The uplands of the north and west of England enjoy the wettest climate and are home to the majority of waterfalls in the country. In areas such as the Lake District which were formerly glaciated, they are commonly found at the lower ends of hanging valleys. Typical of those in the Pennines, are falls which form at points where the watercourse encounters erosion-resistant rock layers such as Millstone Grit.
Names of falls
The great majority of named falls in England are situated in the Lake District and Pennines. In these regions the terms ‘foss’ and ‘force’ are much the most common ones used for a waterfall though linn is also encountered towards the Scottish border. The term ‘spout’ is another frequently found alternative.
Alphabetical tables of named waterfalls A
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.General location Acroy Gill Force Acroy Gillnear Cotterdale Aira Force Aira Becknear Dockray, north of Ullswater Archy's Linn Smales Burnin Kielder Forest Ashgill Force Ash Gillnear Alston, Cumbria Aygill Force Ay Gillnear Keld, Swaledale Aysgarth Falls River Ure to near Aysgarth, Wensleydale Aysgill Force Gayle Beck Sleddale near Hawes
B
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Becky Falls Becka Brooknear Manaton, Dartmoor Beezley Falls River Doenorth of Ingleton Bells Linn Bells Burnin Kielder Forest (on Scottish border) Biggersdale Hole unnamed tributary of East Row Beckwest of Whitby Birker Force Low Birker Poolnear Boot, Eskdale Black Force Great Eggleshope Becknorth of Middleton-in-Teesdale Black Force Little Ulgill Beckin Howgill Fells Black Foss Waterfall West Hall Becknear Addingham, Wharfedale Black Lynn Linhope Burnnear Cheviot Hills Black Rock Falls River Lydnear Lydford Blake Beck Force Great Blake Beckupper Dentdale Blea Gill Head Blea Gillnear Balderhead Reservoir, Baldersdale Blea Gill Waterfall Blea Becknorth of Grimwith Reservoir Bleabeck Force Blea Beckin Teesdale Bleaberry Force Bleaberry Becknear Kaber Brigg Linn Brigg Burnnear Redesdale Broada Falls River Avon, Devonnear South Brent, Dartmoor Brockholes Force Brockholes Gillnear Birk DaleBroombridgedean LinnBroomridgedean BurnNY982367north of Wooler, 3 miles east of Ford, Northumberland village next to Routin Linn, Northumberland Burnet Force Force Becksouth of Bainbridge Burrator Waterfall River Meavynear Burrator Reservoir
C
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Canonteign Falls (artificial) tributary of River Teignnear Chudleigh Cash Force Cash Burnnorth of Cross Fell Catrake Force River Swalenear Keld, Swaledale Catrigg Force Stainforth Becknear Stainforth Cauldron Snout River Teesbelow Cow Green Reservoir Cautley Spout Cautley Holme Beckin Howgill Fells Chattlehope Spout Chattlehope Burnnear Castle Crag Forest Clampitt Falls tributary of the River Teignunknownnorth of Chudleigh Cliff Force Cliff Becksouthwest of Thwaite Coal Force Rowantree Gillnear Cotterdale Corby Linn Hawkhope Burnin Kielder Forest Corby Linn tributary of Ridlees Burnnear Upper Coquet Dale Cotter Force Cotterdale Becknear Wensleydale Currack Force Stonesdale Becknear Keld, SwaledaleCrammel LinnRiver IrthingNY640696near Gilsland, Northumberland
D to F
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.General location Deep Gill Force Deep Gill Becknear Jervaulx Abbey Dungeon Ghyll Force Dungeon Ghyllnear Langdale East Gill Force East Gill at confluence with River Swaleeast of Keld Falling Foss May Becksouth of Sleights Flinter Gill High Spout Flinter Gillsouth side of Dentdale Fordingdale Force Measand Beckwest of Haweswater Reservoir
G
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Galleny Force Stonethwaite Becknear Stonethwaite, Borrowdale Gaping Gill (entrance shaft of cave) Fell Becksouthern slopes of Ingleborough Gibson's Spout Crookley Beck or River Annasnear Bootle Gill Force River Esknear Boot, Eskdale Goat Linn Eals Cleughin Kielder Forest Gordale Scar Gordale Becknear Malham Golitha Falls Fowey 2 km west of the village of St Cleer Cornwall Great Force Lead Up Gillnear West Scrafton, Coverdale
H
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Hard Level Force Mill Gill or Old Gang Becknear Healaugh, Swaledale Hardraw Force Hardraw Becknear Hardraw, Wensleydale Hareshaw Linn Hareshaw Burnnorth of Bellingham Harthope Linn Harthope Burneast of The Cheviot Hellgill Force River Edensouth of Mallerstang Hetherpool Linn College Burnin Cheviot Hills High Ash Gill Scar Ash Gillnear Marsett, Raydale High Force River Teesnear Bowlees, Teesdale High Force Hacker Gillsouth side of Dentdale High Force Hoods Bottom Becknear Muker, Swaledale High Force Aira Becknear Dockray, north of Ullswater High Force (Aysgarth Falls) River Urenear Aysgarth, Wensleydale High Park Scar Cragdale Waternear Stalling Busk, Raydale Holme Force Holme Becknear Loweswater Horseshoe Falls River Dartwest of Ashburton Horton Gill Force Horton Gilleast of Hawes, Wensleydale Huggill Force Hug Gillnear Bowes
I, J
