Wideford Hill

Another ancient tomb to visit, another hill to climb.

Wideford Hill overlooking Kirkwall in Orkney has an interesting tomb situated on its slope dating to 2000BC. We parked in the small car park and I walked around the hill in search of it. Few walks have proved so difficult. Although there was a path, the wind was so strong I had to cover my mouth with my hands in order to breathe. Four times I was pushed over onto the ground, on one occasion twisting my leg which gave twinges of pain and a limp for three days following. Were the spirits of the dead unhappy at my arrival, unwilling to yield their secrets, and determining that I should not pass?

Whoever once lay in that chambered cairn now inhabits eternity, and has enough to ponder without troubling themselves about their old grave. To the cairn itself I could gain no entry, neither through the roof nor the tiny passageway, so I gave up on a bad job, and ascended again the hill to battle the wind. The views were great but could scarcely be enjoyed as I limped back through the hail. The gale that had sought to thwart my arrival was now actively assisting my departure, ungently pushing me away, though I needed little persuasion.

Whatever or whoever once identified with this dark grave is awaiting God’s righteous judgement. We who believe in the Lord Jesus need not worry about the colour of our gravestone, the songs sung at the funeral or the eulogies given: let the hopeless and the godless meditate upon such things, but let the saved behold their Saviour, who conquered the grave:

O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Psalm 30:3