Walk: Fantastic Falls of Foyers

📌 Loch Ness, Highland
★★★★

A short drive along the narrow shore road from Dores brings you to the village of Foyers, scattered across the hillside high above Loch Ness. A short walk takes you to viewpoints for the breathtaking waterfalls on the River Foyers, which are much taller than they usually appear in photographs. The scenery seems almost North American in character, with trees towering high above a seemingly bottomless chasm, filled with mist when the river’s in spate. At other times (especially during dry summers) the spectacle can be rather less impressive, and it’s not unknown for the falls to dry up completely – not helped by hydro schemes further upriver. The area is deserving of exploration right down to where the river runs into the loch, though the lower part doesn’t match up in grandeur to the gorge above. Remember to save some energy (or snacks!) for the steep ascent back to the car park.

📷 Chronological photo guide

🌍 Location

📌 Start / finish on the B852 at Foyers Village Stores

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NH 498205

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.249907,-4.490129

🚌 Infrequent bus stops at Foyers Village Stores

🚗 Car park

📝 Key info

▶ 5 km / 3 mi | ▲ 150 m | ⌛ 1.5-2 hr

Features: 🌊 Lower Fall of Foyers ★★★★

⬤ Moderate | Clear paths, steep & narrow in places.

➡️ Lollipop walk with minor detours & variants: start – viewpoints for Lower Fall of Foyers – cross Foyers lower bridge – Loch Ness at mouth of River Foyers (west bank) – Foyers Burial Ground – Foyers lower bridge – return by outward route or similar

Download file for GPS

🥾 On our last visit

Wildlife: Annoying midges around at the bottom of the route, nearer the loch. This is a good place to spot red squirrels.

Weather: Mostly sunshine overhead but cloud over the hills. Quite warm and sticky with little wind.

July 2013

Lower Fall of Foyers ★★★★