Eas Mhic Gorraidh

Eas Mhic Gorraidh is a waterfall in the Scottish Highlands. It stands where a steep burn drops into a narrow gorge on the western edge of the Monadhliath Mountains. The burn drains boggy moorland that receives heavy rain, so the fall swells after storms. Like most Highland falls, its name comes from Gaelic: eas means waterfall and Mhic Gorraidh means ‘son of Gorraidh’. The burn itself is short, only a few kilometres long, yet it carves a deep channel through the rock. The fall is recognised among Scotland’s highest single-drop waterfalls. Its drop is measured at about forty metres, though the exact figure is debated because the lip is uneven and the water breaks into spray before it reaches the plunge pool. The pool below is deep and clear, fed by the same burn that feeds the fall. Walkers on the nearby forest tracks often hear the roar of the water long before they see the gorge. Visitors reach the site by following a rough path from the forest road. The path climbs steadily through heather and birch scrub until it opens on a rocky ledge above the fall. From there the full drop can be seen, though spray often hides the bottom. The gorge walls are steep and slippery, so care is needed on the rocks. On calm days the sound of the water mixes with the calls of ravens circling above the Monadhliath summits.