River Spean

The River Spean rises at Loch Laggan in the West Highlands and flows west for about thirty kilometres to join the River Lochy at Gairlochy in the Great Glen. Its main tributaries are the Abhainn Ghuilbinn and River Treig on the left bank, and the River Roy and The Cour on the right. The river runs beside the A86 road almost from source to mouth, passing Laggan reservoir and the Laggan Dam. Near Spean Bridge it meets the A82, which crosses the Spean on a bridge at the village junction. Minor roads also bridge the river above Inverlair falls and on the private estate above the reservoir. The river’s valley, Glen Spean, once held an ice-dammed lake that reached 260 metres above sea level at the end of the last ice age. Around 11,500 years ago the ice dam failed, releasing about five cubic kilometres of water that carved the modern gorge. The West Highland Line follows the river’s north bank for several kilometres, crossing near Tulloch Station and again east of Spean Bridge. A branch line once ran west from Spean Bridge alongside the Spean, crossing the river once more to the west of the village. Visitors find a quiet Highland river winding through open glens and past small bridges. The A86 offers easy access along much of its length, while the railway line provides views from passing trains. Near Inverlair the river narrows into falls, and above the Laggan Dam the water widens into the reservoir. The surrounding hills and moorland give a sense of remote Highland scenery without long detours from the main roads.