Secret Edinburgh: Three Englishmen climb the alternative to Arthur's Seat

Every time we come to Edinburgh we’re always sure to climb Calton Hill at least once during our time in the city. Arthur’s Seat is obviously the hill everyone loves to climb, and we like to go up there too, but there’s a real appeal to Calton Hill. It’s a far less arduous undertaking - you can decide to climb it and be up and down it in just over half an hour – and it has a view that easily rivals that of Arthur’s Seat.

 

It’s a great place to relax and is often nearly deserted; there might be the odd group of noisy Spanish schoolkids having lunch on the unfinished National Monument, but usually you have the place almost to yourselves. It’s a strange and endearing part of a strange and endearing city ... a curious jumble of buildings like the Royal Observatory and monuments to Nelson, Robert Burns and political martyrs.

 

It’s well worth checking out if you find yourself with some time to kill or just want to escape the Fringe for a bit. And there’s lots of good pubs in the New Town if you fancy a drink afterwards...