Discover: Hareshaw Linn

The word ‘Linn’ is an archaic Scottish word commonly used across northern England to describe a waterfall, or a pool at the foot of one. Located on the outskirts of Bellingham, a small town in the heart of the North Tyne Valley, the enchanting Hareshaw Linn awaits adventurers along a route renowned for its captivating beauty.

The trail to the waterfall begins at the National Park car park (grid reference NY 840 834) and criss-crosses the Hareshaw Burn several times as it delves deeper into a densely wooded gorge. The area is a designated Site of Scientific Interest (SSI) due to its rare ferns and lichen. Continuing upstream, the forest matures, cloaking the trees in a rich tapestry of diverse moss species.

Streams fall off the steep-sided ravine and huge boulders lie strewn across the riverbed. The Linn serves as a sanctuary to a diverse array of wildlife, including red squirrels, great spotted woodpeckers, redstarts, dippers, badgers and Daubenton’s bats – a captivating assembly that can be sighted amidst this thriving ecosystem. At the furthest accessible point in the ravine, the waterfall appears as a 30-foot-high cascade, spraying water in every direction as it bounces off the rocks on its journey towards a dark pool below.

Photography by Callum Thompson