Fort William/ Spean Bridge local knowledge

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 Paul249 25 Aug 2015
I'm taking a few friends on a jaunt round the CMD arĂȘte in a few weeks. To complete the trip I intend to stop somewhere on the way down the road for a good old fashioned dicht in a cold river/loch. They just won't be told that bit in advance!

Coming from the east of Scotland (A9-Dalwinnie-Spean Bridge-NF car park) I wondered if anyone knew spots on the road home, preferably not too far from the Ben, that would fit the bill?

Ideally, somewhere easy enough to park close by and not much of a walk to get to. Pools at the foot of a waterfall would be good, but not essential.

There's obviously a river by the NF car park but from memory I didn't think it would be deep enough for that full body immersion experience!!

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
 skog 25 Aug 2015
In reply to Paul249:

There's the gorge below the Soldier's Leap at Killiekrankie:

http://www.ootnaboot.scot/summer2015/20150809Soldiers_Leap.jpg

It's about 10 minutes walk down from the visitor centre car park; maybe not as close to Ben Nevis as you're wanting, though.
OP Paul249 25 Aug 2015
In reply to skog:

Thanks - That kind of thing would be perfect, but yes ideally a bit closer to the Ben/ Spean Bridge.
 Bob 25 Aug 2015
In reply to Paul249:

You cross a river on the walk in to Ardverikie Wall, but perhaps a bit far from where you want. There's some good wild swimming up in Glen Roy as well.

When you say "down the road" do you mean on the way back to the road or on the way home?
 Martin W 25 Aug 2015
In reply to Paul249:
There's a wild camping spot just off the A86 where the River Pattack flows past and which I'm pretty sure I remember having a swimmable pool under a waterfall.

Aha, it's actually listed on a wild swimming web site: http://www.wildswimming.co.uk/map/strathmashie/ That web page shows the correct location, as I remember it. A bit more Googling suggests that the place is actually called Pattack Falls, and the OS grid reference is NN 567 903.

My recollection is that if heading towards Dalwhinnie you need to take it slow as you approach the location, and keep a sharp look out for the turning on the right, since it's pretty well hidden coming from the Spean Bridge direction. It's only a dirt track turnoff (unless it's been tarmaced in to a car park since I last laid my head there).
Post edited at 16:14
OP Paul249 26 Aug 2015
In reply to Bob:

Meant on the way home. Cheers for the suggestion, but I think Martin's loch Pattack sounds ideal.

 Mark Bull 26 Aug 2015
In reply to Martin W:

> My recollection is that if heading towards Dalwhinnie you need to take it slow as you approach the location, and keep a sharp look out for the turning on the right, since it's pretty well hidden coming from the Spean Bridge direction. It's only a dirt track turnoff (unless it's been tarmaced in to a car park since I last laid my head there).

It's a Forestry Commission car park now, but it isn't well signposted!



 Hyphin 26 Aug 2015
In reply to Paul249:

Roaring falls, where they start nevis ready race (I'm assuming that's still going) definitely full immersion!

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