I absolutely love it when I find a family friendly walk that gets my three sons out and about and actually ENJOYING walking. On a recent trip to the Scottish Highlands, I found an absolute gem of one in the form of the Golspie Big Burn walk, which featured a ludicrously scenic gorge, easy to follow paths, a huge and impressive waterfall and a second “mini” fall which my sons decided was an outdoor shower.
So, without further ado, here’s everything I think you need to know about the Golspie Big Burn walk and its beautiful waterfall.
| Walk date | 5th August 2025 |
| Weather conditions | Dry and mild |
| Distance Walked | 2.6km |
| Walking time | 1 hour or so with stops and lots of the usual photo points. Youngest walker is 5 |
| Elevation gain total | 63m |
| Terrain | Easy to follow footpaths, wooden bridges and boardwalk |
| Hiked with | My 3 sons |
The Golspie Big Burn Walk Parking and Route
Here’s the out and back route we took (with the option of a longer circular that you could take visible with paths on the map). We went for the short out and back to just see the waterfall.My 5 year old son is autistic and loves to throw sticks and stones into the water, so I expected it would be a slow walk with lots of stops for him to do that and thus the shorter route was better for us, But you could adapt this as needed.
Parking is in a small car park just off the A9. It was the day after a big storm when I went and was the ideal choice of walk as the winds died down given the shelter offered by the gorge. But even then there were still plenty of parking bays. The parking is right at the start point indicated on the AllTrails map above.
From the car park, you can’t really miss the footpath. It’s easy to follow with a cute little bridge right at the start (which always helps to keep the kids entertained – any sort of bridge!).
Fro the outset, the views are stunning here. The Burn was a source of entertainment for my 5 year old and both my 8 and 10 year old sons were quite happy plodding along the path.
Soon enough, you reach the gorge which is just beautiful. It’s so scenic and a bit surreal and the kids were blown away by this too. A series of footbridges cross you back and forth over the burn.
And before you know it, you’ll be at the first small waterfall (which was running nicely on this day – the day after a storm).
This is such a pretty little fall and the fact you can get right to it (and under it) meant my children thought this was an opportune time for a shower:
From here, you’re continuing past the waterfall along a combination of paths and boardwalk until you reach the big waterfall. Now, there’s some signage (see the video at the end) telling you not to use the boardwalks. But everyone does. And they seemed sturdy enough when we went. Of course though, do your own risk assessment and if you’re not happy that it’s safe enough for you and your family, turn back here.
We continued along and the views just kept on giving.
Finally, it looks as though you’re coming to a complete dead end on the board walk, but when you turn the corner you get the view of the main waterfall and it really was quite something the day we went (again, the day after a storm).
We stopped for a bit so my 5 year old could throw things in the water and I could get the obligatory selfie with my 8 year old and 10 year old.
And then we just traced our route back – nice and easy! Short, easy to navigate, footpaths that are suitable for trainers (for those who have children who’d rather not wear hiking boots) and with so much to see that it really feels worthwhile.
Here’s the Tiktok:
@staceyhikes An absolutely stunning waterfall walk that is suitable for children and family friendly. Around 1.25km each way (2.5 total) and well worth it. This is the Golspie Big Burn walk and waterfall. It was utterly magical. The gorge, the falls, the scenery… my kids loved it. And even my littlest who is 5 and autistic was so engrossed in the scenery too. #hiketok #chasingwaterfalls #hikingwithkids #familyfriendlyhikes #walkswithkids #scotlandtravel ♬ Whispering Woodland – NostalgicNotes
And a few questions answered:
Is the Golspie Big Burn Walk Pushair Friendly?
No. I would say not and not wheelchair friendly either. While lots of the paths would probably be accessible, many areas are very uneven and would be difficult for anything wheeled to navigate.
If you’re walking with children who can’t walk the whole way, a hiking carrier would be ideal.
How long does it take?
It’s less than 3km. The time is takes will depend on how fast the little legs in your family move, but in our case it was around an hour there and back in total.
Are there toilets on the Golspie Big Burn walk?
Nope. There are not facilities in the car park but there are nearby cafes etc in walking distance so you could stop for snacks after your walk and use facilities there.
Would I do it again?
Absolutely. As far as waterfalls go (and I really am obsessed with waterfall hikes in Scotland you know) this really is beautiful. The fact it’s easy enough for most children too is fantastic so it makes for a great family friendly walk. I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in the area potentially for an extended circular.
