This walk to the De’ils Cauldron waterfall has to be one of my favourite Scottish walks. It has everything – a pretty Scottish village, woodland replete with nature, dramatic waterfalls, cool dark forests and a stunning panoramic view at the end.
Start off in the lovely village of Comrie, which is about an hour’s drive north from Edinburgh, from where there are also buses. Comrie has won awards for its horticulture and beauty, so a stroll through the village is definitely worthwhile. Once you’ve taken in the sights, including the White Church with its ancient churchyard, park up at the De’ils Cauldron car park. From there, take a right through the woods towards the waterfalls. This is a fairly easy walk on a slight uphill.
You’ll notice I said waterfalls, as the first waterfall you come to is the Wee Cauldron. It’s just as pretty as its bigger sister, though less dramatic, with a calmer view of the River Lednock.
From here, press on along a path and walkway to the De’ils Cauldron, where the River Lednock cascades out dramatically into the falls. The Gaelic for the falls is Slocha’n Donish, and the legend goes that they were inhabited by a mischievous water elf called Uris-chidh who would entice victims down into its lair. There are stairs down to a wooden platform from which you can admire the view and take photos.
Carry on from here along the walkway to the forest, which was as beautiful and still as you can hope a forest to be on the day we went – so cool and still and peaceful. There’s a walk uphill for about 20 minutes, which gets a little steep towards the end.
You’re rewarded for your hard work by an incredible view of Perthshire and the surrounding countryside, as you emerge next to the Melville Monument on Dun More hill. If you’ve brought a picnic, now’s the time to stop and enjoy it!
This walk is tiring in places, so don’t forget your water like I did, and be reduced to quenching your thirst with your eight year old’s Barr’s Bubblegum juice!
We rewarded ourselves with some millionaire’s shortbread at the end of what is definitely one of my favourite Scottish walks. I’d like to do it again in a different season, and am looking forward to returning again in the autumn, with water this time!
