Family Waterfalls in Inverness & the Highlands
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The family waterfalls in Inverness & the Highlands are Eas na Muice, Falls of Divach, Kilfinnan Falls, Sputan Ban, Rogie Falls, Plodda Falls, Steall Waterfall and Culnaskiach Falls.
The Highlands around Inverness hold some of Scotland's finest waterfalls, and there is one to suit almost every family, provided you match the walk to the day. A few are wonderfully accessible: Rogie Falls near Contin has a short waymarked trail to a bouncing suspension bridge, while Plodda Falls and the Falls of Divach reward a brief forest walk with a dramatic viewpoint.
Others ask for more legwork. Steall Waterfall in Glen Nevis lies a mile through a rocky gorge, Kilfinnan Falls involves a steep scramble beside the burn, and Culnaskiach Falls fades to a rough, pathless route through the trees.
The remotest of all, Sputan Ban in Glen Affric and Eas na Muice in Glen Strathfarrar, sit deep in wild glens far from any road. From gentle woodland strolls to long mountain walks, these falls span the full range of Highland country.
Choose wisely, pack boots and waterproofs, and keep children well back from wet rock and edges. Here are eight family waterfalls to seek out in Inverness & the Highlands.
Eas na Muice
Photo: Chris Eilbeck via Geograph.org.uk
Eas na Muice means the waterfall of the pig, a hill burn dropping through a ravine in Glen Strathfarrar in the Highlands as it runs down toward the glen floor. It falls at the line where open moorland gives way to the steeper, wooded slopes above the river.
The glen is a gated nature reserve with restricted vehicle access, which keeps it quiet and barely visited. There are no paths and no facilities at the fall itself, so reaching it means picking your own way over rough ground.
For solitude deep in the hills, there are few better places.
Falls of Divach
Photo: Richard Webb via Geograph.org.uk
Falls of Divach drop around a hundred feet in a single fall on the Divach Burn, in the hills above Drumnadrochit in Glen Urquhart, west of Loch Ness. A short walk through oak woodland leads to a viewpoint looking onto the tall, narrow fall.
The burn runs on down to join the River Coiltie and reach Loch Ness at Urquhart Bay. It is a Forestry and Land Scotland site, with parking and a picnic area at the start, which makes it a friendly and manageable outing for families.
Seek it out after rain, when the fall is at its fullest.
Kilfinnan Falls
Photo: Jonathan Billinger via Geograph.org.uk
Kilfinnan Falls is a waterfall on the Kilfinnan Burn, near the north end of Loch Lochy in the Great Glen, above Laggan. The burn drops through a wooded gorge, seen at first through the trees, with a steep, narrow path scrambling up alongside for a better view.
It lies on the walkers' way up toward the hills above, an out-of-the-way fall reached on foot from the locks at Laggan. The steep ground makes this one for families with surer-footed, older children rather than an easy stroll.
Seek it out and take the scramble slowly for the best view.
Sputan Ban
Photo: Jim Barton via Geograph.org.uk
Sputan Ban, whose Gaelic name means the little white spout, is a remote waterfall on the Allt Coulavie in Glen Affric, one of the great wild glens of the Highlands. It lies deep in a landscape of native pinewood, moor and mountain, far from any road and reached only by a long walk into the glen, through country loved by hillwalkers heading for the Munros around it.
This is a genuinely out-of-the-way cascade with no facilities, so save it for families used to big days on the hill. Seek it out with map, boots and an early start.
Rogie Falls
Photo: Steven Brown via Geograph.org.uk
Rogie Falls is a series of waterfalls on the Black Water river in a forest near Contin, a few miles west of Strathpeffer. From a car park, a short waymarked trail of about ten minutes leads to a narrow suspension bridge that bounces underfoot and gives a face-on view of the falls, with a salmon ladder built beside the main drop.
In late summer and autumn, wild salmon can be watched leaping up the falls on their way upstream. Woodland paths run on around the river, a gentle and popular walk, which makes this an easy and rewarding family outing.
Seek it out in autumn to catch the leaping salmon.
Plodda Falls
Photo: Margaret Pennington via Geograph.org.uk
Plodda Falls is a tall waterfall in Douglas fir woodland near Tomich, at the edge of Glen Affric, where the water drops about forty-six metres into a pool below. A short forest walk from a car park leads to an iron viewing platform that juts right out over the lip of the falls, giving a dizzying look straight down, with a lower viewpoint at the plunge pool.
The original iron bridge was built in 1880 by Lord Tweedmouth, whose Guisachan estate this was, and the present platform replaced it. A quiet spot deep in the woods, it makes a manageable family outing with a real thrill at the top.
Seek it out and hold little hands on the platform.
Steall Waterfall
Photo: Tom Courtney via Geograph.org.uk
Steall Waterfall is a tall single-drop fall in Glen Nevis near Fort William, 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.
It is reached on a walk of about a mile from the upper Glen Nevis car park, through a dramatic rocky gorge with the river tumbling below. To cross to the foot of the falls there is a three-wire bridge, a single cable to walk along with two for the hands, a wobbly crossing that many admire from the bank instead.
Best for families happy to walk; seek it out and view it from the meadow.
Culnaskiach Falls
Photo: valenta via Geograph.org.uk
Culnaskiach Falls is a waterfall tucked away in Boblainy Forest, south of Kiltarlity in the Highlands west of Inverness. A burn drops off a grey rock face into a narrow gorge, small in dry weather but forceful after heavy rain.
It is reached only on foot, by forest tracks that fade to a rough, sometimes pathless route with a burn to cross. This is an out-of-the-way fall for confident walkers rather than a marked attraction, so keep it for families with older children and good boots.
Seek it out after heavy rain, when the burn is in full spate.
FAQs
Which Highland waterfalls are easiest for families to reach?
Rogie Falls, Plodda Falls and the Falls of Divach are the easiest, each with parking and a short walk to a viewpoint. Rogie Falls even has a bouncing suspension bridge that children love. These three make gentle, rewarding family outings.
Are any of these Highland waterfalls good for young children?
Yes. The woodland trails at Rogie Falls, Plodda Falls and the Falls of Divach are short and manageable for small legs. Keep a firm hold near the viewing platforms and edges. The remoter falls, like Sputan Ban, are better saved for older children.
When can you see salmon leaping at Rogie Falls?
Late summer and autumn are the times to watch wild salmon leaping up Rogie Falls on their way upstream, using the salmon ladder built beside the main drop. Time your visit for those months for the best chance of seeing them.
Conclusion
The Highlands around Inverness reward families with waterfalls of every kind, from the easy woodland trails at Rogie Falls, Plodda Falls and the Falls of Divach to the long, wild walks that reach Sputan Ban and Eas na Muice. Steall Waterfall and Kilfinnan Falls sit somewhere in between, fine for families happy to walk on rougher ground, while Culnaskiach Falls suits confident older children.
As always in the hills, let the weather and your party's legs decide which fall to aim for, and keep everyone well back from wet rock, edges and swollen burns. Pick the right day and the right walk and the Highlands will deliver something memorable: these are the family waterfalls to seek out in Inverness & the Highlands.
