We Had a Plan - Holyrood Park

A Saturday walk in Holyrood Park and a reminder that changing direction can be enough.

We had a plan for the day, but it changed after the first few steps.

That Saturday morning was bright and clear, so we drove to Holyrood Park. It is one of my favourite places in Edinburgh. We found a parking space and felt lucky, because it was already busy.

In my head, the plan was simple: Arthur’s Seat. I love that hill. It is not too high, easy to walk, and open to almost everyone.

But it was Saturday. From a distance, we could already see how crowded the top was. Tiny figures standing close together. We started walking anyway. The dogs ran ahead, full of energy.

At the first crossroads, I stopped.

And I thought — what if we turn the other way?

It surprised me that in a place I have been visiting for years, there was still a path I had never taken. We turned toward the cliff instead. The sun was low, and the light was beautiful. Everything looked different. There was no wind, and even though it was the middle of December, it felt warmer.

When we reached the top of the cliff, I stopped again. The view from there was completely different. The castle and the city felt close, almost within reach. Edinburgh still manages to surprise me.

We kept walking along the cliff. In the distance, I could see the Pentland Hills, which I love so much. At the next turn, we stood beneath the mountain itself. You could really feel how big it was. It is hard to believe that something like this exists right in the middle of the city.

And then it became quiet.

The sounds of the city faded away. Everything slowed down. That is what I love about this place. One moment you are surrounded by a busy city, and the next you feel somewhere completely different.

Standing there, I felt relief. A light feeling. I love being in places like this, but everyday life does not always allow long trips or big adventures. And yet, in that moment, I felt free. As if I was far away, even though I was still in Edinburgh.

This walk reminded me how much I love being in the hills. The space. The calm. The feeling of stepping away, even for a short time.

And it reminded me of something simple too:

sometimes it is worth changing direction.

Even when you have a plan.

Especially then.