Stage Five



Riverside Bench



NB
The river above New Lanark is controlled by a weir and flume to power the Bonnington hydro electric station, and the Falls of Clyde are not always seen at their best. The station is closed periodically for maintainance, usually on Bank Holidays, and on these occasions the river is allowed to follow its natural course. Notification of closure is usually published in local newspapers. and may also be obtained from the Visitor Centre in New Lanark ph. (01555 661345). If the closure coincides with a period of heavy rainfall, the Falls can be quite spectacular.





This stage commences at the ancient Clydesholm Bridge in Kirkfieldbank. Go through the gate beside the houses on the north bank and follow the path which soon rises fairly steeply onto St Patrick's Road in Lanark.. The route then enters Castlebank Park, the site of Lanark Castle, where in 1297 William Wallace killed the English Sheriff of Lanark to avenge the murder of his wife, and began his fight against king Edward 1. From the park a steep zigzag descent leads to the river bank, and after about half a mile the Walkway reaches New Lanark

.Leaving the village, the Walkway passes Dundaff Linn, the lowest of the three Falls of Clyde and after a section of boardwalk then passes a cottage and the Bonnington power station. Beyond this point the path climbs to give views of the Corra Linn, at around 90ft. the highest of the Falls, with a deep basin carved from the cliffs by the force of the water. Upstream of the Corra Linn a viewing station has been set up where, in season, peregrines can be observed at their nesting site on the opposite cliff. The path continues to climb to the third waterfall at Bonnington Linn. Although not as high as Corra Linn, this is arguably more spectacular, and is best seen from the south bank which can be reached by crossing the river at the weir further upstream. The Clyde Walkway ends at the weir, but the path on the south bank continues downstream and back to Kirkfieldbank, past the ruins of Corra Castle perched on the cliff edge overlooking the river, then Corra Linn again, this time viewed from the edge of the Fall, down into the basin. The path passes opposite the power station and New Lanark then joins a former coach road, emerging onto Kirkfield Road in Kirkfieldbank. Follow the road downhill to Clydesholm Bridge.

I hope your visit to the website will encourage you onto the Clyde Walkway, if so you won't be disappointed by the experience.