📌 Viewpoint near Duddingston, City of Edinburgh
★★★
This relatively neglected small summit on the east side of Edinburgh‘s Holyrood Park is a perfect alternative to Arthur’s Seat for those short on time or stamina. Dunsapie rises 145 metres above sea level, but can be accessed from car parks on Queen’s Drive just a few dozen metres below – though walking from Duddingston or Willowbrae is a great alternative for those seeking a slightly longer route. Dunsapie’s rocky summit features some distinctive rocky outcrops and offers a superb outlook both over East Lothian and west to Arthur’s Seat – the latter busy with families sledging on our recent, snowy visit. The artificial reservoir of Dunsapie Loch hugs the foot of the hill at road level, and is itself a very pleasant spot; otters have frequently been spotted here in recent months.
🌍 Location
📌 Access from Queen’s Drive, Holyrood Park, 0.5 mi north of Duddingston or 1 mi east of Edinburgh Waverley station
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NT 282732
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.946323,-3.152621
🚌 Bus to Duddingston (0.5 mi), or walk from Edinburgh city centre (1 mi)
🚗 Car park at Dunsapie Loch, 🧭 NT 281730 / 🛰️ 55.944790,-3.152799 – only open limited hours (see 🔗 official website). Nearest alternative parking is in Duddingston or on Ulster Crescent, Willowbrae (both 0.5 mi)
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
💬 From Dunsapie Loch it’s a 5-min steep uphill walk to the summit on informal grassy paths. There are several choices of route, starting from either end of the loch.
