9k Run Kirkwall: Panoramic Views from Wideford Hill

Route Overview & Local Insights

Tackle the rugged beauty of the Orkney Islands with this 8.7km loop that strikes a perfect balance between Kirkwall’s quiet roads and wild hillside trails. Departing from the Middisdale Road car park, you’ll enjoy a steady ascent of 214 meters as the pavement gives way to more technical paths circumnavigating Wideford Hill. This moderate-to-challenging route rewards runners with a varied surface underfoot and a "hilly" rating that will certainly test your climbing legs, but the panoramic views across the Pierowall and the Northern Isles from the summit slopes make every meter of elevation worth the effort.

Beyond the physical challenge, this route is steeped in Neolithic history, passing near the famous Wideford Hill Chambered Cairn, an ancient burial site dating back over 5,000 years. As you loop around the hillside, you are running through a landscape that has remained largely unchanged since the Stone Age. Locals know that the weather on Wideford can shift quickly, but catching a clear day provides an unparalleled vantage point of Kirkwall’s iconic St. Magnus Cathedral in the distance, offering a unique perspective on the island’s Viking and prehistoric heritage.