The Highlands attracts millions of visitors with its stunning natural beauty, with one of the most sought after for a photo opportunity being the magnificent waterfalls.
The vast landscape of the Highlands is crisscrossed with streams, lochs and rivers some gaining worldwide notoriety for housing mythical creatures.
However, one of the most picturesque water features found in the Highlands are the abundance of waterfalls.
Some cascade hundreds of feet down narrow gorges, dance across giant slabs of rock or thunder down valleys slicing through the natural landscape.
Here are some of the most-scenic waterfalls within an hour’s drive of the Highland capital, Inverness.
Corrieshalloch Gorge
Around one hour from Inverness, this spectacular waterfall lies on a nature reserve which underwent improvements to its visitor experience last year.
The River Dorma runs through the area with a magnificent 150ft drop, which can be viewed by the Victorian bridge built in 1873 by John Fowler.
The bridge is the perfect vantage point for visitors to catch a glimpse of the either the raging torrent of water or the near-invisible mist of the falls.
Rogie Falls
Located west of Strathpeffer, 32 minutes from Inverness, the Rogie Falls carries the Black Water down several rock steps, crisscrossing the landscape.
The surrounding area is a very popular site for forest walks and the falls can be viewed by a narrow bridge which spans the banks and can hold up to five people at a time.
Dog Falls
Dog Falls are around 55 minutes away from Inverness, within the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest and Glen Affric, which makes for spectacular forest walks.
The falls themselves are a popular beauty spot for visitors to the Highlands. While not the tallest, the falls cascade over large rocks and can be seen from various locations along the bank.
Falls of Foyers
Around 37 minutes away from Inverness are the famous Falls of Foyers, which flow into Loch Ness from its southern bank.
Towering trees and what appear to be a never-ending chasm in which the raging torrent flows, makes for an impressive sight.
Be sure to pack snacks and plenty of water for the steep journey if you want to follow the falls all the way down to the loch’s edge.
Divach Falls
On oak-clad hillside a mile or two out of Drumnadrochit, the Divach Burn plunges 100 feet into a wooded ravine.
A conveniently-placed car park makes this one of the most easily accessible waterfalls in the region, views are limited unless your willing to search for the perfect viewing spot.
The falls are around 34 minutes from Inverness.
Fairy Glen
On the Black Isle, around 31 minutes from Inverness, is something straight out a fairytale.
The Fairy Glen offers visitors several stunning nature walks that lead to a pair of waterfalls which are overflowing with charm and character.
As for the fairies, they were once believed to keep the burn clean for villagers to use for drinking and washing
Dulsie Gorge
Dulsie Bridge offers a glimpse of the wild River Findhorn – a turbulent water course which offers some wonderful scenery but is often difficult to access.
The famous arched road bridge dates to 1755 and stands 60ft above the riverbed.
The gorge is around 40 minutes from Inverness and south of Nairn, deep in the Highland countryside.
Plodda Falls
Around an hour from Inverness, the impressive Plodda Falls are located near the village of Tomich.
The falls are 150ft and cascade over the Allt na Bodachan and can be seen from a viewing platform which was built in 2009.
It replaced a footbridge which had previously spanned the gorge for 115 years before it was deemed unsafe in 2005.
Invermoriston Falls
The translation of the River Moriston from its Gaelic roots into English as “river of the waterfalls” is a big clue that it might be worth stopping off here.
Located around 45 minutes from Inverness, the burn here tumbles haphazardly across bands of rock in a determined effort to reach nearby Loch Ness.
Visitors can take short walks around the area and even pet the Highland cows nearby.
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