Important notice
The Falls of Clyde Visitor Centre is open
Mon- Sun 10am-4pm
This reserve is famous for its spectacular waterfalls, historic visitors and scenic woodland walks. Over 100 bird species have been recorded including dipper, raven and kingfisher. Daubenton’s bats can be spotted feeding over the river in the evenings. Badgers forage in the undergrowth and otters are sometimes seen along the riverbank.
- The reserve has a network of paths, including the top section of the Clyde Walkway
- The Falls of Clyde is part of the Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve.
Address: Falls of Clyde, New Lanark ML11 9DB
Why visit?
Highlights include:
- Regular evening badger watches and wildlife-themed events throughout the year
- Beautiful woodland riverside walks straight from the visitor centre to the reserve
- Interactive visitor centre – including badger camera footage and wildlife facts and games
- Learn all about the history of Falls of Clyde on the Victorian self-guided trail
Best time to visit?
- Jan to Mar for otters
- May to Aug for Badger Watches
- Apr to Aug for woodland wildflowers
- Sep to Nov for Autumn colour and fungi
Visit for:
- birdwatching
- woodlands
- grasslands
- wildflowers
- geology
- scenery
- mammals
- archaeology
Other information
You can find out more about the Falls of Clyde in episode six of our Words of the Wild podcast series.
Events
Find out what events are taking place at Falls of Clyde in the coming months by clicking the button below.
Badger watches run May-Aug inclusive.
What am I? I am drawn to the light but fly mostly at night… I have scales on my wings and I’m silent in flight… I am a pollinator who can mimic the flowers I feed on and I drink their nectar through a straw like proboscis that curls… I… am… a Moth! It becomes kind of addictive after a while. It’s the butterflies in your stomach feeling, pre-present opening on Christmas day when, on a crisp morning before the…
In 2021, we set up a monitoring group at Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve to survey the River Clyde, running through the reserve, to get a picture of how healthy the river is here. We feed our data into The Riverfly Partnership, a network of organisations working together to monitor the health of the UK’s rivers. Caseless caddis fly larva We carry out a timed kick sample to collect freshwater invertebrates. This disturbs the sediment in…
The badgers at the Falls of Clyde are probably our most famous residents. With an estimate of between 50-60 within the reserve there are constantly signs, showing the activity badgers are carrying out even if you do not directly see them on a walk. Whether it be scent markings on the edge of very turbulent territory boundaries, or the abundance of badger paths which weave their way around our human footpaths. Badgers have been the stuff of folklore for hundreds…
To everybody planning a visit Falls of Clyde over the next month or so there is a load to look forward to on your visit. Corra Linn is glistening in the summer sun while up above the song of young buzzards can be heard as they circle gently above their former nest. The fruits of blaeberries and brambles are beginning to ripen, and the badgers are no doubt enjoying the abundance of bulbs and fruits, a nice change from the…
Happy May Nature Lovers! We are in bloom at the Falls of Clyde! Why not come visit us and see how many wildflowers you can find. Here are five little beauties to get you started. Cuckoo Flower Also known as Lady’s smock, Mayflower or Fairy Flower. This wildflower is easily identified by its delicate lilac petals and tall bright green stem. The cuckoo flower can be found in damp habitats such as grasslands, marshes, stream sides and ditches. The flower…
There’s a lot to love about dippers, and the Falls of Clyde is a great place to watch these river specialists in action, as visitors have discovered this summer. (more…)
To mark Bog Day 2021, we take a closer look at Cander Moss, one of our reserves in Lanarkshire, where we are working to improve the health of this important habitat. (more…)
June brings out the early summer wildflowers at the Falls of Clyde. Here are five to spot on your next visit to the reserve. (more…)