Wideford Hill Cairn is a Bronze Age burial site located in Kent, England. The cairn is a circular mound of earth and stones, approximately 10 meters in diameter and 1.5 meters high, surrounded by a ring of 12 standing stones. The site dates back to around 2000-1500 BCE and is believed to have been used for ceremonial and burial purposes. The cairn offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside and is a significant historical and archaeological site in the region.
A decent walk from the carpark- I'd say allow at least 25 min each way it is very muddy and slippery at present, definitely don't wear your dinner pants and ideally have waterproof shoes. Is it worth it? If you haven't seen maeshowe then yes, if you have along with some of the other easier to get to Cairns then no. Definitely no if you're cycle touring as after a steep ride up the hill you're met with a challenging walk which you don't want to do in cleats. The views are lovely.
Well signposted, straightforward walk in the summer. Nearby parking for a couple of cars. This can be part of circular walk to the top of Wideford Hill with great views of Kirkwall. The cairn might be a tight fit for a large person, my 6'2" 90kg walking companion couldn't get further than the entrance ladder.
Really interesting with a great view. We went after a morning of rain so the path down was muddy and very slippy. The floor of the chamber that you descend into was wet so crawling into the other chambers would have been messy. There was a working torch in a box however we took our own. Well worth the visit especially as it had cleared and there was good views across Orkney.
If you want to add a walk and great views to your archeological visits, Wideford Hill Cairn is the perfect place to add to your Orkney itinerary. A great walk is rewarded by this fascinating burial cairn that you are allied to climb into from the top of the cairn. And it's free.
A halfmile walk, mostly downhill to reach the cairn site. Good trail, 360deg broad vistas. You can see for miles and miles. The cairn site is well restored, rendering a good visual of what the earlier site might have been. Take care if entering, basicly a one person access at a time tight enclosure. Please, please, please, do not further damage the interior with more graphitti.
This was a neat experience and if you ever wanted to know what it would be like to be buried alive, this is it. It's a beautiful 15 minute walk downhill with a clear hiking trail. When you get there, slide the door open and walk down the ladder. A flashlight is provided in a box if you don't have one on your phone. The walk back uphill was a little more strenuous and took about 30 minutes. Free access. Parking accommodated 2-3 cars. But no one was there with us when we were there in the late afternoon.
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
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A decent walk from the carpark- I'd say allow at least 25 min each way it is very muddy and slippery at present, definitely don't wear your dinner pants and ideally have waterproof shoes. Is it worth it? If you haven't seen maeshowe then yes, if you have along with some of the other easier to get to Cairns then no. Definitely no if you're cycle touring as after a steep ride up the hill you're met with a challenging walk which you don't want to do in cleats. The views are lovely.
Well signposted, straightforward walk in the summer. Nearby parking for a couple of cars. This can be part of circular walk to the top of Wideford Hill with great views of Kirkwall. The cairn might be a tight fit for a large person, my 6'2" 90kg walking companion couldn't get further than the entrance ladder.
Really interesting with a great view. We went after a morning of rain so the path down was muddy and very slippy. The floor of the chamber that you descend into was wet so crawling into the other chambers would have been messy. There was a working torch in a box however we took our own. Well worth the visit especially as it had cleared and there was good views across Orkney.
If you want to add a walk and great views to your archeological visits, Wideford Hill Cairn is the perfect place to add to your Orkney itinerary. A great walk is rewarded by this fascinating burial cairn that you are allied to climb into from the top of the cairn. And it's free.
A halfmile walk, mostly downhill to reach the cairn site. Good trail, 360deg broad vistas. You can see for miles and miles. The cairn site is well restored, rendering a good visual of what the earlier site might have been. Take care if entering, basicly a one person access at a time tight enclosure. Please, please, please, do not further damage the interior with more graphitti.
This was a neat experience and if you ever wanted to know what it would be like to be buried alive, this is it. It's a beautiful 15 minute walk downhill with a clear hiking trail. When you get there, slide the door open and walk down the ladder. A flashlight is provided in a box if you don't have one on your phone. The walk back uphill was a little more strenuous and took about 30 minutes. Free access. Parking accommodated 2-3 cars. But no one was there with us when we were there in the late afternoon.
