Divach Falls near Drumnadrochit

With our bellies full from lunch at Cafe Eighty2, we travelled to visit the final waterfall of my birthday trip.

Divach Falls, or Falls of Divach, is a waterfall located two miles south of Drumnadrochit. The sat nav guided us through the first part of the journey from the suburbs of Drumnadrochit, taking us down Balmacaan Road. The route then branches off into a single-track road - it's one of these roads that makes you think, "should we really be driving down this road!".

There were many cyclists and walkers on this unclassified road, which was only wide enough for one car, but there were passing places, and we did finally encounter some oncoming traffic to set our minds at ease that we weren't driving down a cycle path!

The road to Divach Falls is pleasant and meandering; there are some stunning views the higher you climb; I had to stop for a quick photo opportunity over the countryside looking down to Urquhart Bay.

Small Car Park

The falls car park is marked with the familiar green Forestry and Land Scotland sign. It's a fairly small car park, but there was only one other car on our visit, so we easily found a space. There was no charge for using the car park.

 

Walking to Divach Falls

Most of the online guides seem to say it takes 30 minutes to walk to the falls and back; I would say less, though. The distance from the car park to the falls doesn't feel that far at all. The walk itself is very pleasant along the side of a valley lined with tall oak trees. A well-trodden earth path takes you directly to the waterfall viewpoint.

 

 

The Viewing Platform

Arriving at the falls, you enter a gate to get to a fairly substantial viewing area with a wooden perimeter fence. There are also two height levels available to view the falls from, perfect for days busy with tourists.

The Falls of Divach

The Divach Falls themselves are very picturesque, and the waters fall at a steep angle down into the valley below. I felt on our visit the falls were a bit of a trickle, but they are probably much more impressive after some heavy rainfall.

The waters tumble over 100 feet down to the Divach Burn, which eventually joins with the River Coiltie, ultimately terminating in Loch Ness.

 

 

There was no obvious deviation from the main path to the foot of the falls. It might be a better place to get a photo but must be too dangerous to leave the beaten track; I recommend just staying at the viewing platform.

We visited Steall Falls and Plodda Falls earlier in our trip, both were more impressive, but the Divach Falls are still worth a look as part of your itinerary in the Loch Ness area and a very pleasant short walk.

Heading back to Divach Falls carpark

There are two options here, you can head back along the same route you came from to return to the car park, or you can choose to take a steeper path up to the minor road and walk along that to the car park, just be wary of cars here.

Videos of Divach Falls

Here are a couple of short video clips of the falls:

 

The Great Glen Way

Drumnadrochit is within the Great Glen and part of the Great Glen Way, a 79-mile route between Fort William and Inverness. There are many walks and cycle routes along the woodland paths. There are also many options for canoes and kayaking.

Is Divach Falls suitable for disabled visitors?

No, the path is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Are there toilets at Divach Falls?

No, please use the facilities in nearby Drumnadrochit before visiting the falls. There are free toilets at the tourist information car park.

How to get to Divach Falls

1. From the A82, you want to head south along Balmacaan Road.

2. The signage is fairly poor for the falls, with only a tiny green sign to show you the way. You need to continue to the bottom of the road until you see a fork to a single-track road, do not follow Balmacaan round to the left.

3. Follow this round for around half a mile; it will meander a fair bit, rising as you go.

4. You should see the green forestry sign and then turn right to access the car park for the falls.

Attractions near Divach Falls

There is no shortage of great places to visit near Drumnadrochit:

• Corrimony Chambered Cairn

• Cafe Eighty2

• Plodda Falls

• Falls of Foyers

• Urquart Castle

• Falls of Foyers

• Loch Ness / Jacobite cruise

• John Cobb Memorial

Conclusion

It was just a flying visit to Divach Falls for us, but it was a very pleasant way to spend half an hour or so in the Drumnadrochit area.

Sadly we were nearing the end of my 40th birthday tour around central Scotland - our final destination was Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness.