Lochs and waterfalls in Cairngorms National Park

Scottish Water Wonders

The Cairngorms National Park contains a diverse collection of freshwater lochs and mountain waterfalls shaped by glacial activity. This selection highlights dramatic features like the Falls of Bruar, famously immortalized by Robert Burns, and Loch an Eilein, which contains the 13th-century ruins of an island castle. From the high-altitude cascades of the River Dee to the sandy shores of Loch Morlich, these sites showcase the unique hydrology and geological history of the Scottish Highlands.

Angus / CC BY-SA 2.0

Loch an Eilein

Loch an Eilein is a small irregular shaped, freshwater loch in the Rothiemurchus Forest about 5 km south of Aviemore, Scotland in…

John Chroston / CC BY-SA 2.0

Loch Morlich

Loch Morlich is a freshwater loch in the Badenoch and Strathspey area of Highland, Scotland near Aviemore.

Loch Lee

National grid reference NO431800

Elliott Simpson / CC BY-SA 2.0

Glenmore Forest Park

Explore various trails and enjoy numerous outdoor activities. See the Loch Morlich which offers a sandy beach!

Rob Burke / CC BY-SA 2.0

Falls of Bruar (Upper)

A series of cascades in a steep gorge. The surrounding woodland was planted in the late 18th century following a poetic petition by Robert Burns to the Duke of Atholl.

Lochnagar

Lochnagar or Beinn Chìochan is a mountain in the Mounth, in the Grampians of Scotland.

Falls of Truim

A cascade on the River Truim featuring a fish ladder designed to help Atlantic salmon bypass the falls during their upstream migration.

Falls of the Glasallt

A high waterfall fed by the Glasallt burn, descending from the Lochnagar plateau toward the shores of Loch Muick near Queen Victoria’s Glas-allt Shiel lodge.

Falls of Dee

High-altitude cascades located in the Lairig Ghru pass where the young River Dee descends from the Braeriach plateau.

Falls of Damff

Falls of Damff is a waterfall in Cairngorms National Park in Scotland.

Linn of Pattack

A powerful waterfall where the River Pattack flows through a narrow, rocky cleft and deep gorge.

Falls of Tarf

A remote waterfall in Glen Tilt, spanned by a Victorian-era suspension bridge built in 1886 to facilitate safe crossing.

Cadha an Fheidh

A waterfall on the Allt an t-Sluic burn, located in the western reaches of the Cairngorms National Park.

The Punch Bowl

A natural rock pool on the Quoich Water, carved into the schist by river erosion and historically associated with the Earl of Mar.

Eidart Falls

A remote waterfall at the confluence of the River Eidart and the River Feshie on the edge of the Moine Mhor plateau.

Chest of Dee

Chest of Dee is a waterfall of Scotland.

Falls of Unich

A steep waterfall on the Water of Unich, located at the head of Glen Esk upstream from Loch Lee.

Loch Callater

Loch Callater is an upland, freshwater loch lying approximately 5 miles south of Braemar, Scotland.

Lochan Uaine

A remote, high-altitude mountain pool situated in the southern Cairngorms near the hills of An Sgarsoch and Carn an Fhidhleir.

Other Lists

Cairngorms National Park: Absolute Essentials Scottish Mountain Peaks Scottish Historic Heritage Wilderness Huts & Shelters