigh of relief when they see the famous outline of Arthur's Seat. At the end of a long journey, it offers encouragement that the drive is nearly over, that a cup of tea and the comforts of home are almost in reach.

Sight for sore eyes

Arthur's Seat is not just a sight for sore eyes. It is also a popular destination for a weekend walk or picnic. Holyrood Park, where the hill is sited, is a great place to kick a ball around or fly a kite. Many weekends charity races take place in its 650 acres.

Just a mile east of Edinburgh Castle, next door to the Scottish Parliament and Palace of Holyrood, the park is a piece of Highland landscape, right in the middle of the city. It features glens, ridges, basalt cliffs and gorse. In the 12th century, it was even a royal hunting estate.

Panoramic views

Arthur's Seat is the main peak of a group of hills forming the park. It offers an easy and popular walk, culminating in panoramic views of Edinburgh and the North Sea.

Both the hill and nearby Salisbury Crags were formed by an extinct volcano system. The landscape helped scientists work out present theories of geology. Peculiar geology means that Arthur's Seat is said to resemble a sleeping lion.

There are relics of human habitation dating back to the Iron Age. On a more contemporary note, there are also ponds where you can feed the 21st century ducks.