📌 Nature reserve in Fankerton, Falkirk
★★★
Upstream from Denny, the character of the River Carron abruptly changes from wide flood plains to wooded gorge. In the depths: oak and ash trees, rich birdlife including kingfishers and woodpeckers, and several small but attractive waterfalls. The photos below were taken in sequence walking westwards on the north side of the river from the footbridge near Fankerton; there is also a further waterfall called the Lady’s Leap downstream of the footbridge, just beyond a weir.
🌍 Location
📌 River Carron upstream from Fankerton. Main footbridge at the heart of the reserve is at:
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NS 787832
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 56.026594,-3.947355
🚌 Bus to Fankerton
🚗 Layby on B818 immediately west of Fankerton
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
💬 Paths around the reserve are mostly good with some steeper / rockier sections (⬤ Easy / ⬤ Moderate). The Lady’s Leap is reached by descending diagonally right from the car park (5-min walk). For the other waterfalls, descend diagonally left to a footbridge, cross it & turn left on the far side to follow the river upstream (45-min walk each way to the furthest waterfall beyond the western edge of the wildlife reserve).
