For this weekend’s hike – my 32nd consecutive weekend hike – I decided to make a quick pre-breakfast climb of Arthur’s Seat, an ancient volcanic plug that dominates the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. (I was in Edinburgh to visit the university, and an old friend, in the middle of our Scotland holiday tour.) The gorse brush was blooming brilliant yellow, the skies were a perfect blue, and the sun was rising low in the east. A grand day for a hike!
Because of its location in the middle of one of Scotland’s largest cities, its relative accessibility (an easy hike), and its panoramic views, Arthur’s Seat is extremely popular. I was glad to be heading up in the early morning before breakfast; later in the day, there would be hundreds of people on this summit! I passed a few morning joggers, and a smattering of hikers, as I picked my way up through the treeless slopes laced with trails. As one couple descended past me, one wearing an exquisite formal dress, I realized they were newlyweds returning from their sunrise mountaintop wedding. As they passed, I saw the hand-painted “Just Married” sign hanging off their backpack. I called out my congratulations and continued my climb as they descended to begin a new life adventure.
On the summit, with expansive views across the city in all directions, there were only four other people enjoying the cool morning sunlight. I helped a woman from San Francisco, who stood proudly on the summit wearing the medal she received days earlier at the London Marathon, capture her celebratory moment with photos. I watched a couple fiddle to control their drone. I then scrambled down another route, following an impressive series of stone steps laid by a dedicated crew of trail maintainers. I was home before breakfast :-).
More photos in the gallery.
Hike stats:
Distance: 2.27 miles (3.65km)
Gain: 661 feet (201m)
Time: 1h 16m
GaiaGPS track
David Kotz 