The Bracklinn Falls & its Many Bridges
- lomondappletree
- Aug 27
- 4 min read
Earlier in the year, we took a trip to explore the Bracklinn Falls near Callander, about a 35-minute drive from Appletree Cottage.
The route to the falls is clearly signposted by a brown sign on the eastern side of the main street through Callander. After a fairly steep climb, we parked in the public (and free) car park on the right-hand side, off the narrow road.
From the car park, it was about a 10-minute walk to the first set of falls. The path was clearly signposted as is wound through the birch and beach trees.
We had heard that the falls could be quite spectacular when the river was in spate. And we were not disappointed.
The Bracklinn Falls (meaning “foamy water/pool in Gaelic) are on the Keltie Water, a fast-flowing river, which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault.
After a pleasant wander, we arrive at the first set of falls, which are quite spectacular due to the river being in spate after heavy rain.
There are several places where you can climb down to be closer to the water, but care should be taken as the rocks can be slippery.
Impressive boulders and rocks surround the site, bearing testimony to the force of the water over thousands of years. Some of the rocks appear as though they may be soon in the water, give or take a hundred years.
Slightly further downstream, we come to the Bracklinn Bridge. The current one is at least the fourth structure. Spanning between projecting rocks on each bank, the drop down to the bottom of the gorge is around 100ft, and there are records of people tumbling to their fate in the past.
Slightly further downstream we come to the Bracklinn Bridge and the site of many previous crossings.
The current structure is constructed with iron and is very substantial.
However, there have been many previous attempts made to safely cross the Keltie...
From the bridge, which spans between projecting rocks on each bank, the drop down to the bottom of the gorge is approximately 100 feet, and there are records of people tumbling to their fate in the past.
The original bridge comprised a couple of logs spanning the gap.
The crossing inspired Walter Scott in his epic poem The Lady of the Lake, (published 1810), in which he describes a young Rodrick Dhu bravely riding his horse at full gallop over the rustic crossing.
Unfortunately, not everyone made it over the gap...
In 1844, a wedding party ended in tragedy when, whilst frolicking on the bridge, the bride’s dress became entangled with the groom and both fell into the abyss and their doom.
After a time, this arrangement was replaced with a more formal timber structure.
In the 1870’s an ornate iron bridge was constructed for a visit by Queen Victoria.
This bridge lasted for several years before being replaced by another wooden bridge.
In 1974 the wooden bridge was replaced by an iron bridge.
This bridge appeared in the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
However, nothing lasts, and the iron bridge was washed away by flash flooding in 2004.
Next up was a wood and copper design weighing 20 tons and spanning 20 meters.
This weighty structure was hauled into place by hand as access for a crane to the site was impossible.
In 2011, this bridge won an award at the International Footbridge Awards.
Alas, an inspection in 2021 revealed serious rot issues, and the engineers condemned it.
Demolition took place that year.
The current structure was commissioned in 2023. Hopefully, it will last a little longer than its predecessors.
We crossed the bridge and followed the path upstream along the bank. Winding through pretty, wild shrubland and woodlands, with attractive trees overhanging the water, the route continued north before becoming steeper as it climbed upwards through a tall pine forest.
At the far side of the forest, the views opened out to wild and spectacular countryside. With little signs of habitation, other than a couple of farmsteads, this rough heathland sported only the occasional sheep. Remnants of snow still lay on the upper slopes.
A rough road led us down to another bridge by what is marked on the map as the Scouts Pool. Presumably, this was a popular location for scout camps and visits. In a hot summer, it would be very tempting to take a dip.
The sun was low in the sky when we crossed this bridge and followed the road back to the car, taking in the magnificent views over Callander, Loch Venachar and the Trossachs on the way.
More can be discovered about the Bracklinn Falls and their history at the Stewarts of Balquhidder website here: https://stewartsofbalquhidder.com/2022/12/16/bracklinn-falls/
