Top Waterfalls Day Trips from Perth
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Waterfalls Day Trips from Perth include Glen Vale Waterfalls, Black Linn Falls, Falls of the Braan, Falls of Ness, Falls of Barvick, Cauldron Linn, Falls of Turret and Dollar Glen Waterfall.
Perth is well placed for waterfall hunting, ringed by gentle hills and wooded glens that hide a surprising number of falls. Head north toward Dunkeld and the Hermitage delivers two at once: Black Linn Falls, seen from a mirrored folly above the churning pool, and the wider Falls of the Braan in the same beautiful woods.
Strike west toward Crieff and you will find a trio in the surrounding hills, the little-known Falls of Ness near Muthill, the screened cascades of the Falls of Barvick, and the secluded Falls of Turret in its Victorian glen. To the south, the ground softens into Fife and Clackmannanshire, where Glen Vale hides a small fall beneath John Knox's Pulpit and Dollar Glen threads waterfalls below Castle Campbell.
Nearby, Cauldron Linn steps down a rocky canyon on the River Devon. None are far, and all make an easy day out.
Here are eight waterfalls for a day trip from Perth.
Glen Vale Waterfalls
Photo: James Allan via Geograph.org.uk
Glen Vale Waterfalls Glen Vale is a quiet valley in the Lomond Hills of Fife, where a burn drops over rock in a small waterfall near the head of the glen. Above the water stands John Knox's Pulpit, an eroded sandstone overhang that forms a natural amphitheatre, once used by Covenanters for their outlawed open-air worship.
A path leads up the glen through open hill country, so the reward is as much the walk and the history as the falls themselves. This is a modest, out-of-the-way spot rather than a set of grand cascades.
Around twenty minutes' drive south of Perth into the Fife hills, it makes a gentle half-day for those who like their scenery quiet.
Black Linn Falls
Photo: Mike Pennington via Geograph.org.uk
Black Linn Falls On the River Braan at the Hermitage, in the woods near Dunkeld, Black Linn Falls sees the river gather and then crash over a rock lip into a deep, churning pool. The best view is from Ossian's Hall, a little stone folly perched right above the water, built for the Dukes of Atholl in the eighteenth century and fitted inside with mirrors that reflect the tumbling falls.
In autumn salmon leap here on their way upstream to spawn. The surrounding woodland is a designed landscape of walks and glades, home to some of the tallest Douglas firs in Britain.
A short walk from the car park leads to it.
Falls of the Braan
Photo: Gwen and James Anderson via Geograph.org.uk
Falls of the Braan The Falls of the Braan are a set of cascades where the River Braan drops into deep pools at The Hermitage, in the woods near Dunkeld. They are viewed from Ossian's Hall, a folly built for the Dukes of Atholl in the 1750s, its windows and mirrors arranged to surprise visitors with the sudden roar and rush of the water.
Salmon leap the falls in autumn as they push upstream. The woods around hold some of the tallest Douglas firs in Britain, and the whole site is looked after by the National Trust for Scotland.
Just over twenty minutes' drive north of Perth toward Dunkeld, it is one of Perthshire's best-loved woodland walks.
Falls of Ness
Photo: Andrew Smith via Geograph.org.uk
Falls of Ness Falls of Ness is a small, little-known waterfall in the Strathearn countryside of Perthshire, hidden among low farmland and wooded burns southeast of the village of Muthill, a few miles south of Crieff. It lies on the northern edge of the Ochil Hills, in quiet country close to the historic gardens of Drummond Castle.
This is an obscure, out-of-the-way spot on a minor burn rather than a signposted attraction, sitting well off the main tourist routes. Around twenty-five minutes' drive southwest of Perth, it suits anyone who enjoys tracking down a hidden corner and perhaps pairing it with a visit to the nearby castle gardens.
Falls of Barvick
Photo: Alan Howes via Geograph.org.uk
Falls of Barvick The Falls of Barvick are a series of cascades on the Barvick Burn, a couple of miles north of Crieff on the minor road toward Loch Turret. A short circuit follows both banks of the burn on rough, steep paths, joined by a footbridge at the top.
Thick vegetation screens much of the water, so the falls show best after heavy rain and when the growth has died back, which makes late autumn and winter a good time to visit. This is a quiet, little-visited spot in the hills above the town.
About twenty-five minutes' drive west of Perth toward Crieff, it rewards walkers happy to seek out a lesser-known Perthshire gem.
Cauldron Linn
Photo: William Starkey via Geograph.org.uk
Cauldron Linn Cauldron Linn is a waterfall on the River Devon, about a mile below Rumbling Bridge and reached across fields near Powmill. The river drops in two steps through a narrow rocky canyon, having worn smooth, round basins and potholes into the ledges over the ages.
The way down to the water is steep and slippery over rough ground, so care and sturdy footwear are needed. It carries the most water after heavy rain and thins in dry weather, so time your visit after a wet spell to see it at its most powerful.
Around twenty-five minutes' drive south of Perth, it is a striking find tucked away in the Devon valley.
Falls of Turret
Photo: Sarah Charlesworth via Geograph.org.uk
Falls of Turret The Falls of Turret lie on the Turret Burn in Glen Turret, a couple of miles north-west of Crieff. The burn drops through a secluded, wooded gorge that was once a popular Victorian outing, complete with a bridge, a bench and a rock-cut grotto, though it is largely overlooked today.
The final descent to the burn is steep and faint, so it takes a little effort to reach the water. Further up the glen, above the falls, lie the distillery and reservoir of Glen Turret.
About twenty-five minutes' drive west of Perth toward Crieff, it offers a quiet, atmospheric glen with a whisky connection to round off the day.
Dollar Glen Waterfall
Photo: Ian Taylor via Geograph.org.uk
Dollar Glen Waterfall Dollar Glen is a steep, wooded gorge below Castle Campbell, near the town of Dollar in Clackmannanshire. It is cut by two burns with wonderfully old names, the Burn of Sorrow and the Burn of Care, which drop over a series of waterfalls as they wind down through the ravine to meet below the castle.
Footpaths and wooden bridges thread through the damp, mossy woodland, climbing steeply in places, so it is a properly atmospheric walk. The National Trust for Scotland looks after the glen, which is free to explore.
Around half an hour's drive south of Perth, it pairs a run of falls with a hilltop castle for a full day out.
FAQs
How far are these waterfalls from Perth?
They all lie within about 30 kilometres of Perth, roughly half an hour by car. Glen Vale in the Lomond Hills is the nearest, while Dollar Glen near Castle Campbell sits at the far end in Clackmannanshire.
Which waterfalls are the easiest to visit?
The Falls of the Braan and Black Linn Falls at the Hermitage near Dunkeld are reached on a short, easy woodland walk from the car park, making them among the simplest to enjoy near Perth.
When is the best time to see them?
After heavy rain the falls run at their fullest, so wet spells suit spots like Cauldron Linn on the River Devon. The overgrown Falls of Barvick near Crieff are clearest in late autumn and winter, once the vegetation has died back.
Conclusion
From the polished spectacle of the Hermitage to the quiet, screened cascades above Crieff, this collection captures the variety of Perthshire and its borders. Several, like Black Linn Falls and the Falls of the Braan, sit at the end of an easy woodland stroll, while Cauldron Linn and the Falls of Turret ask for a steeper, more careful scramble down to the water.
After heavy rain the bigger falls run at their fullest, and late autumn suits the overgrown ones such as the Falls of Barvick, when the vegetation has died back. Many pair neatly with a castle, a garden or a distillery, so it is easy to fill a day.
From the Fife hills to the woods of Dunkeld, these are the waterfalls for a day trip from Perth.
