There’s something special about a good waterfall. There aren’t very many in Glasgow city, but if we’re talking daytrips, we are spoiled for choice when it comes to waterfalls! We’ve got beautiful walks alongside rivers and through forests or woodlands, some with brill play areas nearby, some with lots to explore and some that are just stunning enough to stand and stare at!

Here are some of the most impressive falls near Glasgow, and some of our favourites for a great day out. Your next adventure awaits!

Falls of Clyde

Located at New Lanark Heritage Centre, the Falls of Clyde Reservoir has some beautiful walks through the Clyde valley. There’s a wildlife garden, a brilliant wee play area and big waterfalls to see. Corra Linn is probably the most impressive, and is maybe a 45 minute or so walk from the New Lanark Heritage Centre, depending on how quickly your kids go! You can keep going after Corra Linn to get to Bonnington Linn, a horseshoe of waterfalls, from where you can loop back to New Lanark. An excellent day out.

  • Good for dogs.
  • Cafe & toilets available in New Lanark Heritage Centre.
  • Walks not good for wheels.

Falls of Falloch

We stop in here if we’re ever driving past this wee bit at the north west tip of Loch Lomond because the Falls of Falloch are 30ft tall, and utterly glorious. The walk from the little car park to the falls is a short 0.25km and pretty flat. It’s a great place to stop for a wee leg stretch, a picnic & you might even see some folks having a swim below the falls on a nice day.

  • Good for dogs.
  • No toilets.
  • OK for wheels.

Campsie Fells

The Campsie Fells can be accessed from the ‘car park in the sky’ along Crow Rd just above Lennoxtown, half an hour north of Glasgow. Via the path down the hill you can get to a series of waterfalls, but if you want to get past the first set of falls you will need to clamber and climb either up or down. The rocks can be slippy if they’re wet, and it is a popular spot for swimming (and for teenagers leaping off the top of the falls) in summer.

  • Not great for dogs.
  • No toilets.
  • Not good for wheels.

Inversnaid Falls

These impressive falls are located right next to the Inversnaid Hotel on the eastern side of Loch Lomond. It’s almost a 2 hour drive to get there via Balloch, Drymen and Aberfoyle, but in the summer months you can get a ferry across to Inversnaid from Tarbet. Have a wee drink or lunch in the hotel, and then head back on the next ferry after checking out the falls. Lovely day out!

  • Toilets inside hotel.
  • Not good for wheels.

Rouken Glen

Take a wee walk in Rouken Glen park in the south of Glasgow and you’ll soon find the waterfalls here. They’re easiest to find from the pond, where you can see the top of the falls from the bridge. You’ll notice that the falls here aren’t quite fully natural – they were used in Victorian textile making so they were adjusted back then to be used as a source of power. Head down into the wee glen and you’ll see the bottom of the falls down there. Spectacular if it’s been raining! Plus there’s a great playpark, nice walks through the woods and The Boathouse by the pond is a lovely for a bite to eat.

  • Good for dogs.
  • Toilets available next to play area.
  • Good for wheels.

The Hermitage

Located an hour and 20 minutes north of Glasgow next to the beautiful village of Dunkeld, The Hermitage is a truly stunning place for a walk. Head alongside the river and you’ll come to a lovely waterfall with views from a little old stone bridge. Just above the falls you can get closer to the river here, and have a play amongst the big boulders. Great little daytrip.

  • Good for dogs.
  • Not certain about toilet situation.
  • Reasonably good for wheels.

Queen Elizabeth Forest Park Waterfall Trail

This trail from the David Marshall lodge in Aberfoyle is one of our favourite walks in the woods, and is brilliant for kids. While walking round the loop trail you’ll find little hobbit holes to play in, a water play area, hammock swings and tree stumps to jump around on plus a few other things. The waterfall is at the bottom of the trail, and is pretty impressive, especially if it’s been raining! If you head across the bridge to the other side of the burn you can also see some red squirrels at the squirrel hide.

  • Good for dogs.
  • Toilets available at visitor centre.
  • Reasonably good for wheels.