Tucked away in a deep wooded gorge near the market town of Settle in the Yorkshire Dales, Scaleber Force feels like something out of a fantasy film. The waterfall drops around 40 feet over layers of limestone rock, tumbling through moss-covered cliffs and twisted woodland before crashing into dark pools below. The whole area has a wild, atmospheric feel — especially after rain, when the water thunders through the narrow ravine and fills the woods with echoing sound. In summer the gorge is lush and green, while autumn gives it a rich golden glow that photographers love.

HOW TO GET TO SCALEBER FORCE

One of the best things about Scaleber Force is how easy it is to reach. If you park at the right spot (on the roadside at the intersection of High Hill Lane and Black Gill Lane to the bottom right of the pin shown in the map above), it’s only a very short walk to the falls — often less than 10 minutes.

There’s a stile you’l need to hop over and a narrow woodland path leading down into the gorge. The descent is quite steep and can be slippery, especially after wet weather, so good hiking footwear is a must. While the walk itself is short, the final section to the very bottom of the waterfall is a little adventurous, with uneven rocky steps and exposed roots (which you may need to grab on to if you wish to visit the exact spot the photo above was taken from!)

This shows you the very short walk from the roadside car parking spot down into the gorge where Scaleber Force is located. Many people will drive right past the gorge and have no idea what is located there. It will take you no more than 5-10 mins to walk it.

WHERE TO PARK THE CAR

You are pretty much in the middle of nowhere here – and there is no car park as such – it’s just a small roadside pull in spot at the intersection of High Hill Lane and Black Gill Lane where you can park for a short while whilst you visit Scaleber Force. See picture below on where you can pull in on this quiet road. Note: DO NOT park next to the gate and block access to the field.

THE SHORT WALK TO SCALEBER FORCE

As mentioned it’s a really quick and short walk, but a little steep in parts and not the most accessible. The photos below give you a flavour of what to expect.

From the car park spot – walk 40 meters  or so along High Hill Lane and then look out for the wooden footpath sign, then hop over the little style.

After a couple of minutes you will arrive at this bench. Scaleber Force is directly below to the left, you will hear it – but it will probably be obscured by trees if they are in full leaf. Simply continue along the well marked path and keep left.

You then take the rocky steps down into the gorge, which are a bit steep and can be slippy in the wet. After another few minutes you will reach the stream and the cascading water.

The path brinsg you to this vantage point and there are plenty of cascading falls leading up to Scaleber Force. I like to scramble up to the foot of the main waterfall – which is a little trick and you’ll need to use your hands and hold onto some tree roots to pull yourself up! Wear god hiking boots for this as you will proably get muddy and it can be slippy. 

Scaleber Force is a photographers dream and you won’t be disappointed if you visit (as long as it’s not completely dried up – so make sure it’s rained prior to your visit!)  If you are in the area of Settle, Skipton or Malaham – and have 45 mins to spare be sure to check this place out – it really is impressive! 

I hope this short post has inspired you and helps to visit Scaleber Force – I would definitely say it’s one of my best waterfalls in Yorkshire!