Achness Falls
Waterfall Highland, Scotland
About Achness Falls
Achness Falls — also called Cassley Falls — sits on the River Cassley in Sutherland, close to the small hamlet of Rosehall. The name comes from the Scottish Gaelic Ach-an-eas, meaning 'field of the waterfall'. The falls split into two distinct drops: an upper section of around 6 metres plunging through a narrow gorge, and a lower section where water fans out across roughly 12 metres of rock. Because the Cassley is a spate river, the character of the place shifts dramatically with rainfall — a thin, broken sheet of water on a dry day can turn into a full-throated torrent after heavy rain. Atlantic salmon use the pools at the base each spring as a staging area, waiting until the water warms above 10°C before pushing further upstream. Nearby stand the ruins of a broch and an old cemetery by the river. The spot is also of geological interest as the type locality of the Achness Thrust, a significant fault studied by geologists.
Location & details
- Category
- Waterfall
- Region
- Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Coordinates
- 57.98846, -4.59164
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