Glenashdale – A Double Waterfall and Two Stone Age Tombs
Behind Whiting Bay, on Arran's east coast, the Glenashdale Burn, a stream, drops in two long leaps into a rocky bowl in the forest, the tallest double waterfall on the island.
A waymarked trail goes up the glen to a platform facing it, and a second, steeper one climbs to the Giants' Graves, two chambered tombs more than 5,000 years old on a shoulder above the bay. Red squirrels live in these woods, and this is one of the best places on Arran to see one.
- Time
- About an hour and a half for the Glenashdale Falls Trail, 4.6 km (2.75 miles), moderate; about two hours for the Giants' Graves Trail, 5 km (3 miles), strenuous.
- The path
- Uneven gravel and earth with rough, rocky and muddy stretches, steep slopes, steps, tree roots and bridges. Not for wheelchairs or pushchairs.
- Where to start
- The council car parks at Ashdale Bridge, at the south end of Whiting Bay; the forest entrance is a quarter of a mile up the lane across the road.
- When to go
- All year in daylight. The falls trail is on a signed diversion. From November to January set off by 12.30pm. No ferry to Arran on 25 December or 1 January. Wind can stop the boat: look at CalMac's service status page on the morning you travel.
- Dogs
- Under close control: red squirrels live in these woods.
- Children
- A drop at the viewing platform and open water at the burn.
- Toilets
- None in the forest; there are public toilets in Whiting Bay.
- Before you set out
- The Glenashdale Falls Trail has been on a long diversion since 1 April 2026 after storm damage, signed on site, and the Iron Age fort can't safely be reached. No ferry to Arran on 25 December or 1 January. Wind can stop the boat: look at CalMac's service status page on the morning you travel.
The walk
Leave the car in one of the council car parks at Ashdale Bridge, at the south end of Whiting Bay. Across the road a sign marks a narrow lane, and the forest entrance is a quarter of a mile along it. Two waymarked trails start there. The Glenashdale Falls Trail is 4.6 km, or two and three-quarter miles, graded moderate, and takes about an hour and a half. It goes up beside the burn to a viewing platform facing the falls, and comes back by forest road and woodland path. Storm damage has had this trail on a long diversion since 1 April 2026. The diversion is signed on the ground and drawn on Forestry and Land Scotland's route card, and the Iron Age fort the trail used to pass can't safely be reached.
The Giants' Graves Trail is 5 km, or three miles, graded strenuous, with one long steep slope of 600 metres, and takes about two hours. It climbs to two horned chambered cairns built by Stone Age people more than 5,000 years ago, with a view over Whiting Bay. People once believed giants buried their victims here. Both trails are uneven gravel and earth, with rough, muddy stretches, tree roots, steps and bridges. Watch small children at the platform and near the water. Whiting Bay has public toilets. From November to January, set off by 12.30pm.
Arran is reached on CalMac's car ferry from Ardrossan to Brodick, a crossing of 55 minutes. Book the car on before you travel, and be at the pier 30 minutes before the boat sails. On the winter timetable, from 19 October 2026 to 6 March 2027, a boat leaves Ardrossan at 9.45am every day, and the last one back leaves Brodick at 7.20pm, or at 4.40pm on a Saturday. Until 18 October the summer timetable applies, so read the times on CalMac's Ardrossan to Brodick page. Wind can stop the boat: look at CalMac's service status page on the morning you travel.
If it rains
The trees keep off the worst of a shower and the falls are at their fullest after rain, but the paths turn muddy and the steps slippery. In heavy rain keep to the falls trail and leave the climb to the Giants' Graves.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
None of ours is close by: the nearest is The Hollies, 30 miles away. Sleeps 18.
Then Talli House, 30 miles away. Sleeps 4; next free Fri 30 Oct to Sun 1 Nov.
Book the car onto CalMac's Ardrossan to Brodick ferry before you travel, out and back, and be at the pier 30 minutes before the boat.
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For further reading, before you go.
Photograph by James Rand via Google