Plodda Falls, Glen Affric

We have found a fabulous little campsite in Cannich at the end of Glen Affric, and after staying one night in a small woodland we decided to extend our stay for another two days. I have to say, waking to the sound of wild birds tweeting was just exhilarating, a change from the sort of "tweets" I normally wake up to!

After a relaxing morning, we set off on the bikes to enjoy the local scenery, and in the process, cycled to the Plodda Falls in Glen Affric.

The River Glass

The waterfall is situated 5 km south-west of the village of Tomich, near Glen Affric, in the Highlands. The falls are 46 m high and are on the Allt na Bodachan, near where it flows into the Abhainn Deabhag, which joins with the River Affric to form the River Glass.

In 1880, a footbridge was built across the top of the falls by Lord Tweedmouth, the owner of the Guisachan estate. Then, in 2005, the Forestry Commission closed the bridge as it was dangerous, and today only small remnants remain. It was replaced by a new viewing platform in 2009, a steel and wooden structure that spans out over the falls.

The Plodda Falls

The road up to the falls is, perhaps inevitably, rather steep, and we would have struggled had we not been on e-bikes! Then, the walk to the falls is down a relatively steep woodland path that leads to the viewing platform from where one can look down on the falling water below. As someone with a touch of vertigo, I have to admit that I struggled to look out and down, but the scenery was well worth it! From the platform, one can descend further, down copious stone steps, and another path to view the falls from below.

Once we had enjoyed the experience, we saddled up again and had a gravity-propelled ride back down the hill, during which, at one point, I managed to reach 33 miles an hour!

Iona in the woods

We got back to the campsite having had a great 15 miles ride and settled down to relax again In the peaceful wooded glade, ah bliss....!