Riddle of the Falls
Who experienced two falls today but stayed on his feet the entire time?
Me.
OK, it is a crap riddle, but all will become clear.
In the end, it was a good call to take a rest day yesterday. Firstly, my legs needed it and secondly, the weather was distinctly sub-par with some drizzle on and off most of the day.
The sun was out from early this morning though and it promised to be an excellent day, as predicted by the forecast. I already had a route in mind for today. Something a little different to the Loch Affric outing on Saturday and hopefully very different from tomorrow. Also, nothing too strenuous with one significant day of the trip still to come.
There are two sets of falls in the area which are a reasonable distance apart by road but by using Google Earth and Garmin Explore, I had plotted an off-road route that would link both much more directly.
It would be mostly and out and back but not entirely as there would be a loop at each end of the journey.
I drove down the minor road from Cannich and up the final couple of miles of gravel track to reach the carpark for Plodda Falls. It is only a couple of hundred metres down through the trees to reach the first viewing point for Plodda Falls, a wooden overlook right at the top of the falls.
I have to say I was fairly impressed with the view from above and I then made my way down the steep path to the second viewing area at the foot of the falls. It was a bit close to get a really good shot but you’ll get the gist.
After a little more downhill through the forest, the path flattened out and I headed east along it past the ruined Guisachan House, looking for the gate just after that that would take me across the fields to a small foot bridge. I found the correct gate and thereafter the small footbridge which was fairly pivotal to the whole route as it was the only river crossing for some distance in either direction.
The next few miles were a steady climb up a forestry road but the sun was warm and the views were very pleasant, particularly the view down towards the conservation village of Tomich in the glen I had just climbed up from.
The track reached a high point then turned west, descending slightly through the forest until the turnoff for the Coire Loch path came into view. This next section was my favourite part of the whole run. It was a really enjoyable forest single-track that wound its way through the pines and heather until the small Coire Loch was reached.
This was a really nice little spot, not only right by the loch but also at the viewpoint above, the highest point of the entire route.
From there it was a short, weaving descent down to Dog Falls which are adjacent to the main Cannich to Loch Affric road.
Dog Falls are different from Plodda Falls as they are a longer series of tumbling falls rather than one high chute of water. There are a couple of viewing areas, but having tried them all I was forced to conclude that there simply wasn’t enough water to bring the falls to life. More a whimper than a growl.
From the road, it was back across the wooden bridge then onto the loop path which climbs up through the trees until the main forestry road is reached once more. I was now on the return journey and it began back along the forest road, past the Coire Loch turn I had taken earlier, then back the way I had come.
The good news was that the long climb on the outward leg was now an enjoyable downhill gradient on the return.
I stretched my legs and made good time back to the footbridge across the river. From there it was back past Guisachan House.
The last half mile was a different path, the final part of the Plodda Falls circular walk on which I had started the day.
The skies remained blue throughout and with the temperature about 10 degrees, it had been almost perfect running weather.
Overall, a varied route of around 11 miles without significant elevation or technicality which is exactly what I had been looking for. I was done in time for lunch and plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the sunny afternoon.
