Waterfalls and Wade's Walk

The Inchree waterfalls plunge through a gorge lined with rhododendron. There are seven waterfalls, although only the top three are visible from the walk. They are particularly fine after heavy rain, when spray drifts out above the treetops. Though the path stays about 100yds (91m) from the falls, it does provide fine views of them, particularly from two viewpoint spurs on the right. Where the path is carved into the hillside, it shows the underlying rock, which is lumpy white quartzite. This is the same rock that gives a whitish appearance to the tops of the hills above Glen Nevis.

Quartzite was used in the construction of General Wade's military roads in this area, and part of this walk follows the route of the one ran from Corran Ferry to Corrychurrachan and Fort William. These roads demonstrate a technique that is really the only way to build a basic road without the use of tarmac - jammed stones covered with finer gravel. The pathway on this walk shows the method particularly clearly as here the jammed stones are whitish quartzite while the overlying gravel is reddish granite.

Forested areas visible from the walk show signs of clearings. First is a larch wood, with clearings formed by windblow. In economic terms it makes sense to keep planting, even where there is a slight risk of losing trees in this way. Unusually stormy winters in 1999 and 2000 have made trees more vulnerable than the planters of 30 years ago, before global warming, could have expected.

Further along, on a slope above the forest road, an area was clear-felled in 2002. A skyline cable was used to bring felled trees down the steep slope. This strong wire cable mounted on a standing tree trunk has to be high enough to keep the felled tree's butt above the ground on the way down, but not so high that the leverage pulls the standing tree down. The felled tree is hauled downhill by an operator in a tractor on the forest road. If the haul-in cable should break, the suddenly released end is very dangerous, and so the tractor cab is armoured for protection. If the haul-back cable breaks, the felled tree starts coming very fast, and the operator has to drop the sky line very quickly.

On a very steep slope like this one, the actual felling is the most skilled and demanding part of the job. Chainsaw operations are kept to a minimum - the trees are simply dropped to await the winch operation. Drop them wrong and they tangle up together, making the winch operation impossible. After clear-felling, replanting will be less purely commercial than last time around. The grey-green blocks of spruce will be broken up with larch.

Where to eat and drink

Nether Lochaber Hotel, at Corran Ferry, has an unpretentious bar with good food and friendly atmosphere (dogs are welcome). The furry creature above the bar is not, as one visitor described it, a 'small Scottish bear'; it's a pine marten, wearing the tie of the Newtonmore shinty team.

While you're there

The West Highland Museum, in the centre of Fort William, is old-fashioned. It's almost a museum of how museums used to be in that there are interesting items in display cases rather than screens and storyboards. There is a lock of Bonnie Prince Charlie's hair that was presumably still on his head as he marched across the Corrieyairack, as well as a secret picture of him that has to be viewed via a polished metal cylinder.