Scotland's Pristine Waterfalls
Scotland is renowned for its natural beauty with rolling hills, dramatic crags, beautiful lochs, fast-flowing rivers carving into the surrounding landscape and of course waterfalls. Scotland is said to have 20 waterfalls from the highest in Assynt, Sutherland, Scotland - Eas a' Chual Aluinn with a sheer drop of 200 m (660 ft) to the most magical - Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye. Some are easy to reach, while others are a bit more challenging. Here are some you might like to visit.
Scotland's Pristine Waterfalls
Grey Mares Trail Waterfall, Dumfries and Galloway
The minute you see this cascading waterfall you know why it's called Grey Mares Tail. Robert Burns lived nearby in 1789 and was said to have been inspired by the waterfall going on to write Tam O'Shanter and a Grey Mare's Tail tale.
After a number of years of driving past it, we finally made a trip. The car park was really busy and so we waited in earnest for somebody to return to their car soon. We didn't have long to wait. There are two walking routes; one directly to the waterfall taking 10 minutes and the other almighty uphill, narrow step staired hour and 30-minute climb. At the top is Loch Skeen said to be home to Britain's rare freshwater fish - Vendace. On a good day, there are also good views across the surrounding landscape extending as for as the Lake District.
We drove down from Edinburgh and took the city bypass via Peebles, in the Scottish Borders and on past St Mary's Loch. It was a beautiful hot sunny day, with many sailing boats and kayaks. The narrow country roads saw many cyclists too. After the 1 hour 30 minute drive it was nice to get out and stretch our legs. We took a picnic lunch and plenty of water for the trip. Beware there are no toilets or catering facilities on-site. On the return route, we opted to take the road back via Moffat and onto the motorway. It is a beautiful site, maintained by the National Trust for Scotland. Look out for the rare plants, Osprey's, goats and more. Well worth the hike!
Why not make a weekend trip to visit more in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway area's including Smails Printing Works, the incredible Polish Map of Scotland, Wigtown's many independent book shops, Rockcliffe scenic bay and more on the South West 300.
