One of the many pleasures of the Yorkshire Dales is the number and variety of waterfalls. Tall or small, fast flowing or gentle, there seems to be a new cascade to discover around every corner.
Waterfalls Of All Shapes And Sizes
The unique geology of the Yorkshire Dales, with its limestone rock, hills, rivers and abundant rainfall, has resulted in the formation of waterfalls of all shapes and sizes. Some are single falls; others are series of cascades. Walk along any of the great rivers of the Dales and you are likely to encounter small falls at regular intervals. (I encountered lots of falls on my walk along the Dales Way, which follows the course of the River Wharfe for much of its route.)
Another feature of the area is the peaty soil, which gives a distinctive yellowish brown colour to many of the falls.
The Triple Falls Of Aysgarth
Aysgarth Falls, in a wooded valley on the River Ure in Wensleydale, is one of the best known waterfalls in Yorkshire. It has three distinct sections – imaginatively named Upper, Middle and Lower – a short walk away from one another.
Film buffs will be interested to know that a scene from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was shot here.
Hardraw Force: A Private Waterfall In The Yorkshire Dales
Not everyone has a 30 metre waterfall in their back garden. And not every waterfall is accessed through a pub. So the privately owned Hardraw Force is unique on two counts. Reputedly the highest single drop in England, access to the waterfall is through the Green Dragon Inn in Hardraw, close to Hawes.
Hardraw Force is set in a dramatic limestone gorge at the far end of a campsite at the back of the pub. The gorge itself forms a natural amphitheatre and is the setting for a number of music festivals including an annual brass band competition in September.
These are just a few of the waterfalls you can discover in the Yorkshire Dales. Do you have a favourite in this area (or elsewhere)? Let me know in the comments below.
