I do love a waterfall, I mean who doesn’t right? There are some lovely examples locally but one that always interested me was Wolfcleuch, to be found deep in Craik Forest, a large Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) forest sandwiched between Eskdale and Teviotdale. The fascination is a combination of it being a pretty hefty looking waterfall by Southern Uplands standards , it’s evocative name which recalls a bygone age where wolves stalked these hills and valleys (or Cleuchs) and finally that its getting increasingly hard to get to. Years ago FLS made it nice and easy by having a waymarked, colour coded path all the way to it from the car park. But landslips made this path unsafe so about 10 years ago FLS decided to remove the waterfall from their maps, rip out the signposts and even take away bridges, meaning that getting to it is a bit of a challenge. Well FLS - challenge accepted!

My sister Claire accompanied me on the excursion. She is a swimming addict and was of course scoping out the waterfall for a dip but she also has a sense of adventure so was happy to come with me on this excursion. We also, occasionally, enjoy each others company :) Just getting to Craik is a bit of an adventure in itself. From Innerleithen to the Gordon Arms, out of Yarrow via Berry Bush and drop down to Ettrick. At Tushielaw it’s on to a very minor road, across Alemoor Reservoir’s causeway and down to Roberton. By this time you are thinking we must be there but it’s another 8 miles up a very lonely valley populated only by buzzards, sheep and Hawick youngsters camping and having a guid auld booze up.

Arriving at Craik you note the huddled together former forestry workers cottages, and daydream about the remote life they have here, 10 miles plus from Hawick. Idyllic on a summer night like the one we enjoyed, quite brutal in the dark of winter.

We parked up and the large FLS map confirmed that there were walking trails here but nothing directing us to Wolfcleuch. No matter, we were determined and had the Scottish Outdoor Access Code on our side - we would find it, despite FLS! I shouldn’t build it up too much, it wasn’t like we were heading into the Amazonian interior, but we were excited at trying to find our way to a place FLS didn’t want us to really go. We past a marker for a long distance trail - The Romans and Reivers Route. This route was created in 2005 and is deliberately aimed at horse riders as well as hikers and cyclists, runs from 85km from Ae Forest to Hawick. It’s name evokes some of the historical groups who lived in these parts but I think as a great hiking trail to follow it’s perhaps a bit too forest road heavy, but don’t let me put you off.

We followed the waymarked trail through lovely woodland and open pasture until we reached a forest road and a bridge where it was clear where our now closed trail branched off. Almost straight away we could see a small lansdslip which we scrambled around - we found two more landslips on route, the reason this trail is now shut. Apart from these the closed path was in good nick and easy to follow. It was a stunning night in the woodland, we hadn’t (and wouldn’t) seen a soul. Scent of pine trees and wild garlic was truly beautiful as the path snaked it’s way across a flat area and you cursed the fact that this area will become less and less used now that the waymarks are gone. And let’s be honest, this place wasn’t exactly Piccadilly Circus in the first place…

After a few minutes walk through this fairy-tale forest we had to ford the burn. FLS really were taking this closure seriously and the bridge had been removed, leaving it’s two concrete abutments like some sort of out of place brutalist artwork. This crossing was made easy by the lack of water due to a very dry summer, but would be a bit tougher in winter.

The former bridge, abutments left in place

Across the burn and we were on the home straight, overgrown vegetation and the wee beasties that live in it the next obstacle but by this time we were nearly there so we brushed this aside and finally were rewarded by our first sight of the waterfall. It was…totally underwhelming. There was no denying that this is a spectacular waterfall (google it!) but the aforementioned dry summer had reduced it to a bit of a trickle. I could tell Claire was disappointed, never mind a swim she could barely have had a bath in the pool. Her love of a wild swim would have to wait for another day.

First glimpse - the path on the right totally overgrown in high summer

We then began the journey back to the car, the summer evening was perfect and we had a good old chinwag, both disappointed the waterfall was so empty but in firm agreement that it was beautiful and would have a totally different character in spate. More than anything, it was a great way to spend an evening with my sister and it felt like a mini adventure had been had. If you are thinking about going to Craik to see Wolfcleuch I really recommend it, it feels a shame to me that FLS have decided better to close access to this to all but the determined. You hope that in years to come funds can be found to improve access but it seems unlikely - we will just have to keep the paths open ourselves…

In search of Wolfcleuch Waterfall

Gala and The Tapestry

St. Mary’s Loch and Loch of The Lowes