The Falls of Shin – A Salmon River in Achany Glen
The River Shin drops over a ledge of dark rock in the woods of Achany Glen, four miles south of Lairg, and in summer and early autumn salmon throw themselves at it on their way upstream.
A viewing platform looks down on the falls, and three short waymarked trails lead off into the forest from the same car park. With a café, toilets and a play park on the spot, it makes an easy morning out.
- Time
- Half an hour to three quarters of an hour a trail: the Riverside Trail is 1 km (half a mile), the Pond and Play Trail 1.3 km (three quarters of a mile) and the Woodland Trail 2 km (a mile and a quarter). All three are graded moderate.
- The path
- Firm gravel with some uneven, grassy stretches, short steep slopes and two road crossings.
- Where to start
- The Falls of Shin car park on the B864, four miles south of Lairg, IV27 4EE. Pay on arrival at the machine opposite the play park, by phone or with the Phone & Pay app.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. Salmon leap in summer and early autumn. From November to January arrive by 1.30pm.
- Dogs
- Under close control.
- Children
- A play park at the car park and the Pond and Play Trail. Open water: keep children close.
- Toilets
- At the car park, with an accessible toilet.
- Before you set out
- Salmon leap in summer and early autumn. Open water on the trails.
The walk
The Falls of Shin car park is on the B864, four miles south of Lairg, and IV27 4EE is the nearest postcode. You pay to park when you arrive, at the machine opposite the play park, by phone or with the Phone & Pay app. The price isn't given online. The viewing platform is across the road from the car park, above the falls. This is one of the best places in the country to watch salmon leap, and the time to see them is summer and early autumn. By late October the run is over, but the falls are worth seeing for their own sake, most of all after rain.
Forestry and Land Scotland has three waymarked trails from the car park, all graded moderate. The Riverside Trail is 1 km and takes about half an hour, with a few short, steep slopes and two road crossings. The Pond and Play Trail is 1.3 km and also takes half an hour. The Woodland Trail is 2 km and about three quarters of an hour, with some long slopes. This is ancient woodland, and one of the few places in the UK where the rare aspen hoverfly survives, which is why dead aspen is left to lie where it falls. The café is open from Thursday to Monday, 9am to 4pm, and until 5pm on Sundays.
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays a take-away hut serves instead, from 9am to 4pm. There are toilets at the car park. There's open water on these trails, so keep children close. From November to January, arrive by 1.30pm.
If it rains
The falls are at their best after rain and the trails are short, so wet weather needn't stop you. The café is the place to dry off, from Thursday to Monday.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
For further reading, before you go.
Photograph by David Murray via Google