A much-loved Edinburgh beauty spot has been named the UK's most popular running trail by a trusted sporting gear brand, based on their recent research.
The fairly challenging trail up the hills of Arthur's Seat that rewards you with an unobstructed and magnificent view of the city from above is undoubtedly one of Edinburgh's most famous landmarks.
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Now, the place has been acknowledged as the UK's best running trail following the research that took into account Google search data, Instagram hashtags and TripAdvisor reviews.
Conducted on behalf of HOKA, a performance footwear brand, the research gave each running trail considered for the top list an out-of-ten score, and the Scottish landmark got impressive 9.7 points.
Reflecting on the final top list, the brand's representatives said: "Securing the top spot in the running trails index, Arthur's Seat in Scotland is the most popular running trail across the UK with a final score of 9.7/10.
"This ancient volcano is the main peak of the group of hills in Edinburgh and boasts 360° views of the city. With 90,500 Google searches a month on average and 287,000 tags on Instagram, this short trail of 2.4 miles in length is classified as moderate to difficult, making it accessible to most runners."
Two other Scottish trails have made it to the list of the UK's top running routes, with the West Highland Way, which begins on the outskirts of Glasgow and travels north through the Highlands ending at Fort William, ranking sixths. This 96-mile footpath, however, might be a better fit for more experienced runners, as it has a fair amount of rocky terrain and steep ascents.
The impressive 268 miles of Pennine Way, which brings travellers from Derbyshire all the way to Scotland and takes around 10-15 days to complete, comes eighth on the list and is surely a path for the most seasoned voyagers.
