Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Lairg Falls of Shin

Falls of Shin

This man-made waterfall was designed to help improve access for spawning salmon.

Lairg, Scotland

Added By
katielou106
Salmon making the leap up the falls.   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
The Falls of Shin.   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Salmon mosaic at the Falls of Shin.   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Falls of Shin is a beautiful waterfall located along the River Shin, not far from the villages of Bonar Bridge and Lairg.

What makes this waterfall so unique is that despite its magnificent natural surroundings, the Falls of Shin were human-made. They were designed when the area was dynamited to improve access during the summer months for spawning salmon returning from the ocean. There is a viewing platform at the side of the river, which is a great place to watch salmon leap past the rapids. 

The nearby visitor center has a wealth of information about the life cycle of salmon and what makes these fish so special. It provides an interesting read for visitors before venturing to the falls. 

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Related Tags

Fish Waterfalls Nature Water

Know Before You Go

The Falls of Shin has a large car park at the visitor center and is a short walk down the river bank.

Community Contributors

Added By

katielou106

Published

November 23, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Scotland

Scotland

United Kingdom

Places 757
Stories 49

Related Places

  • Venta Rapids

    Kuldīga, Latvia

    The Venta Rapid

    The widest waterfall in Europe is a natural wonder and one of the only places where fish are caught in the air.

  • Cascade Falls

    Ouray, Colorado

    Cascade Falls Park

    Let Ouray’s tallest waterfall sweep your breath away on a dealer’s choice of scenic hikes.

  • Webber Falls

    Sierraville, California

    Webber Falls

    A little-known, but surprisingly large waterfall on the Little Truckee River in the northern Sierra Nevada.

  • Hoodoos above Tropic Falls.

    Tropic, Utah

    Tropic Ditch

    A late-19th century diversion canal built by hand crosses Bryce Canyon National Park and is still in use.

  • Burney Falls.

    Burney, California

    Burney Falls

    The flow from this waterfall sometimes comes out of springs below its rim.

  • Krushuna Falls

    Bulgaria

    Krushuna Falls

    These cascading falls resonate throughout the Bulgarian forest.

  • Cascade Falls.

    Duck Creek Village, Utah

    Cascade Falls

    An improbable waterfall springs from an orange-white cliff face, tumbling into the headwaters of the Virgin River above Zion National Park.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member