Arthur's Seat: a Vertiginous Wilderness Hike in the Centre of Edinburgh

Rising 251 meters above Edinburgh, Arthur's Seat is the highest point of the resident city volcano. Don't be alarmed: it erupted 350 million years ago, went extinct, and is now a harmless, beautiful hill in Holyrood Park. But the 360-degree panoramic view of the city it offers is as majestic as ever.

There are several routes leading up to Arthur's Seat. This one you're about to take follows a slow and steady path that doesn't involve a lot of climbing. You'll enter Holyrood Park via the Queen's Drive, walk around St Margaret's Loch, and up to St Anthony's Chapel. Then via the Dasses and Piper's Walk, you'll reach the main destination of the tour—Arthur's Seat and its subsidiary Crow Hill.

The trail back is going to be a bit steeper and more strenuous. But you will see the vertiginous cliffs of Raven's Rock and Hutton's Section and walk along the edge of awe-inspiring Salisbury Crags. After that, you'll descend into a valley and walk across Hunter's Bog, then exit the park and decide what you want to do next: visit the Dynamic Earth museum or hit the café in the same building.

Before you set foot on the path, make sure you have good walking shoes on. Hiking boots are not a must, but you'll have to tread dirt and rock on the slopes, and the footing will be uneven, so nothing flimsy would give you a good grip.
You'll also need some water and snacks—the walk there and back will take about two hours, so you will definitely want to have some refreshments along the way.