Kinlochleven – The Grey Mare's Tail in its Mossy Gorge
Kinlochleven sits right at the head of Loch Leven, with the Mamores rising straight up behind the houses.
Hidden in the birch wood at the top of the village is the Grey Mare's Tail, a tall, slender waterfall that drops in one leap into a mossy gorge. It's only a short walk from the car, and there's a steeper round above it if you'd like more of a climb and a view down the loch.
- Time
- Half an hour or so to the falls and back. An hour and a half to two and a half hours for the longer round above them, which Walkhighlands gives as 3.5 km with 185 m of climb.
- The path
- A woodland path, then rock steps and wet stone near the falls with cables to hold. The longer round is steep. Boots.
- Where to start
- The small gravel car park beside St Paul's Church, where Wades Road meets Kearan Road. There's also a pay car park in the middle of the village.
- When to go
- All year in daylight; fullest a day or two after rain. From November to January set off on the longer round by 12.30pm.
- Dogs
- On a lead beside the gorge.
- Children
- A short walk, but there are drops beside the water: keep hold of small hands at the gorge.
- Toilets
- None on the walk. Public toilets in the village.
- Before you set out
- Rock steps and wet stone beside the water, with a drop into the gorge. The falls are at their fullest a day or two after rain.
The walk
Park in the small gravel car park beside St Paul's Church, at the north end of Kinlochleven where Wades Road meets Kearan Road. If it's full, there's a pay car park in the middle of the village, a few minutes' walk away. The Grey Mare's Tail is a short way up through the birch wood from the church, well under a mile there and back, and you hear it before you see it. The burn drops in one long white leap down a wall of grey rock into a narrow gorge, with moss on every trunk and ferns all round.
It's at its loudest a day or two after rain. The path through the trees is easy, but close to the water there are rock steps and wet stone, with cables to hold on to, so wear boots and keep hold of children at the gorge. If you'd like a longer walk, a steep path carries on up the hillside above the falls and comes back down into the village, and from up there you look right down Loch Leven between the hills. Walkhighlands gives that round as 3.5 km, a little over two miles, with 185 metres of climb, and allows an hour and a half to two and a half hours.
There are public toilets in the village. From November to January, set off on the longer round by 12.30pm.
If it rains
The falls are at their best after rain and the walk to them is short enough to do in waterproofs. The rocks by the water are slippery when wet, so stay back from the edge, and leave the steep round above for a dry day.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is Woodlands Glencoe, 9 miles away. Sleeps 2.
For further reading, before you go.