LEVEN

See page 176 of the Scottish Guidebook.

In Kinlochleven. You cross the river next to the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven, and take the next right. Turn right again and park at the end of the road. To check the water levels, follow the main track to a bridge. The walk-in is up a small path marked "To the Dam". Don't worry though, you don't walk all the way to the dam. Follow the path until you reach a footbridge. Just before this is the main rapid, "End of the World". To reach the top, keep walking until the path flattens and some concrete foundations are reached in a field. Turn right to the river, about 100yds.

The Leven is dammed at the Blackwater reservoir, so needs a fair bit of water to go to counteract this. On a release it is meant to be mind-blowing, but this is rare. Peering over the bridge at the bottom (NOT the one near the Ice Factor), if all the rocks are covered it'll be awesome! If some are showing it'll still be good, but if it looks scrapey it will be!

The Leven is one of the best rivers in the area, but visitors rarely do it due to its reputation for gnarl. It is a hard paddle with decent water levels, with several grade 5 drops scattered about, and a big 5+ drop in the middle, End of the World. In lower water most of the drops get easier, but still deserve respect. In release levels, the drops get pretty gnarly and End of the World is terrifying, but other drops open up.

From the get in things will probably look scrapey. Most of the water comes from the Allt na-h Elide trib, which comes in just above End of the World, so there isn't a massive amount of water in the top. After several bedrock ledges you reach the first major drop, Three Falls to Agrippa. Don't get pinned in the narrow rocky gap here, swimming would really hurt!

Easier water leads down to the best section. Drops come fairly thick and fast, and include a must-boof ledge on a tight left bend, a big slab with a BIG hole at the bottom (Drain Pipe) and the nasty Plug Hole. You can avoid Plug Hole by taking a chicken chute to the right.

Whichever route you take, you are now at the lip of End of the World. The horizon line is amazing, with only the tops of the trees to be seen. Scout down either side (although river right is probably easier). End of the World consists of four drops with no escape until the end. The first one is shallow and best taken left, although in higher flows the hole is horrific! The second has a big auto-boof ledge, but make sure you make the eddy. The best is yet to come!

The third and fourth drops run together. At low water, take the right-hand line down the first of the two and keep speed for the second. In higher flows we found that dropping left off the top enabled a very very scary blast across above the second one, which has a HUGE hole. Don't even think of getting anything wrong here! Another sticky hole leads to I Feel Fine, an appropriately named drop! This has a boof ledge followed by a nasty and intimidating corner. Portage round this is possible on either side, but difficult.

Easier water leads down through an amazing gorge to the last falls, MacKays. At just over 20ft, it looks simple enough until you see the nasty cave behind the main drop. It can be run in higher water off the central slab. Flatter water leads down to the gauge bridge and takeout! Go and reward yourself with excellent fish and chips from the chippy in Kinlochleven.

Back to the GLEN COE AND GLEN LEVEN rivers page.