Sput Leacach

Sput Leacach is a waterfall in the Stirling area of Scotland. It stands where the landscape drops steeply, sending water over a single tall drop. The name comes from the Gaelic word ‘sput’, meaning a spout or jet, and ‘leacach’, linked to flat stone or slab. Like many falls in the Highlands, it forms where fast rivers cut through hard rock. The surrounding hills funnel rain and meltwater into narrow channels, creating the fall. The site is recognised among Scotland’s highest single-drop waterfalls. Its exact height is debated, as records sometimes count the largest single plunge rather than the total series of drops. Falls measured this way often appear in lists of the tallest in the country. The Stirling area has several such falls, each shaped by the same rugged terrain and heavy rainfall. Visitors reach the fall by following a path through woodland and open moor. The route crosses small burns and climbs gentle slopes before the spray and roar of the fall become clear. From the viewpoint, the water drops over a dark rock face into a deep pool below. The sound carries far across the hills, and the mist hangs in the air on damp days. The surrounding hills rise steeply, framing the fall against a backdrop of heather and grass.