Morriston River

Location: In Between Fort William and Inverness, Scotland

The River Morriston is located in Scotland’s Great Glen, a short drive from Lochaber. It flows into Loch Ness at Invermoriston.

Level of Difficulty: Class IV+ / Intermediate

River Morriston translates from Gaelic to English to mean “River of Waterfalls.” In normal, dam-released, flow, the River Moriston is mostly a Class IV whitewater run, with one or two Class Vs. At high flows (during spill events), the river becomes Class V. Either way, attempts at paddling it should be undertaken by the more adventurous and fit traveler.

Scenery: Basaltic Rock, Scots Pine, and Distant Mountains

The River Moriston flows over and around a complex of chunky, black volcanic rocks, which over the course of the last millennia have been stacked in a way that now sometimes resembles childrens’ building blocks. Old stone bridges and tall pine trees add to the scenery, giving the river valley an aura of mysticism fitting for a river of the Scottish Highlands. Osprey and eagles can be seen flying overhead, in front of a backdrop of distant mountains.

Season: April – September

Because it is a dam-controlled river, whitewater rafting trips on Scotland’s Moriston River are only available on specified days throughout the summer. Generally, the dam releases rafting flows on all Tuesdays throughout the summer, and sometimes on additional days. Check with an outfitter for the schedule for this upcoming season.