Dog walks with water
Dog walks with water near Kirkwall
220 or more of the walks within 8 km of the middle of Kirkwall are walks beside water: 32% of the 700 or more we measured, against 51% across Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.
Beside water for a tenth of the way or more.
Where they differ from every walk near Kirkwall
- 58% of the walks beside water near Kirkwall are never beside a busy road, against 82% of every walk near Kirkwall.
- 59% of the walks beside water near Kirkwall have no busy road to cross, against 82% of every walk near Kirkwall.
- 37% of the walks beside water near Kirkwall pass a dog-waste bin, against 16% of every walk near Kirkwall.
Measured on 12 October 2026 from the map. A difference is listed only when it is ten points or more and larger than chance would make it. How these figures are made
What the walks beside water are like
Each bar is the share of the walks beside water near Kirkwall that the sentence is true of. The upright mark on each bar, and the small number beside it, is the same share for every walk near Kirkwall.
How far they go
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | Every walk near Kirkwall |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 km | 55% | 59% |
| 3 to 5 km | 19% | 20% |
| 5 to 8 km | 12% | 10% |
| 8 to 12 km | 8% | 6% |
| Over 12 km | 3% | 2% |
What shape they are
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | Every walk near Kirkwall |
|---|---|---|
| A loop | 6% | 6% |
| There and back the same way | 59% | 68% |
| One way, ending somewhere else | 34% | 25% |
What is beside the path
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | Every walk near Kirkwall |
|---|---|---|
| Under trees for a third or more of the way | 1% | 1% |
| On open access land for a third or more | <1% | <1% |
| Through a park or green space for a third or more | 59% | 39% |
| Beside crop fields for a third or more | 91% | 83% |
| Beside farm grassland for half or more | <1% | 3% |
| No farm grassland at all | 98% | 91% |
| Off road for four fifths or more | 11% | 16% |
| On roads or lanes for half or more | 79% | 73% |
| Through built-up streets for half or more | 1% | 4% |
What might stop you
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | Every walk near Kirkwall |
|---|---|---|
| Never beside a fast road | 88% | 94% |
| Never beside a busy road | 58% | 82% |
| No busy road to cross | 59% | 82% |
| No stile, gate or cattle grid | 99% | 99% |
| No steps | 92% | 94% |
What is on the way
| Walks that | Share of walks measured | Every walk near Kirkwall |
|---|---|---|
| Start where you can park, at a car park or on a minor road | 73% | 66% |
| Pass a pub | 3% | 1% |
| Pass a dog-waste bin | 37% | 16% |
| Pass a public toilet | 17% | 8% |
| Pass a drinking-water tap | 6% | 2% |
| Pass a busy beauty spot | 23% | 21% |
Walks beside water near Kirkwall, chosen for your dog
If you live in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, it is your home county, and every walk in it is free, for good. Tell the app about your dog and it finds walks beside water near Kirkwall checked against what your dog finds hard, and names them.
Walks beyond your home county come with Further, the Trekosa subscription. What Further adds
Questions people ask
- Are there dog walks with water near Kirkwall?
- Yes. 220 or more of the walks within 8 km of the middle of Kirkwall are walks beside water, 32% of the 700 or more we measured there. The app shows them by name once you have an account, checked against what your dog finds hard.
- What counts as a walk with water?
- One with water the map draws, such as a river, lake or canal, beside it for at least a tenth of its length. A walk that only crosses a bridge does not count.
- Can my dog swim there?
- We cannot say. We measure how much of a walk runs beside water, not whether the water is clean, deep or open for swimming. Check the signs when you get there.
Dog walks with water in the towns nearest Kirkwall
Nearest first. The share is of every walk measured near each town.