A hidden gem of the Highlands has reopened following a £3.1 million upgrade.
Corrieshalloch Gorge, near Garve, now has a brand-new visitor centre, complete with a cafe, outdoor seating and toilets.
But the real treat is the new pathways which will take visitors past three waterfalls previously unreachable to guests.
These vantage points include Eas creagach (rocky falls), Eas stapach (stepped falls), An sruhan (the streamlet), and give walkers close-ups of amazing geological features.
Upgrades include new pathways and bridges crossing streams, with two miles of zigzagging paths through the wilderness towards the Victorian bridge which spans the gorge itself.
Built in 1873 by John Fowler, it has stood the test of time, giving visitors breath-taking views of the plummeting waters of the River Dorma, which drop 150ft down.
Visitors can also see the intricate natural rock formations and the lush vegetation at the bottom of the gorge, which thrives due to the development of the gorge’s own microclimate.
Before construction on the new pathways began in January 2022, it was a challenging journey for many people down to the gorge.
Corrieshalloch Gorge is more accessible
The new pathways have made the site more accessible while also being mindful of preserving the natural wilderness around.
Work has also been undertaken to remove invasive species, including Japanese knotweed, allowing native trees and plants to reclaim the space.
Operations manager Martin Hughes says people are now spending more time at the Ross-shire gorge than before.
He said: “Our average dwell time at Corrieshalloch used to be around 20 minutes, so our guests would come down to the bridge take a picture and then come back up.
“We are now seeing our dwell times increase to over two hours so guests are making much more of the experience of being in a national nature reserve.”
Corrieshalloch Nature Reserve is the smallest in Scotland at 74 acres, but offers some of the most spectacular views of nature, which might not be for the faint-hearted as the bridge sits 200ft above the ground.
The National Trust for Scotland, which run the site, hopes the investment helps increase revenue to help towards the bridge maintenance costs which are are around £10,000 per year.
‘Far better’ facilities than ever before
The “sensitively designed” visitor centre employs two full-time, six seasonal staff and a dedicated on-site ranger service.
The building is also sustainable using rainwater collection, air source heat pumps and a borehole to keep energy costs down.
Mr Hughes added: “The most exciting thing is we have opened up parts of the gorge that were previously unseen, including three new waterfalls, although they have been around for 200 million years, they are new for our guests.
With a busy tourist season coming up the gorge has been finished just in time, using funding from the Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund led by NatureScot.
Mr Hughes added: “Corrieshalloch has always been a busy site, but now what’s exciting is we have facilities to look after our guests, far better than before.
“When I look back to when we started the improvement works, I can’t quite believe we’ve gone from having no phone signal as recently as 2018, to having modern facilities, which will help visitors have an even better experience at this extraordinary place.”
Conversation