My Favourite Waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales
The waterfalls of the Yorkshire Dales are a natural wonder that encapsulates both awe-inspiring beauty and nature’s raw power. Nestled within the rugged landscapes of the Dales, these cascading falls offer breathtaking scenery for visitors and photographers alike.
I’ve visited many waterfalls across the Yorkshire Dales, but in this blog I’ve selected my Top 10 favourites (which was hard!). Hopefully this guide helps you plan a trip to see some of Yorkshire’s most spectacular waterfalls. Most are surprisingly easy to access, with several also making fantastic wild swimming spots.
Map Locations of My Top 10 Yorkshire Waterfalls
The interactive map above shows the location of my 10 favourite waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales. All are highly accessible — none are more than around 30 minutes walk from parking, with many only 5–10 minutes away.
Below you’ll find photos and descriptions of each waterfall, along with links to more detailed guides and nearby walks where available.
#1. Aysgarth Falls Waterfall in the Yorkshire Dales
Aysgarth Falls is perhaps the most impressive set of waterfalls in Northern England, consisting of Upper, Middle and Lower Falls. Pictured here is Upper Falls, though all tiers are worth visiting — with Lower Falls being my personal favourite.
 #2. Hardraw Force Waterfall, near Hawes, in the Yorkshire Dales
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| Hardraw Force waterfall is England’s highest single drop waterfall and surprisingly easy to walk too along a flat path for 5 mins or so – perfect for kids and the elderly! You do have to pay to access the waterfall though, via the visitor centre behind the Green Dragon Pub. Find out more on exploring Hardraw Force in the link below. |
#3. WainWath Force waterfall, in Keld in Upper Swaledale
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| Wain Wath Force is a lovely set of waterfalls in the peace and quiet of Upper Swaledale, and a perfect spot for wild swimming too. You can actually park the car on the road side right next to these waterfalls for a quick dip. Wain Wath Force is near the Yorkshire village of Keld and there are other great waterfalls nearby too, such as Kidson Force. There’s a fantastic waterfall walk I like to do in the area which takes in some excellent waterfalls – see link below.  |
#4. Gordale Scar, near the village of Malham in the Yorkshire Dales
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| Gordale Scar is one of the most imposing places in Yorkshire and the waterfalls here are very dramatic. A walking route actually goes right up these falls which can be scrambled up if the water is not too heavy! Find out more on the location of Gordale Scar on this Malham Cove walk here |
#5. Cauldron falls in West Burton, near Aysgarth in the Yorkshire Dales
Cauldron Falls in the village of West Burton is one of my favourite waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales and is relatively easy to get to. You can park the car in West Burton village and walk to this spot in a few mins. It’s perfect for a swim too! If you want a longer walk that takes in both Cauldron Falls & Aysgarth Falls – check out the route below
#6. Richmond Waterfalls on the River Swale
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| Richmond Waterfalls are impressive and perhaps the most popular of the waterfalls in this list, being within Richmond Town, a popular tourist spot. If you visit early morning you can get the place in a more peaceful setting! |
#7. Cotter Force, near Hawes in the Yorkshire Dales
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| Cotter Force, west of Hawes, is a secluded series of waterfalls in woodland on Cotterdale Beck, a tributary of the River Ure in Wensleydale. One of the National Park’s most accessible waterfalls, it’s only a 5 minute walk along a path suitable for pushchairs and wheelchair users. |
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#8. Cow Close Gill Falls in Upper Wharfdale
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| This waterfall actually has no name on the maps – but we can call it Cow Close Gill Waterfall as that’s the gill it’s on (or on Google Maps it’s called Middle Falls) ! Whilst it’s little known – it’s one of my favourites to photograph and these waterfalls are a stunning set of multi-tier cascading waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales, in upper Wharfdale. It’s actually not far from the road side and you’ll want to visit just after heavy rain. You can find out more on the location of this beauty spot on the link below. |
#9. Scaleber Force, near Settle in the Yorkshire Dales
Scaleber Force is a spectacular 40 foot waterfall, located just outside of Settle in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is also quite close to Malham Cove, so if you are visiting that famous beauty spot it is well worth a stop off to explore Scaleber Force too! Find out more on where Scaleber Force is on the blog post below:
#10. Thornton Force, on the Ingleton Waterfall Trail
Last but not least on this list, is Thornton Force – a pretty well known large waterfall near Ingleton in North Western Yorkshire that is perfect for swimming in – and many do. The waterfall is part of the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail – and if your a lover of waterfalls (and I guess you are after reading this post) then I highly recommend the 3.5 mile Ingleton Waterfall Trail where you will see some truly stunning cascading falls.
BEST WATERFALLS IN THE YORKSHIRE DALES SUMMARY
So there you go – I hope this blog post on my 10 best Waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales has been helpful and introduced you to some waterfalls you may not have heard of before? I live not far away from Yorkshire and I’ll often re-visit these places in all seasons as they look different every time. I’ll even swim in some of them now and then as I’m into wild swimming! Before I go – if you are also into wild swimming – you might be interested in my digital guide on the best wild swim spots in the Lake District – see below. Happy exploring!
Top 10 LAKE DISTRICT Wild Swimming spots: digital guide
In my guide, you’ll unlock 10 hand-picked, stunning wild swim locations, from hidden emerald plunge pools & secret waterfalls to serene mountain tarns. Forget the guesswork, this is your shortcut to uncover the Lakes most breathtaking spots.
The guide gives you everything you need:
- Precise what3words locations (down to 3 metres) to find the spots easily
- Clear walking routes, maps + GPX files
- Free parking tips to avoid unnecessary costs
- A phone-friendly, downloadable on-the-go format with clickable links and offline access
If you want less searching and more swimming — this is the wild swimming guide for you
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