📌 Whiting Bay, Isle of Arran
★★★
Arran is deservedly famed for the quality of its mountain ridge walking in its northern “Highland” region, but the interior of its southern “Lowland” is less well known. Perhaps surprisingly then, this is the location of one of the most spectacular waterfalls on the Scottish islands: the Glenashdale Falls drop 45 metres in two stages. If your trip to the island follows heavy rainfall, this is a must-see sight. A steep circuit exploring the falls and an iron age fort starts from Whiting Bay on the coast road, returning along Glenashdale Burn. A steep (and optional) detour to the “Giants’ Graves” ancient burial cairns allows great views over the bay with Holy Island beyond. Without this out-and-back extension subtract a mile and 100 metres vertical from the route stats below.
📷 Chronological photo guide
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish on the A841 at golf course turnoff, Whiting Bay village centre, Isle of Arran
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NS 046256
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.485065,-5.094226
🚌 Bus to Whiting Bay
🚗 Car park / street parking
📝 Key info
▶ 6 km / 4 mi | ▲ 240 m | ⌛ 2-3 hr
Features: 🏰 Glenashdale Fort; 🌊 Glenashdale Falls ★★★★; ✞ Giants’ Graves
⬤ Moderate | Minor road and track for initial ascent then good paths throughout, often steep with lots of steps to Giants’ Graves.
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise circuit with extension to Giants’ Graves: start – South Kiscadale – Glenashdale Fort – cross burn above Glenashdale Falls – viewpoint for falls on south bank – path junction at 🧭 NS 041252 – optional out-and-back detour to Giants’ Graves from here – Ashdale Bridge – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Red squirrel in the forest on ascent; small birds.
Weather: Quite warm but overcast, cloud on hills after a little earlier rain.
June 2012
Also on this walk
Glenashdale Falls ★★★★
🌍 Location
📌 On Glenashdale Burn 1 mi west of Whiting Bay, Isle of Arran
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NS 030250
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.479066,-5.119164
🚌 Bus to Whiting Bay (1 mi)
🚗 Car park on A841, south end of Whiting Bay, 🧭 NS 047253 / 🛰️ 55.481950,-5.092161 (1 mi)
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
💬 If visiting the waterfall without doing the walk above, it’s a 30-min walk (each way) to the falls from the car park above (⬤ Moderate). Follow the road north for a few metres, then head left on the signposted footpath along the south bank of the Glenashdale Burn, with a steep ascent (100 m vertical) to the top of the falls.
