A deep plunge pool lies beneath an 18m waterfall in a small wooded gorge. Zoom out a little and you’ll see huge rolling hills which are blanketed in vibrant purple heather in the height of the summer months. It’s an idyllic setting, so all in all it’s no surprise that Linhope Spout has become the most popular wild swimming spot in Northumberland.
A bit like Black Moss Pot in the Lake District you’re going to need to come early or late in the day in the school summer holidays if you don’t want to share the pool, but it’s well worth a visit even if you don’t get it to yourself.
The walk to Linhope Spout
The stats
Distance: 1.55 miles (2.5km) each way
Elevation gain: 150m
Difficulty: Easy - moderate
Trailhead: Layby near Linhope
Summary: The walk to Linhope Spout is generally all on good paths, though there are uneven stony sections much of the way. There are several up and downhill sections as you make your way to the waterfall and one fairly steep descent just as you near the falls.
The majority of this steeper section is on a grassy track, but there are one or two rougher patches which can get muddy after rain. None of the descent was slippery when dry.
Starting the trail: along the road
The walk begins from a lay-by and does follow a paved road for the first 1.3km, but as it’s not a public road it’s very quiet (we didn’t see a single car) and the views are stunning.
There are rolling hills as far as the eye can see and plenty of sheep frolicking in the fields. The start of the walk is uphill but it soon flattens before heading downhill at the 430m mark.
It’s a gentle descent and after this the path is either flat or ever so slightly uphill. You’ll reach a couple of gorgeous old stone houses built beside a stream at the 1.3km mark. You’ll cross a wide bridge and then take the left immediately after.
The scenery gets more dramatic
After a few metres heading uphill you bear right along the grassy path, Linhope Spout is signposted, so you can’t go wrong. The grassy path then meets a gravel track which continues leading uphill.
You’ll pass through a gate and keep climbing with evermore dramatic views of the surrounding hills. We shared the track with a large number of grouse which seemed remarkably unfazed by our presence.
The steepish gradient continues up to the 1.75km mark at which point it slackens. Roughly 250m later, at the 2km mark you need to turn right, following the stony path to the gate, 150m away.
After passing through the gate you reach the prettiest part of the walk as you head along a grassy path surrounded by huge hills which were a riot of colour during our August visit. The scenery is utterly glorious and reminded me a lot of the Lake District.
After following the grassy path for 180m you’ll see a turn off on the right. This is the steep route down to the falls.
You could take a more circuitous route by continuing straight on, however, the final descent to the falls from this side is actually rockier and a bit rougher than the steeper route.
If taking the first option you have 120m on a steep grassy track and then there is a small eroded section which can get muddy after rain. It’s otherwise no problem at all, with large tiered bits of dirt track you can walk down, it’s by no means a scramble.
You’ll then reach a grassy lawn and follow it left for 50m to the falls.
Swimming at Linhope Spout
Linhope Spout is a beautiful waterfall, a slender cascade shoots into a small plunge pool, surrounded by rock walls and trees which keep it shady for much of the day.
To access the pool, and the best view of the falls, you need to climb down a little rocky section. The rocks are jagged, but it’s only around six steps until you reach the water and even when damp they didn’t feel overly slippery.
It’s easiest to enter the water from the rocks in the middle (with a head on view of the waterfall). At this point there are more rocks under the water you can use if you want to lower yourself in rather than slide off into deeper water.
The water is deep enough to swim off immediately and I didn’t encounter any rocks in the main part of the pool, so though it’s relatively small, there’s room to have a little swim. Looking up at the falls from below offers the most dramatic view as it always feels so much bigger when you’re staring up at it.
Unless it’s been very, very dry expect there to be a lot of current in the water. For us there was still room to swim outside the current, but despite a fairly dry spell it was quite powerful. The whole pool is deep, which is I guess why people can jump from the cliffs, though I have to say I wouldn’t dare!
It’s a fantastic place for a swim, though as mentioned, you may need to time your trip carefully if visiting in the school summer holidays. We were there at 5pm in August and there was just one family at the falls, though on the walk back four more groups were heading up, so early, or really quite late is probably your best bet if you want to avoid the crowds.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the area, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
Where to park for Linhope Spout
The closest parking area for Linhope Spout is off the side of the road that passes through Ingram to Linhope, postcode NE66 4LZ, you can see it on Google maps here. You can’t drive any further as the last 1.3km are residential access only.
Parking is currently free and there is no time limit, but closer spots to the trailhead fill up quickly on the weekend.
There are no toilets or any other facilities at the parking area or anywhere else along the trail.
It’s around a 35 minute drive from Rothbury and 50 minutes from Morpeth.
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