Best Waterfalls Near Fort William
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best waterfalls near Fort William are Steall Waterfall, Coe River Waterfall, Kilfinnan Falls, Falls of Roy, White Falls, Easan Dubha, Eas a’ Chaorainn and Eas Urchaidh.
Fort William sits amid some of the grandest waterfall country in Scotland, with glens running off in every direction. Closest of all, just up Glen Nevis to the east, the towering Steall Waterfall pours down its cliff into a mountain meadow, reached across a nerve-testing wire bridge.
South down the A82, a white cascade tumbles beside the road in Glen Coe below the Three Sisters. Head northeast up the Great Glen and you find Kilfinnan Falls above Loch Lochy, the Falls of Roy in its ice-carved glen near Roybridge, and the remote White Falls high in the Monadhliath.
Further south still, in Glen Orchy toward Dalmally, the Orchy thunders over Easan Dubha and Eas Urchaidh, while out west in roadless Knoydart the little Eas a' Chaorainn drops beside a stalkers' path. Some are close, others need a long drive and a walk, so come well shod and ready for Highland weather.
Here are eight waterfalls to seek out near Fort William.
Steall Waterfall
Photo: Tom Courtney via Geograph.org.uk
Walk up Glen Nevis to Steall Waterfall Barely a short drive and walk from Fort William, Steall Waterfall, in Gaelic An Steall Ban, the white spout, is a tall single-drop fall in Glen Nevis, among the highest in Scotland at around a hundred and twenty metres. The water falls down a cliff into a green meadow ringed by mountains.
You reach it on a walk of about a mile from the upper Glen Nevis car park, through a dramatic rocky gorge with the river tumbling below.
Coe River Waterfall
Photo: Peter Bond via Geograph.org.uk
See the roadside falls in Glen Coe A little way south down the A82, this waterfall drops beside the road through Glen Coe, below the ridge of the Three Sisters in the western Highlands. The water comes off the steep mountainside in a white cascade and runs down to join the River Coe on the floor of the glen.
It is one of the most photographed spots on the drive through Glen Coe, easily seen from a pull-in on the road, with steep, bare mountain walls rising all around. Close enough to Fort William for a short outing, it makes an easy stop on any journey south through this celebrated glen.
Kilfinnan Falls
Photo: Jonathan Billinger via Geograph.org.uk
Climb to Kilfinnan Falls above Loch Lochy On the Kilfinnan Burn near the north end of Loch Lochy in the Great Glen, above Laggan, Kilfinnan Falls sees the burn drop through a wooded gorge, glimpsed at first through the trees. A steep, narrow path scrambles up alongside for a better view, lying on the walkers' way toward the hills above.
This is an out-of-the-way fall reached on foot from the locks at Laggan, so it suits a drive northeast up the Great Glen from Fort William followed by a short climb. Expect no facilities, just quiet woodland and rushing water in a fold of the hills.
Falls of Roy
Photo: Karl and Ali via Geograph.org.uk
Head up Glen Roy to the Falls of Roy High in Glen Roy, in the hills near Roybridge in Lochaber, the Falls of Roy see the River Roy drop over rock in the upper glen, modest in low water and forceful in spate. Glen Roy itself is best known for its Parallel Roads, the shorelines of long-vanished ice-age lakes marked along the hillsides, which alone reward the drive up.
This is an obscure, little-documented fall in remote country, so treat it as a wild bonus while you explore the glen northeast of Fort William rather than a signposted attraction. Bring boots and a map for the open hillside.
White Falls
Photo: John Ferguson via Geograph.org.uk
White Falls Reached only on foot across trackless hill country, White Falls lies deep in the Monadhliath, roughly ten miles south of Fort Augustus and southeast of Loch Oich in the Highlands. The name covers a scatter of white-water falls where small burns tumble over rock and peat across open moorland, on the high ground between Glen Buck and the head of Glen Tarff, far from any road or path.
This is terrain for well-equipped hillwalkers with map and compass, not casual visitors after an easy view. Those wanting something gentler will find the better-known waterfalls down in Glen Tarff toward Fort Augustus.
Easan Dubha
Photo: Peter Moore via Geograph.org.uk
Photograph Easan Dubha on the Orchy Easan Dubha, the black falls, is a run of falls and rapids on the River Orchy in Glen Orchy, in the western Highlands. The river drops over ledges of dark rock in a wooded stretch beside the single-track road through the glen.
It is a well-known spot on the whitewater run down the Orchy and a favourite of photographers, with fast water pouring through the gorge, strongest after rain. It lies a fair drive south of Fort William, down past Glen Coe and toward Dalmally, so pair it with the other Orchy falls for a day among the western glens.
Eas a’ Chaorainn
Photo: Adam Ward via Geograph.org.uk
Eas a’ Chaorainn Getting here is half the adventure, since Knoydart, one of Scotland's last roadless corners, is accessible only by boat from Mallaig or on your own two feet. The name means the waterfall of the rowan, and it lies a couple of miles up from Inverie on the stalkers' path onto Beinn na Caillich, where a hill burn spills in a cascade right beside the track.
Climb past it and the fine peak of Ladhar Bheinn fills the view ahead across the glen. Nothing out here offers shelter or supplies, so arrive fully prepared for wild, open ground.
Eas Urchaidh
Photo: Philip Halling via Geograph.org.uk
End at Eas Urchaidh, the Falls of Orchy The furthest of the set, Eas Urchaidh, the Falls of Orchy, is a waterfall on the River Orchy in Glen Orchy, on the single-track road up the glen from Dalmally. The river pours over ledges of rock in a wooded gorge, a well-known spot on a river popular with whitewater kayakers for its fast, powerful currents.
A car park and picnic area sit by the falls, with old Caledonian pines on the slopes above. It ranks among the finest falls on the Orchy, and rounds off a long but scenic drive south from Fort William through the western glens.
FAQs
Which waterfall is closest to Fort William?
Steall Waterfall is the nearest, only about 9 kilometres away up Glen Nevis, and among the highest falls in Scotland at around 120 metres, reached on a mile-long walk from the upper car park.
Are any of these waterfalls easy to reach?
The Glen Coe roadside cascade is the simplest, seen from a pull-in on the A82 south of Fort William. Steall in Glen Nevis is also straightforward, though it involves a rocky gorge path and an optional wire bridge.
Do I need hiking gear for these falls?
For the remote ones, yes. White Falls in the Monadhliath and Eas a' Chaorainn in Knoydart lie in roadless country far from Fort William and need proper boots, a map and Highland-ready clothing.
Conclusion
Few places in Britain offer waterfalls to match those around Fort William, from the soaring drop of Steall in Glen Nevis to the powerful chutes of the River Orchy far to the south. Some, like the roadside cascade in Glen Coe, take only a moment to reach; others, such as White Falls in the Monadhliath or Eas a' Chaorainn in Knoydart, demand a long walk into wild, roadless country.
Pick a bright day after rain, when the burns run at their fullest, carry proper boots and waterproofs, and check the Highland forecast before setting out. Whether you want a short stroll up Glen Nevis or a full day among remote hills, these are the waterfalls to seek out near Fort William.
