Falls of Glomach — Kintail
5-6 hours return
One of Britain's highest waterfalls at 113 metres. The approach from Morvich takes about 3 hours each way through wild Kintail scenery. The falls plunge into a narrow gorge — you hear them before you see them. The viewing platform is perched on the edge. Not for vertigo sufferers.
💡 Start from Morvich car park. The path is clear but remote. Check MWIS — the approach crosses exposed ground.
Plodda Falls — Glen Affric
30 minutes return
A 46-metre waterfall in ancient Caledonian pine forest. A short walk from the car park leads to a viewing platform that juts out over the top of the falls. The Douglas firs surrounding the falls are some of the tallest trees in Britain. Combine with a longer walk along Loch Affric.
💡 Free. Car park about 30 minutes from Cannich on forestry roads. The drive in is part of the experience.
Falls of Foyers — Loch Ness (east shore)
30 minutes return
A 50-metre waterfall hidden in woodland on Loch Ness's quieter eastern shore. Robert Burns wrote a poem about it in 1787. The upper and lower viewpoints give different perspectives. Free and usually uncrowded — most Loch Ness visitors stick to the west shore.
💡 Free parking. Steep but short path. The café at Foyers village does good scones.
Grey Mare's Tail — Near Moffat (Southern Uplands)
2-3 hours return
A 60-metre hanging-valley waterfall in a Nature Reserve. The path climbs steeply alongside the falls to Loch Skeen, a glacial lake with views of the surrounding hills. One of the most dramatic waterfalls in southern Scotland. Peregrine falcons nest on the cliffs.
💡 National Trust for Scotland. £3 car park donation. The path is steep but well-maintained.
Eas a' Chual Aluinn — Assynt (near Kylesku)
5-6 hours return
Britain's highest waterfall at 200 metres — over twice the height of Niagara (in drop, not volume). The approach is boggy and unmarked — this is a proper wilderness walk. The view from the top is not for the faint-hearted. Best seen after heavy rain when the flow is strongest.
💡 Start from the A894 near Kylesku. No marked trail — map and compass essential. The ground is very wet.
Falls of Bruar — Perthshire (off the A9)
1 hour return
A series of cascades in a narrow gorge near the House of Bruar shopping centre. Robert Burns asked the Duke of Atholl to plant trees here in 1787 — the duke complied. Now a beautiful woodland walk with stone bridges and viewing platforms. Perfect for a driving break.
💡 Free. Park at the House of Bruar. The path is paved and suitable for families. Combine with shopping at the food hall.
Editor's Note
The Falls of Glomach is the best walk on this list and the hardest. I did it in September after a week of rain — the falls were in full flow, thundering into the gorge, and I was the only person there. The 3-hour walk in means most people never bother. Their loss. If you do one waterfall walk in the Highlands, make it this one. Just check the weather first.