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GUIDE TO THE RIVER FINDHORN

(Randolph's Leap to Mains of Sluie)

NAME OF RIVER: Findhorn.

WHERE IS IT?: NE Scotland.

PUT-INS/ TAKE-OUTS: Get in at Randolph's Leap. Get out, we parked in a lay-by some distance above the river. Take out at the Mains of Sluie. Paddlers have been requested not to park vehicles here. Leave your shuttle vehicle in the walkers car park on the main road and walk up to get it - the owners apparently don't mind you bringing the car down to collect the boats.
APPROX LENGTH: 6 km.

TIME NEEDED: 4 hours.

ACCESS SITUATION: Unknown.

WATER LEVEL INDICATORS: Best place for water level check is at the main drop at Randolph's Leap - if only the right hand channel is possible, the river is low. If the centre channel is just paddleable (about 2 feet wide) then the river is medium. If the right hand & centre channels are about 6 feet wide or more then the river is high. If all the rocks are covered you'll probably want to walk away - go and do the upper section instead!!

GRADING: 4 (5)

MAJOR HAZARDS/ FALLS: Randolph's Leap. Undercuts.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This is a great section on any level and although on low/ medium levels there are quite a few flat sections between the drops - it never loses interest. Start above or below Randolph's Leap, a grade 4/5 (depending on water level) section through a series of scour holes; there's a siphon or two thrown in as well. The difficulty varies considerably with level, we did it with no requirement for bank support at what I think was a medium to high level. Once past Randolph's Leap - either paddled or portaged with an excellent seal launch off the top of the rocks below - the river quietens for a few hundred yards before you reach the start of the gorge proper (Look for the White house on river right). There is then a short GR.3 section with a small hole half way down and an excellent surf wave on the corner below. Past here is the start of the main drops...

  • The first is a long rapid Gr4 with some nasty holes and a HUGE rock to get around. Called Triple Step? Immediately below this is a grippy stopper/ looping pool depending on the level.
  • The next drop is on a right hand bend- inspect river right - this is a gnarly Grade 4 on low water - but actually gets easier on higher levels, Gr3.
  • A series of Grade 3 rapids.
  • A few more drops and you finally reach the final drop of the gorge. This is badly undercut river right and often has trees wedged in below. Inspect river left - on high levels get out before the final eddy as this becomes non-existent and opens up a chicken shoot which drops you straight into the hole and the undercut!! NB - this drop has changed significantly over the last few years and looks horrible on high water.

Mark R adds (Easter 2000)...'at medium/ high levels we found the chicken chute paddleable without being shoved into the (awful looking) main fall. Inspect for yourself and decide.'

A short paddle out of the gorge brings you to the Mains of Sluie - look for the large red rocks on river right - Scramble up the goat track on the right and follow the path up to the farm buildings.

OTHER NOTES: Mark Gawler's Opinion...'A high quality bit of water, although I think it has been over-hyped in the past. I got off feeling short-changed. The best and most technically challenging part of the river is the first 100m (Randolph's Leap).'

Other upstream Findhorn sections to consider are, Upper Section down to Dulsie Bridge, Dulsie Bridge to Logie Bridge and Logie Bridge to Randolph's Leap.

Or perhaps consider Dorback Burn if it was all too easy?

CONTRIBUTED BY: Dave Francis, Mark Rainsley and Mark Gawler.

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