Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Old Calton Burial Ground

Old Calton Burial Ground

Highlight • Monument

Old Calton Burial Ground

Name: Old Calton Burial Ground
Rating: 2

Recommended by 93 hikers

Save

Location: Old Town, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom

Save

See hikes here

Take Me There

Routes here

Best Hikes to Old Calton Burial Ground

4.8

(45)

339

hikers

1. Edinburgh Castle – Royal Mile loop from Haymarket

13.3km

03:33

150m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

4.6

(19)

283

hikers

2. Scott Monument – Arthur's Seat loop from New Town

9.61km

02:54

260m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

4.7

(14)

165

hikers

3. Arthur's Seat – Nelson Monument, Calton Hill loop from West End

28.8km

08:14

590m

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Expert

Tips

Matt Charnley

August 28, 2022

located at Calton Hill to the north-east of the city centre. The burial ground was opened in 1718, and is the resting place of several notable Scots, including philosopher David Hume, scientist John Playfair, rival publishers William Blackwood and Archibald Constable, and clergyman Dr Robert Candlish. It is also the site of the Political Martyrs' Monument, an obelisk erected to the memory of a number of political reformers, and Scotland's American Civil War Memorial.

Bumble-Bee

May 8, 2023

Established on the northeast side of the city center in 1718, the Calton gives a spookily authentic feeling of being trapped in a Hammer film setting, expecting the devilish Black Donald at any moment of this delightful promenade. The graves and mausoleum of this Scottish “Pere Lachaise” cemetery vie with each other for the title of most quirky and elegant.

Several notable people of Edinburgh’s history rest here, including philosopher David Hume, publisher William Blackwood and clergyman Dr. Robert Candlish; beyond that, several sober-looking monuments mark the resting place of martyrs past.

Skulls and macabre symbolism are elegantly carved in each of the stones, and silent alleys invite visitors to wander. The sepulchral beauty of the Calton Cemetery offers a fascinating journey through the last memorial of forgotten strangers.

(atlasobscura.com/places/old-calton-cemetery)

Schlafwanderer

March 19, 2024

In the middle of the city, with crypts where you can take shelter when it rains 😜

Translated by Google •

In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!

Details

Informations

Elevation 130 m

Weather

Today

Tuesday 11 November

13°C

10°C

0 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 5.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Old Town, Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland, United Kingdom

Other Popular Places to Check Out

View of Edinburgh from Salisbury Crags

Dugald Stewart Monument

St Margaret's Loch and St Anthony's Chapel Ruins

Cockburn Street

David Hume Statue

The Hub

Dunsapie Loch

St Bernard's Well

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

View of Edinburgh Castle from Grassmarket

St Margaret's Loch

St Anthony's Chapel Ruins

Old Calton Burial Ground

1. Edinburgh Castle – Royal Mile loop from Haymarket

2. Scott Monument – Arthur's Seat loop from New Town

3. Arthur's Seat – Nelson Monument, Calton Hill loop from West End

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️