Garbh Allt Falls Bridge – Ballater, Scotland - Atlas Obscura
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Garbh Allt Falls Bridge

Balmoral Estate
Ballater, Scotland

More than a century old, this cast iron bridge on the Balmoral Estate leads to nowhere. 

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The Garbh Allt Falls Footbridge. Nigel Corby / CC BY-SA 2.0
The Garbh Allt Falls Footbridge. Nigel Corby / CC BY-SA 2.0
The Garbh Allt falls from the bridge footpath. rugby007 (Atlas Obscura User)
View of the falls above the bridge. rugby007 (Atlas Obscura User)
View of the falls below the bridge. rugby007 (Atlas Obscura User)
Footpath up to the bridge. rugby007 (Atlas Obscura User)
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Deep inside Queen Elizabeth’s Balmoral Estate is a beautiful iron bridge arching over the Falls of Garbh Allt. From the rough forest road, there is an easy footpath that leads to the bridge, but there is no path on the far side. Queen Victoria loved the falls and commissioned the bridge as a way to better enjoy the site and, in many ways, appreciate the falls more fully.

The bridge, formally described as a “cast-iron segmental bridge with decorative railings,” was crafted by Blaikie Brothers of Aberdeen, Scotland, and carries a manufacturer nameplate attesting to it, dated 1878. The bridge is also known as Queen Victoria’s Bridge to Nowhere. 

Above and below the bridge are stunning waterfalls and several contain natural pools for swimming. 

Know Before You Go

Know that this beautiful bridge and its falls are on the royal family's estate, private property, but are fully accessible by the public, if you know how to get there. The bridge does not show on Google Maps and despite many photos, there is no definitive address. It is deep within the royal estate.


There is no charge to access the site. The road is however a rough forest road, best navigated with a 4x4 vehicle. There is a small area to park off the road, but be careful not to block the roadway.

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