Walk: Culnaskiach Falls – an Ardendrain adventure

📌 Ardendrain, Highland
★★

Culnaskiach Falls are hidden away near Ardendrain within Boblainy Forest: an extensive wooded area off the scenic A833 running between Beauly and Drumnadrochit. The smallish burn plunges tens of metres off a dramatic grey precipice, making for an impressive sight after heavy rain. The curving hillside to the south makes for a reasonably decent viewpoint, although once leaf cover develops each spring, the lower half of the drop becomes increasingly obscured. Most of the circuit follows good tracks, but the middle section around the waterfall involves a potentially awkward burn crossing, some steep drops and pathless terrain. A bit of an adventure, perhaps for waterfall enthusiasts only, with map navigation skills also required.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish at public road end / track junction just beyond Water Treatment Plant, southwest side of Ardendrain

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NH 504376

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.403884,-4.491901

❌ No public transport within 1 mi

🚗 Verge parking

📝 Key info

▶ 6 km / 4 mi | ▲ 170 m | ⌛ 2-2.5 hr

Features: 🌊 Culnaskiach Falls ★★★

⬤⬤ Moderate to Tough | Good tracks for most of the approach, deteriorating to a fainter track, then a faint & narrow path. The burn must then be carefully crossed on boulders (impassable in full spate). Beyond the viewpoint there’s a short pathless section through woodland before the good return track is gained.

➡️ Anticlockwise lollipop circuit: start – track west to Bruiach Burn – follow southeast bank upstream – path up east bank of tributary burn below falls – cross to west bank a few hundred metres below falls – path climbs south then east up shoulder to overlook waterfall from the south side join track to south – follow track north to rejoin outward route

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Roe deer, forest birds, lots and lots of slugs.

Weather: Rain, 9°C.

May 2024

Culnaskiach Falls ★★★