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ROUTE 2

Nevis Gorge

Start/Finish	Glen Nevis top car park (NN 168 691)
Distance	3km/2 miles
Total ascent	150m/500ft
Time	2hr
Terrain	Choice: a wide smooth path, or a slippery scramble
Max altitude	285m on upper path

The Nevis Gorge has high, steep slopes where 1000 pine trees cling to ledges between glaciated slabs. Below, the river rushes under house-sized boulders, and at its head is the 90m-high Steall waterfall.

A deservedly popular path leads up the gorge. It is smooth and engineered, but even so has warning notices because of the drops alongside. However, two older and disused paths, one above and one below, offer slightly better views and a much wilder experience. The lower path, in particular, crosses damp and rather slimy rocks in an exposed position. All three options are given here: my preference is take the lower path up the gorge, and the high one back again.

Start along the big, level main path out of the car park end, with signs for Corrour, and another warning about exposure to come. This path leads straightforwardly up the wooded gorge side to the meadow below Steall Falls.

There are two alternative paths that are much less comfortable.

Lower path

The lower path gives a more intimate acquaintance with the river below. Its untrodden rocks are damp and slippery; there are drops below, so the path in its current condition must be considered a mild scramble (Grade 1).

About 400 metres from the car park, the main path becomes a gangway carved out of pink rock to cross a stream. In another 20 metres, just round a left bend, a small waymark points left along the main path. This is where the lower path forks down right.

The small path drops close above River Nevis. Then it ascends again on a ledge around a craggy slope. There are old iron posts and ringbolts. After its rocky section, the path ascends gently over large stones. It rejoins the main path at another small waymark, at the foot of a grey rock gangway on the main path.

Upper path

The upper path is very small and needs some care to follow, especially in reverse at the Steall end. It is rough but not rocky, and leads to a splendid little shelf below the crags of Meall Cumhann.

About 400 metres from the car park, the main path becomes a gangway carved out of pink rock to cross a stream. It bends left, past the waymarker at the start of the lower path, then rises for 100 metres across a pitched section and then between sheep-sized grey boulders. As it levels, three stream culverts cross it in quick succession. The middle culvert is where the upper path forks up left. It slants gently uphill, but with a couple of little zigzags to look out for. It emerges onto open hill at a grassy platform below crags of Meall Cumhann (small cairn, NN 1751 6896).

The path slants down, to left of a large boulder, then zigzags south down a spur with some birch trees, to join the main path just above the top of Nevis Gorge.

All three routes arrive in the meadow above the gorge, dominated by the high Steall waterfall on the right. At the meadow’s end the path forks, the right branch leading to a bridge over the Water of Nevis marked ‘dangerous bridge’ and consisting of three steel cables. According to your temperament, this crossing is either terrifying or terrific. It is not necessary – return is by the same side of the river – but it does let you reach the foot of the Steall Falls by a muddy path.

Steall Falls

Return is by any of the three paths. Below is given the upper path, as its start is not clear. Should you cross the wire footbridge and find you prefer not to come back over, there’s also a very rough descent by the south side of the river (see variant below). Meanwhile, those unsatisfied by Scotland’s finest 2-mile walk can explore Meall Cumhann on the following Route 3.

Upper path (return)

For every 100 people who come up the main path and return the same way, approximately zero people take this stimulating alternative path back. From the Steall meadow, the path dips to the first trees at the entrance of the gorge. Immediately before this short descent, turn uphill, right, towards a ruined stone terrace among the bracken. From the left-hand end of this, the path heads up left in its first zigzag. Once found, the zigzags rise north up a spur with a few birch trees, towards a boulder visible on the skyline. The viewpoint terrace is just above; there’s an old cairn on the left and a view down lower Glen Nevis.

Contour forward for 20 metres to find the beginning of the descent path. It is small but clear; just watch out for a couple of zigzags where it doubles back on itself as it slants down through the wood to join the main path.

South riverside variant

Across the three-wire bridge, head downstream above a rocky knoll, then find a small path along the riverside meadow. Just upstream from the gorge entrance, the path turns left, and climbs a steep grass slope in two zigzags to a wide shelf of grass and glacier-smoothed rocks.

Head northwest across the rocks, with an ancient deer fence on the left. At the shelf end, follow the fence down to the right into a grassy wooded gully. There are traces of a rough, steep path. In steep woodland below, keep downhill near the fence (avoiding steeper ground on the left). As the ground gets less steep there is a small rough path just above the fence.

As the fence joins the river, pass through it to find a well-used path. Follow this downstream along beautiful riverbank, with river roar drowning any traffic sounds from the other side. Just before the path suddenly becomes well made, cross a footbridge on the right to join the road. Head up right for 1.2km to the car park, taking care as the road has blind corners and is busy.