Eas Bàn

Eas Bàn stands near the village of Lagg on the Isle of Arran, a rugged island off Scotland’s west coast. It is a waterfall of the Gaelic ‘eas’ type, meaning a fall or cataract, and one of the tallest single-drop falls in the country. The river that feeds it descends steeply from the granite heights of Goatfell, Arran’s highest peak. Highland rivers on the west coast often plunge in dramatic drops because of the steep terrain and heavy rainfall. Scotland has more than 150 named waterfalls, most concentrated in the Highlands where the landscape favours their formation. The name Eas Bàn appears in local maps and guides, distinguishing it from lesser falls nearby. ‘Bàn’ in Gaelic means white or fair, describing the frothy water as it hits the plunge pool below. Walkers on the Arran Coastal Way sometimes hear the distant roar before they see the fall through the birch and oak woods. The island’s damp climate keeps the surrounding slopes lush and the river flowing year-round. Unlike the ‘linn’ falls of southern Scotland or the ‘spout’ falls of northern England, Eas Bàn keeps its Gaelic identity. Visitors reach the fall by a narrow path that leaves the main road near Lagg. The track winds through woodland where red squirrels dart among the trees. At the viewpoint the water drops about twenty metres into a deep, circular pool lined with mossy stones. Beyond the fall the river continues its rush toward the sea, passing heather-clad hills. The roar of water mixes with the calls of ravens overhead, a sound that carries across the glen on still days.