Falls of Acharn

Falls of Acharn is a chain of waterfalls tucked into a wooded gorge above the village of Acharn, a few kilometres from Kenmore and the shore of Loch Tay in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The walk is short and steep, with one unusual stop on the way: a stone garden building known as the Hermit's Cave.

What will you see at the Falls of Acharn?

The burn drops in several steps through a rocky ravine. You look down on the lower falls from the viewing room of the Hermit's Cave, while a wooden boardwalk takes you across the stream above the higher drops. The cascade is at its best after prolonged rain, when the water runs full. In dry spells the flow thins out, though the gorge itself stays atmospheric.

What is the Hermit's Cave?

From the path you enter an underground stone passage roughly 20 metres long, which opens into an octagonal chamber with a window onto the falls. The effect is deliberately theatrical: darkness first, then a sudden view of white water. It was never a real hermit's home. It is an ornamental folly, designed to surprise visitors. Canmore, Scotland's heritage record, classes it as probably an 18th or 19th-century structure. Local tradition ties it to the Breadalbane family, who owned the surrounding land, but firm documentary evidence is thin and sources date it anywhere from the 1760s to around 1790. What is certain is that it existed by 1769, when the traveller Thomas Pennant came by.

Who visited the falls?

The gorge was a fashionable stop for travellers by the late 1700s. Visitors reportedly included the poet Robert Burns, who came in 1787, and William and Dorothy Wordsworth.

How do you get there, and what is the route like?

The walk starts in Acharn village, at grid reference NN761439. It is a few minutes by car from Kenmore. Buses to Acharn, Kenmore and Aberfeldy run only a couple of times a day, so check timetables before you plan around them.

The path climbs up the gorge, passes through the hermitage and reaches the boardwalk over the upper falls. Walkers report loops from about 2 km to 5.5 km depending on the variation, with around 100 m of ascent. The ground can be steep and slippery. You can return through woodland alongside an old stone wall, or add a detour to a stone circle with views over Loch Tay.

When should you go, and what should you bring?

The falls are worth seeing in any season, but a day after heavy rain gives the best show. Wear shoes with good grip and carry a torch for the dark tunnel. Keep dogs on a lead, because the gorge edges drop away sharply.

What else is nearby?

Kenmore sits where the River Tay leaves Loch Tay, and the area offers lakeside walks and views of the Perthshire hills. A visit to Acharn pairs easily with a drive along the loch's northern shore.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a visit take? The short loop takes about an hour; longer variations with the stone circle take one and a half to two hours.

Is there an entry fee? No. The path to the falls and the hermitage is open to the public and needs no ticket.

Is the Hermit's Cave a natural cave? No. It is a built stone folly with an underground passage and an octagonal viewing room, dating from the 18th or 19th century.

Is the walk suitable for children? Yes, if they can manage a steep and sometimes damp climb. Keep a close eye on them near the edges of the gorge.