The river at Randolph's Leap passes through an opening of rocks, roughly eight feet in width, tearing its way amid gigantic cliffs dashing over great boulders and swirling foaming pools. Above are fearsome cliffs and tree roots struggling for a grip on the sloping edges.

In the days of Randolph, the Earl of Moray, a chained plank crossed this chasm, the slender plank of wood serving as a footbridge. The story of Randolph's Leap appears to be a misnomer and the famous leap should be credited to the one who performed it - that of Cumming's Leap.

For hundreds of years the ancient family of Cumming held the post of ranger of the Forest of Darnaway. It was a gift of the Crown, and regarded as a hereditary right.

In the 14th century, however, Robert the Bruce granted the rich earldom of Moray to Thomas Randolph. A quarrel arose between the Cummings and the Randolphs, who told his neighbour in no uncertain terms that as overlord of Moray he could hunt in the forests if he wished. Alastair Cumming rashly decided to make war on the new Earl and planned to capture him and burn Darnaway Castle.

A fiery cross was sent round the lands of the Cummings, and soon 1000 men gathered at Lethen. Not even a watchman barred their march, and Darnaway Castle seemed within their grasp. What happened in the narrow gorge, which by the irony of fate so often goes by the name of Randolph's Leap, proved to be an actual incident in a battle fought on a very considerable scale.

A treacherous member of the Cumming party had kept the Earl informed, and he had laid a successful ambush. Alastair Cumming fought his way along the banks of the Findhorn, and in desperate strait young Cumming threw his standard across the river shouting "Let the bravest keep it," then leapt the eight-foot chasm along with four of his followers and disappeared in the wilds of the Divie.

Randolph and his followers, aided by bloodhounds, eventually hunted down the fugitives to a cave in the old course of the Divie, built a fire at the entrance and smoked the Cummings to death. He then cut off their heads and threw them over the garrison wall and into the Castle of Dunphail, home of the Cummings.