Sput a' Chleibh

Sput a’ Chleibh stands on a steep slope in Perth and Kinross, where the land rises sharply from the valley floor. It is a waterfall formed by a burn tumbling down a narrow cleft in the rock. The name comes from the Gaelic word ‘sput’, meaning a spout or jet, and ‘cleibh’, meaning a cliff or steep slope. The fall is one of the highest single-drop waterfalls in Scotland, though its exact height is hard to measure. The waterfall’s location reflects the wet climate of the western Highlands, where rivers plunge steeply off the mountains. Many of Scotland’s waterfalls are found in this rugged landscape, fed by heavy rainfall and melting snow. The term ‘sput’ is used in Gaelic-speaking areas instead of the more common ‘spout’ found elsewhere in Britain. Like other falls named with ‘eas’ or ‘linn’, it shows how Gaelic naming traditions survive in Highland place names. Visitors reach the base of the fall by following a path through mixed woodland and open moorland. The burn rushes over a series of ledges before dropping into a deep plunge pool below. The surrounding hills rise steeply, giving a sense of the waterfall’s height and power. On wet days the spray rises high, and the sound of rushing water fills the glen. The site is quiet, with few other visitors, and the air is cool and damp near the fall.