Arthur's Seat
Most visitors to Edinburgh pobably don't realise that they are in a shadow of a volcano! There's no need to worry though, Arthur's Seat has long been extinct.
Today Arthur's Seat is not a threat to tourists but a popular landmark, dominating the sky over Holyrood Park at the end of the Royal Mile. For the dedictaed walker a trip to the top is an essential part of the Edinburgh experience. I confess that after several years of living here I still haven't managed to find the energy to attempt this myself! In my defence, the thing is over 800 feet high (250m).
Although there is no longer a threat of molten lava running down the hillside, the area has been ablaze several times in the last few years. The flames were visible for miles.
The Origin of the Name
The name Arthur's Seat would seem to imply a connection with Arthurian legend, however this seems unlikely. For a start the name only appears to have come into common usage in the 15th century. In addition King Arthur's story is usually associated with the South of England and Wales.That said, there are some Arthurian connections with Edinburgh. The city castle has been linked to the Arthurian Castle of Maidens, however this was referred to as the home of Morgan le Fey!
It seems more likely that the name Arthur's Seat is a corruption of an older name, possibly the Celtic Ard-na Said, as heard by people familiar with the Arthurian tales.
The Lion's Head
The highest peak of the Arthur's Seat range is referred to as The Lion's Head. This is because from some angles the range clearly resembles a seated lion. Personally I like to think that could relate to the name Arthur's Seat and I have a mental image of King Arthur riding a golden maned lion and wielding Excalibur. Unfortunately I'm not aware of any genuine local lore that would support this idea.The Coffin Mystery
In the 19th century a rather gruesome discovery was made: seventeen tiny coffins, each containing a wooden figure, had been buried in the cliffside. The coffins were arranged in two rows of eight with a single coffin placed on top as if to suggest the beginning of a third row. There has never been any convincing explanation of what the coffins were meant to represent or why they were buried in the cliffs around Arthur's Seat.