Top Waterfalls Day Trips from Inverness
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Waterfalls Day Trips from Inverness include Culnaskiach Falls, Falls of Orrin, Falls of Divach, Rogie Falls, Culligran Falls, Corrimony Falls, Invermoriston Falls and Eas na Muice.
Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, sits at the meeting point of glen, firth and loch, with a wealth of waterfalls scattered through the hills around it. To the west, Boblainy Forest hides Culnaskiach Falls near Kiltarlity, while over towards Muir of Ord the salmon-leaping Falls of Orrin drop through their gorge.
The road down Loch Ness leads to the Falls of Divach and Corrimony Falls in Glen Urquhart, and on to Invermoriston Falls, where an old Telford bridge crosses the water. North and west, Rogie Falls near Contin draws visitors to its bouncing suspension bridge, while quiet Glen Strathfarrar holds both Culligran Falls and the ravine of Eas na Muice.
Some are gentle waymarked strolls with car parks and picnic places, others lie up gated glens or need a rough walk to reach. Between them they take in salmon ladders, Victorian hydro schemes and old chambered cairns, and each rewards the drive.
Here are eight waterfalls for a day trip from Inverness.
Culnaskiach Falls
Photo: valenta via Geograph.org.uk
Seek out Culnaskiach Falls West of Inverness, Culnaskiach Falls hides away in Boblainy Forest, south of Kiltarlity. Here a burn drops off a grey rock face into a narrow gorge, slight in dry weather but forceful after heavy rain, so it rewards a visit when the water is up.
Reaching it takes some effort: forest tracks lead in, then fade to a rough, sometimes pathless route with a burn to cross along the way. This is an out-of-the-way fall for confident walkers rather than a signposted attraction, the sort of place you earn on foot.
If you enjoy tracking down a hidden Highland gorge, it makes a fine objective for the day.
Falls of Orrin
Photo: Gordon Brown via Geograph.org.uk
Discover the Falls of Orrin Towards Muir of Ord, the Falls of Orrin drop around fifteen metres through a gorge on the River Orrin, on the Fairburn estate. This is a salmon river, and the falls act as a leap where fish climb upstream, helped along by an old fish ladder built for a Victorian hydro scheme.
Both ruined and revived hydro structures still stand around the gorge, adding a layer of history to the setting. A circular walk on the estate leads out to the falls, through quiet country well away from the main routes.
It is a rewarding half-day for anyone who enjoys watching wild salmon and exploring a working Highland estate.
Falls of Divach
Photo: Richard Webb via Geograph.org.uk
Walk to the Falls of Divach In the hills above Drumnadrochit, west of Loch Ness, the Falls of Divach plunge around a hundred feet in a single drop on the Divach Burn. A short walk through oak woodland brings you to a viewpoint looking straight onto the tall, narrow fall, an impressive sight for relatively little effort.
From here the burn runs on to join the River Coiltie and reach Loch Ness at Urquhart Bay. As a Forestry and Land Scotland site, it comes with parking and a picnic area at the start, making it one of the more visitor-friendly falls on this list and an easy addition to a day exploring Glen Urquhart.
Rogie Falls
Photo: Steven Brown via Geograph.org.uk
Cross the bridge at Rogie Falls A drive northwest towards Contin, a few miles from Strathpeffer, brings you to Rogie Falls, a series of waterfalls on the Black Water river in the forest. From the car park a short waymarked trail of about ten minutes leads to a narrow suspension bridge that bounces underfoot and gives a fine face-on view of the falls, with a salmon ladder built beside the main drop.
In late summer and autumn you can watch wild salmon leaping up the falls on their way upstream, a real highlight. Woodland paths run on around the river, making this a gentle and deservedly popular walk, and one of the easiest outings from Inverness.
Culligran Falls
Photo: valenta via Geograph.org.uk
Find Culligran Falls Deeper into the hills near Struy, Culligran Falls sits on the River Farrar in Glen Strathfarrar. The glen is a nature reserve reached by a gated private road, which keeps it wonderfully quiet and little visited, so you may well have the place to yourself.
A hydro scheme on the river regulates the flow that comes over the falls, so the volume can vary. This is an out-of-the-way fall in a peaceful, wooded Highland glen, ideal if you want to escape the busier Loch Ness routes and enjoy some genuine seclusion.
Check access arrangements for the gated road before you set out from Inverness.
Corrimony Falls
Photo: valenta via Geograph.org.uk
Explore Corrimony Falls Also in Glen Urquhart, west of Loch Ness, Corrimony Falls lies on the River Enrick near Corrimony. Unlike some, it is reached on foot rather than from the road, by a walk of a few miles starting at the Corrimony chambered cairn and following tracks through an RSPB reserve.
The reserve is known for upland birds such as black grouse and Scottish crossbill, so there is plenty to look out for along the way. An upper viewpoint looks over the fall, with a steep scramble down to the river below for those who want a closer look.
It makes a rewarding longer outing that pairs birdlife, archaeology and a Highland waterfall in one.
Invermoriston Falls
Photo: Bill Henderson via Geograph.org.uk
Visit Invermoriston Falls Down the western side of Loch Ness, Invermoriston Falls is a run of waterfalls where the River Moriston tumbles over broad steps of rock in the village of Invermoriston, just before reaching the loch. An old stone bridge built by Thomas Telford crosses right above the falls, now given over to walkers beside the newer road bridge.
A small stone summer house on the bank was raised as a viewpoint for watching salmon leap the falls. A short walk from the road leads down to the water, and it is a deservedly popular stop on the drive down the loch, well worth pausing for on your way through.
Eas na Muice
Photo: Chris Eilbeck via Geograph.org.uk
Seek out Eas na Muice Further up Glen Strathfarrar, Eas na Muice, the waterfall of the pig, drops through a ravine on a hill burn running down towards the glen floor. It sits at the point where open moorland gives way to the steeper, wooded slopes above the river, a fine transition in the landscape.
Like the rest of the glen, it lies within a gated nature reserve with restricted vehicle access, so it stays quiet and little visited. There are no paths or facilities at the fall itself, so this is very much one for self-reliant walkers happy to make their own way.
For solitude deep in the Highlands, it is hard to beat.
FAQs
Which waterfall near Inverness is easiest to visit?
Rogie Falls near Contin is among the most accessible, with a car park and a short waymarked trail of about ten minutes to a suspension bridge, while the Falls of Divach near Drumnadrochit also has parking and a picnic area.
Can I see salmon leaping on these day trips?
Yes. Rogie Falls and the Falls of Orrin near Muir of Ord both have salmon ladders, and in late summer and autumn you can watch wild salmon climbing the falls on their way upstream.
Are any of the glens hard to access?
Glen Strathfarrar, home to Culligran Falls and Eas na Muice, is a gated nature reserve with restricted vehicle access, so check the arrangements before driving out from Inverness.
Conclusion
As the capital of the Highlands, Inverness puts an impressive range of waterfalls within a day's reach, from gentle waymarked strolls to remote glens that ask a little more of you. You can keep things easy with Rogie Falls and its bouncing bridge or the Falls of Divach in its oak woods, follow the Loch Ness road to Invermoriston Falls and its Telford bridge, or seek out the quiet of Glen Strathfarrar at Culligran Falls and Eas na Muice.
Several sit on salmon rivers, so late summer and autumn are fine times to watch fish leaping upstream. Because access and water levels vary, it pays to check gated roads and the forecast before you go, and to pack proper boots for the rougher walks.
Pick your glen and set off: these are the waterfalls for a day trip from Inverness.
