Aira force

Aira force is a 21 meter high waterfall at Ullswater in the region Cumbria/England (United Kingdom).

Driving on the M6 at Pennrith, take the exit to Kesswick (A66). At Troutbeck take the A5091 to Ullswater. Turn left at the end, there is a big parking lot on the left after 100 meters (gps 54.571937, -2.928199). In the summer of 2023 we decide to drive up to the Park Brow car park (54.576146, -2.933690).

Access to the waterfall is free but you have to pay for the parking. At the big parking there is a tearoom, an information kiosk and a shop which sells snacks and gifts. From the big parking Aira force can be reached in approximately 15-20 minutes. The walk isn’t very difficult but you have to ascend over 80 meters. Our walk from the Park Brow car park (also with a fee, at least £5 for two hours in 2023) was very east and took us less then 5 minutes for the first view on Aira Force. It as very crowded at the car park and we where lucky.

But (there is always a but) there are a few smaller waterfalls upstream and from the viewing platform you can walk up to the ancient bridge and there follow the river upstream. The walk is gorgeous and the small waterfalls are very scenic. They also have names: High Force and High cascades. We didn’t walk to the end but finally our walk lasted 55 minutes.

If you like walking you can follow the Gowbarrow trail, a roundtrip walk that starts at the parking, runs along Aira Force and runs further around Gowbarrow park. The walk is 7 kilometer long, 2-3 hours incl. a stop  enjoying the power of Aira Force waterfall. A nice description can be found on the website of nationaltrust.

Aira Force is gorgeous waterfall: the river Aira beck drops down over 21 meter at an ancient stone bridge. The river name Aira is derived from Old Norse eyrr that means gravel bank. The Old Norse word fors means waterfall and is still used for waterfall names in the north of Norway and at the border with Sweden. In northern English dialects fors is nowadays written as ‘Force’. Aira force means: waterfall at the gravel bank.

There are several other beautiful waterfalls in the Lake District like the Stanley Ghyll Force. This is a 18 meter high waterfall near Beckfoot. For all waterfalls in Cumbria/the Lake District click here.