Hiking up Arthur's Seat

After 2008 in which we had many family hikes together, I am looking forward to another year of exceptional hiking and hill walking. So when in January there was a mild and sunny Sunday morning Harrison and I set out to hike up Arthur's Seat (one of seven hills that surround Edinburgh) that overlooks the city and has the Scottish Parliament and the Queen's Royal Holyrood Castle at its base. It would have been too steep for Parker and there is no way we could have pushed the buggy / pram up the mountain so he and Harriet did their own thing around town that day.

It was a beautiful morning but very windy and chilly on top of the exposed summit. Despite there being many other people, we had fine views in all directions to survey the countryside ... we could easily see across the Forth, east to Bass Rock and North Berwick Law, west to Beecraigs Country Park, and south to the Pentland Hills. As a special treat, I packed a campstove and supplies to boil up some hot chocolate near the summit ... with it being chilly at the top of the mountain Harrison and I were the envy of others!