Eas a' Chaorainn

Eas a’ Chaorainn stands in the rugged west Highlands of Argyll and Bute, where steep hills force rivers into sudden drops. The falls are fed by a burn tumbling down the northern flanks of Beinn a’ Chaorainn, a 900-metre peak in the rough triangle between Loch Awe, Loch Etive and Glen Etive. Its name comes from the Gaelic eas, meaning waterfall, and a’ Chaorainn, the genitive of the mountain’s name. The burn collects rain and snowmelt high on the hill before plunging over a series of rocky lips. The falls are counted among Scotland’s highest single-drop waterfalls, though the exact height is hard to fix. Many tall falls in the Highlands share the same source of water and rock, so the drop can vary with the season. The burn’s flow is strongest after heavy rain or when late snow lingers on the hillside. Its force carves the plunge pool deeper each year and shapes the boulders at the base. Visitors reach the falls by following a rough path from the minor road that runs along Glen Etive. The track crosses the burn on stepping stones before climbing gently to the lip of the fall. From there a narrow ledge offers a view straight down the 30-metre drop into the dark pool below. The surrounding hills rise steep and silent, their slopes covered in heather and grass, while the sound of the falling water fills the air.