Weather/Conditions: Cloudy and sunny. Wind, wind and wind.
Distance/Ascent/Time: 3.4km / 250m / c. 1h 30m
Accompanying: Mackenzie

Images taken on a camera phone

The main intention of the day was to get together with Mackenzie to go through plans for the Southern Upland Way in the summer. I took the train through to Edinburgh and met Mackenzie, and before I knew it we were off to Arthur's Seat. On previous visits to Edinburgh, I hadn't seen the Salisbury Crags from Princes Street, but today I noticed first a break in the skyline of buildings, realising there was a huge band of cliffs above the city. It was the coolest thing...



Being among the city, Arthur's Seat is understandably a busy hill and it seems to rival Ben Nevis in popularity. But it's a complex outcrop of volcanic plugs and sedimentary rock with much geological interest. The most interesting thing is it's situated right in the middle of a city.



If anything let the day down it was the wind, which blew without pause to then top and back. We followed the base of the Salisbury Crags around to Arthur's Seat then up to the top. We descended a steeper route to the bottom again and headed down Hunter's Bog on our return.

And then we were back in the city... unique! There's not many hills you can walk off and go to McDonalds.



Additionally, I don't remember exact times, but we were up and down in around an hour and a half.