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Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool)

Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool)


Postby HighlandSC » Sun Nov 20, 2011 5:34 pm

Route description: Corrieshalloch Gorge, Braemore Junction

Date walked: 09/10/2011

Time taken: 0.5 hours

Distance: 1.1 km

Ascent: 30m

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Date - Sun 09/10/2011
Title - Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach
Route - Short walk to bridge over gorge and viewing platform
People - Me / Michelle
Time - 30 mins
Distance - 1.1km



Corrieshalloch Gorge Route (1km) 9 Oct 2011.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


A quick leg stretcher after walking on Stac Pollaidh and having an oversized lunch in Ullapool. Often find it handy having OS walking maps on my phone and using a paper OS 1:250k road map in the car - easy to find nearby viewpoints, forests, walks, etc as was the case with this unplanned little gem.

Managed to avoid the lure of the burger/ice cream van in the car park and took the short walk down to the bridge for a look at the gorge and waterfall. From there it's another very short wander down the other side of the gorge to the viewing platform. The gorge is stunning and gaping over the side of the bridge is a little vertigo inducing. The waterfall is quite impressive. According to the signs, the gorge was not formed by todays river but probably cut by a glacier way back from 2.6 million to 11,500 years ago.

The bridge over the gorge was built in 1874 by John Fowler, one of the designers of the Forth Rail Bridge. I think it was given a big renovation a couple of years ago, but is again due to close at the end of 2011 for further work. The viewing platform over the gorge further along looks brand new.

Corrieshalloch Gorge from bridge
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrtmhu8zr9k[/youtube]

Corrieshalloch Gorge from viewing platform
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y5f7Wq4J4Q[/youtube]

From bridge
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From viewing platform
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Bridge can be seen above
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Well worth stopping for a look if you're in the area. After the walk we drove 1km up the road to the view point looking over Strath More to Loch Broom
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby helenw » Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:24 pm

Great photos of a really hard spot to photograph well. The bridge was pretty much re-built at the same time as the new viewing platform was installed but there has been one closure for additional work and another is planned as you say. National Trust for Scotland are not the best at communicating the closure dates, despite prompting, so we'll keep the information on the route description as up to date as possible - but if anyone is passing and has more info please let us know.
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby icemandan » Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:44 pm

Must be good to be able to see it without the midges. It's a whirling vortex of midgedom during the summer.
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby tamw51 » Mon Nov 21, 2011 3:21 pm

Stopped off there on way back from Assynt in april, stunning place, it dosnt feel like scotland, dont now if thats because of all the foreign tourists though :lol: , but it just feels different somehow, well it did for me haha!
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby BlackPanther » Mon Nov 21, 2011 3:24 pm

We drove past this spot many times, never actually stopped to visit the gorge. Next time I'll have to nag Kevin to take a break there :D
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby foggieclimber » Mon Nov 21, 2011 5:33 pm

Have passed by this gorge literally dozens of times (including yesterday) but have never stopped to go see it.
Thanks for sharing some great photos of it. Will now be stopping the next time I pass by.
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby spiderwebb » Mon Nov 21, 2011 7:15 pm

I've tried to walk in from the top (small car park near the Braemar junction).

Just a short distance downstream the water drops over the first drop but didn't manage to find a route down to view from below, but from the top it certainly looked like it was a good way down. May have to return with a rope as there was a gully leading down that looked feasible (probably without rope but best be safe), with a few trees for support, but unsure if the drop can be viewed until I try it.

Further down along the top your confronted by a fence presumably as your near the big drop !!

Sometimes worth exploring away from the tourist bit to find other splendours, if I get back there I'll report back.
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby Mountainlove » Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:28 pm

Been there quite a few times...hehehe jumping around on the bridge when there are people on it is priceless....incredible how many people are scared of swaying bridges :twisted: I know can be bad but it is great fun :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby kinley » Mon Nov 21, 2011 10:54 pm

Nice to see it's open again.

Tis a great place.
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby KeithS » Mon Nov 21, 2011 11:16 pm

It's one of my favourite places.
I've been dozens of times and it never loses its exciting appeal.
I love taking friends there when they are visiting the area but I don't tell them what to expect before we get there. It's worth it to see there faces when they get onto the bridge - and yes, it is fun to bounce up and down on the bridge.
I even got my parents there earlier this year, and they are nearly 80 and 90. I didn't bounce them though!
It is possible to extend the walk a bit into a round walk by going a bit further down from the bridge on the opposite side to the viewing platform, and then back round to the car park.
You can't get to the bridge from the Ullapool Road any more. That route was closed as people had to walk across the busy road from the car park and they kept getting run over (well, normally only once each)
The new viewing platform isn't quite as scary as the old wooden one, but it is good because it goes a bit further out over the drop.
Great place, well worth a ten minute journey break.
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Re: Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach (near Ullapool

Postby anasta » Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:13 am

Definitely worth a visit. Been a while since I last stopped, don't remember the waterfall being as impressive! Although the gorge certainly is :D

Glad to see the new viewing platform looks so sturdy! I visited when it was the old wooden thing, and my brain was seriously doubting its safety as I forced myself out to the edge of it :lol:
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