Uldale Force, River Rawthey, Yorkshire Dales National Park, Cumbria, UK

            The BGS geological map illustrates why such a large waterfall lies here, where the Four Fathom Carboniferous limestone suddenly meets a thick band of Alston sandstone, which overlies interbedded limestone/sandstone/siltstone/mudstone (also of the Alston Formation) downstream.  The result is an attractive bowl enclosed by a curving cliff, over which the river falls ~15 m.  The plunge pool is apparently good for wild swimming – if you can get to it.

Uldale Force is often said to be difficult to find, which is absurd – simply park at Rawthey Bridge (I think there's a bus stop too) and follow the western side of the river upstream for a little over 3 km.  Okay, it's the most remote major waterfall I know (though I'm no expert), and further across the moor than one might immediately think, but it's not difficult to find, and over-romantic statements about a "hidden gem" can be dismissed immediately.  Keep moderately close to the river and you can't really miss it.

That said, though it's certainly dramatic and of a magnitude typically exploited for tourism, visiting isn't a matter of a casual family stroll!
The tiny, non-continuous path naturally leads one to the riverbed downstream of Uldale Force, with a smaller waterfall preventing onward access.  Instead, one has to climb back up the valley side and traverse a steep grassed slope above a cliff – be extremely careful.  Seriously: I'm accustomed to taking a few risks when walking alone (I'm not proud to say that; it just happens), but on wet, muddy grass, already after sunset, this slope scared me.

Prior to this visit, primed by those annoying attempts to characterise a straightforward walk as a heroic expedition, I looked online for a grid reference... and found a misleading one.  Uldale Force is one of several noteworthy cascades on the River Rawthey; one of the first encountered on the walk up from Rawthey Bridge is at SD729965, but Uldale Force is a further kilometre upstream, at SD736957.

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / Fell End (show map)

Taken on: January 19, 2014

Tags:

uldale

force

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rawthey

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yorkshire

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cumbria

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howgill

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Sets appears in: • Yorkshire Dales: Rawthey waterfalls

Groups appears in: • Cumbria, England • Waterblur more » • The British Countryside • Waterfalls • Yorkshire Dales (National Park) • A River Runs Through It • Cumbria • Waterfalls of Great Britain • British National Parks • Great British Landscapes (No buildings, boats, people or animals • World Waterfall Database • Landscape detail • Waterfalls of Cumbria. « less

Camera: Canon EOS 60D, f/4.0, 2 sec, 24mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 60D
Aperture:	f/4.0
Exposure Time:	2
Focal Length:	24mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS4 Windows
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