The drive up through the western highlands is probably one of the most scenic drives in Britain. Unlike the A9 from Perth to Inverness, which has some good views but not many show stopping ones, the drive through the Trossachs and onwards to Glencoe and Fort William is phenomenal. On our way back from Skye we stopped off for a quick walk in Lochaber – one of the best things about travelling with dogs is that it prompts us to stop for a walk and to stretch our legs on longer journeys. With it being a long drive, we didn’t want to stop for too long, and opted for a quick walk to Steall Waterfall close to Fort William.
We followed a linear route of about 2 miles in total from Walkhighlands. For such a short walk, it certainly packs a punch in terms of drama! Parking is free at the end of the road (drive to the very end, don’t panic and stop in one of the car parks on the way). From here, there is a clear path leading into the Nevis Gorge. It starts out fairly flat and level for the first five minutes, before starting to climb up and down and becoming rockier underfoot.
It’s never a prolonged ascent or descent, but with the combination of slippy rocks underfoot, care is needed. We managed the walk in running trainers, but if you’re not confident on slippery or uneven surfaces, you probably want your walking boots for this one.
Although you’re walking through a woody gorge, there are sporadic gaps in the trees where lovely views down the glen open up. The final stretch to the waterfall is across open grassland, with the river easily accessible, and the waterfall soon comes into sight to spur you along the last leg. The sound of the river rushing through the gorge makes it feel even wilder.
The falls themselves are impressive, and it feels like you should’ve had to walk for further to get to them! This perhaps accounts for the popularity of this walk: we did see plenty of other people, but it wasn’t a case of there always being someone in sight like other popular walks we’ve done.
Dog friendly rating – 3.5/5. There are some steep drops to watch out for in the gorge, but once you emerge onto the flat, you might be able to let your dog off the lead as long as there are no livestock or deer around (we didn’t see any, but there were plenty of sheep on the road on our way there, so we decided not to risk it). The river can be accessed for dogs to have a drink, and there are no stiles or road walking to worry about – it was a great little stop off for us.
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