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Intake Force Bleaberry Becknear Kaber Janet's Foss Gordale Becknear Malham Jenny Whalley Force Hoods Bottom Becknear Muker, Swaledale Jerry's Linn Chirdon Burnin Kielder Forest
K
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Keld Hole Roxby Becknear Scaling Reservoir Keld Scar Gill Becknear Stalling Busk, Raydale Kinder Downfall River Kinderwest edge of Kinder Scout Kisdon Force River Swalenear Keld, Swaledale
L
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Ladies Linn Hesleyside Burnwest of Bellingham Lady Exmouth Falls tributary of River Teignnear Chudleigh, Devon Leehouse Linn Whiskershiel Burnnear Elsdon and Harwood Forest Light Spout Cardingmill Brook Long Mynd Lindhope Linn Lindhope Burnnear Kidland Forest Linhope Spout Linhope Burnnear Linhope, west of Ingram Linton Falls River Wharfenear Grassington Lodore Falls Watendlath Becksouth of Derwent Water Low Ash Gill Scar Ash Gillnear Marsett, Raydale Low Force River Teesnear Forest-in-Teesdale, Teesdale Low Force Pudding Becksouth of Whinlatter Pass Lower Force (Aysgarth Falls) River Urenear Aysgarth, Wensleydale Lumb Hole Waterfall Crimsworth Dean Becknorth of Hebden Bridge Lumsdale Waterfall Bentley Brooknorth east of Matlock
M
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Maizebeck Force Maize Becknear Cow Green Reservoir Mallyan Spout West Becknear Goathland Middle Force (Aysgarth Falls) River Urenear Aysgarth, Wensleydale Mill Force River Gretanear Bowes Mill Scar Lash River Wharfesouth of Conistone Molly's Waterfall Olchon Brooksouth west of Black Hill (Herefordshire) Moss Force Moss Beckeast of Buttermere
N to Q
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.General location Nelly Ayre Foss West Becknear Goathland Nelly Force Apedale Beck?near Castle Bolton Oakleymill Waterfall Callow Hollow Brook? Long Mynd Orgate Force Marske Becknear Marske Park Scar Cragdale Waternear Stalling Busk, Raydale Pecca Falls River Twissnorth of IngletonPont Burn WaterfallPont BurnNZ146558east of Medomsley, Durham
R
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Raddick Hill Falls Devonport Leatunknownsouth of Princetown Redmire Force River Urenear Redmire, Wensleydale Rennie's Linn Black Burnin Kielder Forest Richmond Falls River Swale in Richmond, North Yorkshire Ritson's Force Mosedale Becknear Wasdale HeadRoutin LinnBroomridgedean BurnNY982367north of Wooler, 3 miles east of Ford, Northumberland village, next to Broombridgedean Linn, Northumberland Rowantree Force Rowantree Gillsoutheast of Ravenglass Rowantree Linn Brockley Burnnorth of Bellingham Rutter Force Hoff Becknear Great Asby
S
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Scale Force Scale Beckwest of Buttermere Scaleber Force Scaleber Beckeast of Settle Scaleclose Force Scaleclose Gillnear Rosthwaite, Borrowdale Scalehow Force Scalehow Beckwest side of Ullswater Scow Force River Dee upper Dentdale Seavy Sike Force West Gillnear Cotterdale Shanklin Chine ShanklinIsle of Wight Shavercombe Falls River Plymunknownnorth of Ivybridge Short Gill Waterfall Short Gilleast side of Barbondale Smales Leap Smales Burnnear Falstone, Kielder ForestSmeltmill WaterfallSmeltmill BeckNY855150east of Brough, Cumbria Smiddy Linn Bellion Sikenear Elsdon and Harwood Forest Snow Falls (Waterfall) River Doenorth of Ingleton Spout Force Aiken Becknear Whinlatter Pass Spout Linn Spout Sikein Kielder Forest Stainforth Force River Ribblenear Stainforth Stanley Force tributary of River Esksouth side of Eskdale Startling Fall New Close Gillnear Raydale Stevenson's Piece Kirk Moor Beck or Ramsdale Beckwest of Robin Hood's Bay Stock Ghyll Force Stock Ghyllnear Ambleside
T
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.general location Taylorgill Force Styhead Gillnear Seathwaite, Borrowdale The Cascades River Dartunknownnear Holne The Force Force Becknear Mickle Fell The Forces Measand Beckwest of Haweswater Reservoir The Forces tributary of Deepdale Beckeast of Fairfield The Linn Lisles Burnnear Redesdale The Waterfall East Dart Riverunknownnear Postbridge Thomason Foss Eller Becknear Goathland Thornthwaite Force Haweswater Beckbelow dam of Haweswater Reservoir Thornton Force River Twissnorth of Ingleton Tonguegill Force Tongue Gillnorth of Ambleside Turn Wheel Rookhope Burnnear Eastgate, Weardale
U to Z
Waterfall nameRiver or streamOS Grid ref.General location Wainhope Linn Plashetts Burnin Kielder Forest Wain Wath Force River Swalenear Keld, Swaledale Water Ling Force unknown watercoursesouth of Bainbridge White Force Black Ark?in Teesdale White Spout Whitespout Gutter Forest of Bowland White Lady Waterfall or Whitelady Waterfall River Lydnear Lydford, Devon Whorneyside Force Buscoe Sikeeast of Crinkle Crags Yealm Steps River Yealmnorth of Ivybridge
See also List of waterfalls Waterfalls of the UK Waterfalls of Scotland Waterfalls of Wales
References Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale Explorer map series, sheets 101-346