Falls of Clyde

Important notice

The Falls of Clyde Visitor Centre is now open seasonal hours
Sep-Mar: Sat & Sun 10-4pm

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.

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 toys and games – including badger facts and wildlife crafts
  • 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

  • Events

Find out what events are taking place at Falls of Clyde in the coming months by clicking the button below.

Upcoming events 

Facilities

Hover for more information

VISITING THE RESERVE

How to get there

Directions

The Falls of Clyde reserve lies approximately 1 mile south of the town of Lanark, and is reached through the historic village of New Lanark, signposted from all major routes.
The main entry to the reserve is at New Lanark village.

Get directions

Getting onto the reserve

From New Lanark car park, walk down into the village, through the iron gates and down the steps to the right of the New Lanark Visitor Centre. Turn left and follow the road down to the Falls of Clyde Visitor Centre, and then up a series of steps onto the reserve. The reserve is always open during daylight hours.

Access restrictions

Caution: Please stay on the way-marked footpaths at all times and do not sit on or cross safety barriers as there are steep slopes, high cliffs and deep fast flowing water along much of the gorge. Be aware that vehicles do sometimes operate on the reserve.

Paths can be muddy and slippery at times, especially after rain/frost. Please wear suitable clothing and sturdy footwear and take note of any safety notices.

A more detailed access guide and map can be found here: Falls of Clyde access guide and map

Nearest town
Lanark (1 mi / 1.6 km)
OS grid ref
NS881423
Landranger map
71

VISITOR CENTRE

Falls of Clyde visitor centre

Opening times

Unfortunately the visitor centre is closed at the moment, due to a burst water pipe.

Falls of Clyde Visitor Centre is on its winter opening hours of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00-16:00.

Admission

Members: FREE
Non-members are asked to pay a £3 donation on entry.

Please note that New Lanark charge £3 parking.

Telephone
01555 665 262

FALLS OF CLYDE BLOG

Get the latest from the Falls of Clyde visitor centre

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The importance of Riverfly monitoring

The importance of Riverfly monitoringIn 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 Curious Case of Badger Behaviour

The Curious Case of Badger BehaviourThe 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…

Falls of Clyde

A bird's eye view...

Some fantastic drone footage taken by Christopher Craig in 2017…

FURTHER READING

About Falls of Clyde

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