In this cataract, the Clyde leaps a greater distance than in either of
the falls above, and by many it is considered the finer of the two
great waterfalls. It lies about three miles below Lanark, and is
reached from the public road. It is difficult of access, for the
visitor must either content himself with a distant view, or take his
heart in his hand and descend a precipitous and dangerous path, where
at times to hang on by the eyelids may seem the only resource. In
speaking of Corra Linn, nothing has been said of the extreme beauty of
the scene through which the river flows. From Hamilton to some
distance above Lanark, the Clyde valley is a famous fruit district,
itself a testimony to the richness and mildness of the locality. It
would be vain to dwell on the sylvan splendours of the reach of the
river from Bonnington to below Corra Linn. High banks overhang the
whole way, sometimes running to bold cliffs, crowned with woody
knolls, with shining snatches of verdure in every crevice; at other
points wooded to the water's edge. Standing on the bridge at
Kirkfieldbank the river is seen pleasantly flowing on towards its
third leap, the greatest of the series. Before passing by the road to
this scene a detour should be made, on the opposite bank, to the
Cartland Crags, where a lofty bridge crosses the river Mouse, and
amongst whose lofty cliffs the hero William Wallace found refuge after
his famous exploit in slaying Haselrig the English Sheriff.
Approaching Stonebyres, the war of troubled waters is again heard. The
stream is not far off the road, and only a short walk is necessary
before the scene bursts upon the view. Of course glimpses of the
waterfall can be obtained from many points, but the choice aspect is
to reach the bed of the stream below, and gaze upwards on the mighty
rush of waters. To one who is bold and sure-footed there is no great
difficulty in approaching pretty near the fall, unless the river
should be in spate, when of course the difficulty is increased, and
may indeed become too dangerous to be possible. Supposing the fall
approached within several score of yards, what a splendid scene, and
how thrilling is that on which we gaze!
'O what an amphitheatre surrounds
The abyss, in which the downward mass is plunged,
Stunning the ear.'
The entire descent is about ninety feet, in several distinct leaps.
This broken character of the two great falls gives them a great deal
of their distinctive beauty. Doubtless, if the flood had plunged in
one sheer leap, the turmoil below would have been greater, but the
picturesque aspects of the scene would have been lessened. The jutting
rocks and ragged edges by which the fall is broken, give to the face
of the waterfall an ever varying feature, and with the undulating flow
and gamut of sound here, as at Corra Linn, it presents at each moment
some new point for admiration. Then the triple and repeated leaps
churn the water into the snowiest foam and spray, so that the falls
have great brightness and lightness in spite of the quantity of water
plunging over. The combination of tones of colour is indeed notable,
and when to the greens and browns of rock and tree, and the white foam
of the fall, there is added a brilliant sunshine and cerulean sky
flecked with light clouds, anyone standing here may well exclaim that
'Earth hath not anything to show more fair.'