This is Golspie's hidden gem: a spectacular short walk up a gorge criss-crossed by footbridges and ending in a waterfall. A really excellent circuit.
Bog Factor
Clear woodland paths with steps and steep slopes in places.
Big Burn car park in Golspie.
None to start - Golspie train station is 1.5km at the opposite end of the village.
NC840005
The bridge near the start is now open again so the walk can be completed; however the viewing platform (Stage 3) remains closed.
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There is a car park signed for this walk at the eastern end of Golspie, just west of the A9's bridge over the burn. A clear footpath begins here, heading upstream past the welcome sign, with Golspie Mill well seen across the burn. Soon the high railway arch comes into view ahead, and the path itself also crosses the burn on its own much more modest hump-backed footbridge - Colin's Bridge, named for the volunteer who did so much to maintain this walk. Pass under the railway arch and follow the path, ignoring a branch off left to a picnic area. The path crosses two small footbridges over feeder streams.
Soon a fork is reached. Ignore the path that slopes uphill to the right (signed for Skating Pond and used for the return) and instead follow the left path that continues up the glen. The path eventually comes closer to the burn, and soon the most dramatic section of the walk begins at the rocky entrance to the Big Burn gorge. The path, just above the water, crosses a footbridge between two rock walls, crossing back to the right side just beyond beneath a cascading side-burn. The burn is crossed twice more; ignore a fork path off to the right.
After crossing the burn a fifth time a path heads up steps directly ahead. This is the continuation of the walk, but before heading that way follow the path upstream to the right. This leads immediately to the head of the gorge, hemmed in by rock walls; a viewing platform at the end reveals the burn tumbling into the ravine in a series of waterfalls, hidden round a corner until the last moment. Return to the path by the bridge and turn right up the steps.
This path climbs up and crosses a bridge above the waterfalls. Turn right at a junction and then keep right again a short distance further on as a path joins from the left. Ignore a path descending back into the gorge and continue ahead to pass alongside the Backies car park. This provides an alternative start point for the walk; continue on the path directly ahead.
Eventually a cross-roads of paths is reached just short of an attractive lochan once used for skating. The return walk is to the right, but first turn left here to begin a loop around the lochan. It's an ideal place for a picnic; keep by the lochside at any junctions. After completing the loop turn left to descend the path to Goslpie, leading down steps to rejoin the path up the Big Burn. Turn left here to retrace your steps over a bridge and under the railway on the way back to the start.
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