Waterfalls of the Yorkshire Dales

The geology of the Dales, with its layers of shales and hard limestone, and the copious amount of rain that falls on the fells and moors create the perfect conditions for the formation of waterfalls, and pretty cascades can be found all over the area.

These range from the well-known (and well-visited!) falls on the larger rivers, like the triple drop at Aysgarth Falls, to picturesque cascades on small becks, tucked away in the hillside, where you are unlikely to see another soul.

Here are some of our favourite walks in the Yorkshire Dales that take in at least one or two beautiful waterfalls, which often make a great spot for your picnic, a paddle, or even a full swim if the weather is good and you’re feeling brave! Many of these waterfalls can also be visited on one of the Muddy Boots walking routes.

Aysgarth Falls and Cauldron Force

The circular walk between Aysgarth Falls and the pretty village of West Burton, home to its own small but perfectly formed waterfall, is a great half-day’s walk and makes a classic, low-level Dales route. Aysgarth Falls are probably the most famous waterfalls in the Dales and are easily visited on well-marked paths. There is a large car park, a National Park Visitors Centre and a couple of cafes.

The village of West Burton sits around a large village green and is on a no-through road, giving it a peaceful, tucked away feel. The waterfall is hidden in the bottom corner of the village, a short walk from the village green. There are two spots here where you can have a quick dip if you want to cool down (and the fast-moving water is cold even in hot weather!) – the pool by the main waterfall, where you can swim to the rocks under the fall and get covered in the spray, or the smaller but deeper pool under the packhorse bridge, which is deep enough to jump into from the rocks!

There are various versions of this walk but a good description can be found in the ‘Turner Walks’ series produced by Welcome to Yorkshire.

Both of these waterfalls are visited on our ‘Wensleydale and its tributaries’ self-guided walking holiday.

Mill Gill and Whitfield Gill forces

These charming waterfalls just outside the equally charming village of Askrigg don’t seem to get as much press as you would expect. A lovely circular walk takes you from the village up through woodland where these two impressive falls are tucked away on branches off the main footpath (and both take a little scrambling over often slippery rock to get close to).

The route back to the village climbs out of the wood and takes you along a broad track on the hillside, giving great views across Wensleydale before descending back to Askrigg through fields, where you can stop for refreshments at the excellent ‘Bake-Well’ café.

The waterfalls are well signed from the village and the path is easy to follow but you would probably want an OS map or walk book for the full circuit.

Both waterfalls and the village of Askrigg are visited on our ‘Wensleydale and its Tributaries’ self-guided walking holiday.

Falls around Keld

The tiny village of Keld in upper Swaledale is surrounded by a wonderful collection of waterfalls on the River Swale, all easily accessible from the village and can be combined into a lovely walk, which can be extended down to the picture-perfect village of Muker along a fantastic stretch of the river and, in season, through some of the Dales’ most stunning wildflower meadows.

East Gill Force is the easiest to access, on the clear path out of the village over a bridge over the Swale, and also on the Pennine Way. East along the river (back on the Keld side), Upper and Lower Kisdon force are accessible by taking a signed detour off the main Pennine Way route, through an area covered in pretty wildflowers in the spring (some gentle scrambling required). This is another good place for a spot of wild swimming (if you don’t mind the cold!).

Up river, you can visit Catrake Force, actually the closest to the village of Keld but not as easy to get a good view of – the best route is through the campsite at the bottom of the village and down a narrow track to the river.

Further upriver, Wain Wath falls make a lovely picnic (and easy swimming) spot, about half a mile west along the road from the village. The falls are easy to access through a gate off the road, just past the turning to Tan Hill.

The Swaledale website has instructions on how to reach all of the surrounding falls.

All of these waterfalls, as well as Muker and the hay meadows, can also be visited on our ‘Remote Swaledale and Arkengarthdale’ self-guided walking holiday.

Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar

As part of one of the most popular circular walking routes in the Dales, Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar are places you are unlikely to get to yourself except very early in the day or late evening, but they are well worth the visit despite the chance of crowds.

Janet’s Foss is an easy stroll on a flat footpath about 1.5 miles from the popular village of Malham. Although small, the waterfall has a magical feel about it. The woodland settling, clear water and moss-covered rocks give the impression of a fairy kingdom, and the eponymous ‘Janet’ is said to have been the queen of the fairies who lived in a cave behind the fall!

The path continues on, out of the wood and you soon find yourself heading down into the gorge of Gordale Scar. The impressiveness here isn’t so much in the waterfall itself, which, other than after very heavy rainfall, is fairly small, but in the gorge itself, the size and scale of which does not become clear until you round the last bend into the head of the gorge.

Many people stop here and head back to Malham village, but those who don’t mind a bit of a scramble can climb up the side of the waterfall itself then up a steep slope in the gorge to emerge onto moorland and continue on a circuitous walk, taking in Malham Tarn and the dry valley, bringing you out at the top of Malham Cove and making one of the best and most geologically fascinating day walks in the country.

Pamphlets for the walk can be picked up at the National Park Visitors Centre in Malham. If you only want to go as far as Janet’s Foss, there is a route note on the National Trust website.

Both of these waterfalls are visited on the Muddy Boots ‘Highlights of the Southern Dales’ self-guided walking holiday.

Cautley Spout

In the newly expanded Cumbrian section of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, this is England’s highest waterfall!

For some reason far less well-known that you would expect for a waterfall with this accolade, possibly because of its tucked away location in the often over-looked Howgill Fells, Cautley Spout is a beautiful fall, pouring over several drops for almost 200 metres from the top of Cautley Crag down into Cautley Holme Beck.

An easy path takes you from the roadside (by an unusual and popular ‘temperance inn’) to the base of the waterfall, which is a great spot for a picnic and a paddle. If you want a closer-up look at the falls, a steep and rugged path runs up alongside side it to emerge at the top of Cautley Crag.

This can form part of an excellent 10 mile walk from the small town of Sedburgh, which also takes in the Calf, the highest summit in the Howgills. UK Hillwalking has a good description of this route.

Keep a look out for the launch of our next self-guided walking holiday – the Westmorland Dales – which will take in Cautley Spout, the Calf and Sedburgh.

If you would like any more information about seeing some of these fantastic waterfalls on a Muddy Boots walking holiday, please do get in touch.