Climbing Up "Arthur's Seat"
also called Salisbury Craigs

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Salisbury Crags is the geographers' name for this impressive land formation but locally it has been called Arthur's Seat from ancient times. Unfortunately, nobody now knows why it was so named or even who Arthur might have been.

When we first saw it while visiting the monuments on Calton Hill, we started trying to figure out how to get there and climb it. (That's what hills are for, after all.)

It turned out to be part of Holyrood Park, and very popular with hardy Scots who run up and down it in sweatshirts and shorts; it's their "morning constitutional."

We packed a lunch and took a more sedate pace. Still, between unsure footing on the steep trail and strong gusty winds, we found it a real challenge. The wind grew ever stronger as we approached the summit, 800 feet above sea level. Once there the views were spectacular but we found ourselves fighting wind gusts that were 50 to 60 miles an hour, and losing.

We decided not to eat lunch at the summit after all.

Nearing the summit, we paused in the lee of the peak. The stone is volcanic basalt.

Standing still enough to take a picture was impossible. Here, Ron takes advantage of a lull to try for a shot to the west. It didn't come out.

Just hanging on! Well, the lady ranger at the park office did warn us that "the breeze was kicking up a bit up top today." We wondered what she might describe as a full gale.

It's vertigo time! This is an example of just how steep the trail is. Better seen in the enlarged version, the blue speck at lower right is another hiker on the switch-back below us. At left center the white and blue specs are two other hikers skirting the rim of the grassy cull. And barely visible down in the cull is a third hiker.

A local hiker we met as we neared the base of the hill kindly volunteered to take our picture. Behind us you can see the city's port facility and the harbor off the North Sea.

It was here we finally found shelter from the wind and enjoyed our lunch. It's the ruin of an old chapel near the base of the hill - possibly 400 years old, although no one is quite sure of its purpose or when it was destroyed.
Scotland Home Walking in Edinburgh Edinburgh Castle Monuments on Calton Hill St. Paul's Cathedral
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