Exploring a forgotten gem in Dumfries & Galloway
Crichope Linn
Crichope Linn, Scotland
Location: east of Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway
Location type: Circular, low-level woodland and river walk
Park (what3words): ///clerics.clays.overgrown (where I parked) or ///inclines.applied.caveman (alternative)
What to shoot: Waterfall, gorge, wooded slopes, natural sandstone columns and archway
Crichope Linn lies just to the east of the village of Thornhill, approximately 14 miles north of the town of Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway.
Once a popular destination in the 17th and 18th centuries, the area is now seldom visited and on my first trip I had the entire location to myself.
When researching my visit online, websites recommended parking in a small layby close to the start of the path, but I found a larger, off road parking area just beyond the route start point and left my car there instead.
Parking is free, but, space is limited (probably no more than 4 or 5 cars could use the lay-by at any one time) so probably best to visit early. The What3words locations for both parking spots are given above.
Access to the walk is via a small set of steps signed “Crichope Linn” and “Footpath” which climb gently along the banks of the Crichope Burn. The path is fairly easy to follow, although muddy in places.
Keeping the burn on your right the path soon reaches some impressive red-sandstone outcrops on the left and skirting the base of these, you can see carved graffiti dating back as far as the early 1800’s. (see the video link above)
Shortly after the first sandstone outcrops the path turns slightly left to reveal the beginning of a deep gorge in the sandstone, with steep cliffs to the right of the burn and a well defined path on the left bank leading towards a natural arch cut into the sandstone, beyond which you will see a picturesque waterfall.
Just before the arch the path forks, with the right hand fork leading into the arch and a clearer view of the waterfall and the gorge beyond. The left fork climbs some stone steps (a stream after recent rain) up to a viewpoint above to archway.
Good views can be had from inside the arch of the waterfall and the gorge beyond. Care must be taken beyond the archway where the ground is steep and slippy due to the continuous spray from the waterfall and a coating of leaves and loose vegetation.
If taking the left fork up onto the top of the arch, there are views back along the burn, and up along the gorge. By crossing the burn (off to the left near the fence) there is a path which allows first a view of the archway from the opposite side, then a second route leads up the gorge away from the falls.
I didn’t explore beyond the end of the gorge on this first visit, but there is a path which leads down to the waterside, which may offer an alternative route back along the burn to the waterfall. Care must be taken here though as at the time of writing I do not know how deep the burn is at this point and whether or not one can walk this lower route.
A round trip of the location, including regular photo stops, can be undertaken in an hour or so. The entire walk from car to falls and back took less than 3000 steps.