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ALLT FHAOLAIN
We found this whilst driving down Glen Etive towards the Allt Mheuran. May be a first descent: January 2006?
LOCATION
Just past Dalness House is a straight with views of a (stupidly?) steep slide high on the hill to right of the road. Keep going until a right hand bend with a house in the trees on the left. On the right is a large parking area and a bridge across the Allt Fhaolain. Peek over the bridge but don't be put off by its diminutive size. Walk up the river left bank following the tracks until the bedrock drops/slides disappear and the forest closes in. Get in wherever you fancy.
WATER LEVELS
Needs some water, but not a massive amount. If the Etive is at a medium level, this is probably good to go. If you want to do the top bouldery section you'll need a lot of water but the lower drops will be hard!
GRADE
3/4 for the upper (scouted only). 4/5 for the lower.
DESCRIPTION/REPORT
A magic river tucked on the other side of the Etive to all the other tributaries. The Allt Fhaolain has two sections: a grade 3/4 bouldery section at the top, and a section of bedrock slides and falls below to take you down to the car.
The upper section is very bouldery, but with some small ledges and ramps. Beware a very tight narrowing nearing the end of this section: it could be horrible in higher water
The lower section begins as the forest on the river left bank closes in to the river. A series of short slides brings you to the first major drop: a small narrow drop into a very sticky hole with just about enough room to land. This is immediately followed by a slide into a U-shaped sticky hole at the bottom which can be sneaked going right. At higher flows a better line might be left....
After this several drops with very small eddies lead into the biggest drop. A narrow 5ft drop leads into a pool the size of a boat, which then drops off a 15ft drop into a big pool. Make sure you keep your nose up as the small pool is filled with rock ledges. Dave found this out by twice capsizing in the pool and running it upside-down!
A very narrow flume follows, and then the last drop is upon you. This is a double drop, with a quite sticky hole on the first drop. Beware, the rock on the right of the first drop is massively undercut.
The river flattens and it only takes a minute to paddle down to the bridge and the take out.
NB: this river also eats cameras! On our first descent my camera was lost below the last drop. It's probably in Loch Etive by now.
PHOTOS
(as my camera was lost on the first descent, I've only got photos of a recent low water run.....)
(click to enlarge)
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