Aysgarth falls
(Aysgarth Force)
Aysgarth falls is a long stretched series of broad limestone steps in the river Ure near the village Aysgarth (Yorkshire Dales national park) in England (United Kingdom).
The Aysgarth falls can be found along road A684 at the village of Aysgarth. In the village (at the “Aysgath falls hotel”) take the exit and follow the signs “visitor centre”. There is a big parking (with a fee) at the visitors centre but in summertime the waterfalls are very popular. There is another (overflow) parking, back in the direction of the main road”, next to the church/graveyard. This is also a parking with a fee. The nice thing is that there is no admission to see the falls and they are open 24/7!
The name Aysgarth derives from the old Norse language and means “the open space in the oak trees”. Several waterfalls have Norwegian words in its name. One example, several waterfalls have the name Force in it and is derived from the Norwegian word Foss, which means waterfall.
There are three sections with multiple cascades, all close to each other: lower falls, middle falls and the upper falls. There is a path at both sides of the river. When we visited the Aysgarth waterfalls, July 2013, we had to park at the overflow parking. First view (close to the parking) on the waterfalls was at the bridge on the upper fall. Not very tall, but very wide and so extremely powerful that I think these waterfalls belong to the most powerful waterfalls in the UK.
From here follow the signs for the Aysgarth falls, to the visitor centre and a little further to the middle waterfall (just a few minutes from the lower waterfall). There is a viewing platform and this middle Aysgarth fall is taller and more impressive. This was really a waterfall with the “wow factor”.
The third waterfall, the lower Aysgarth fall, is appr. 800 meter downstream and is the most photogenic waterfall. There are views from the path at this waterfall you can come very close to the river.
The single drops of each waterfall isn’t very spectacular but there is a total descent of 61 meter within 600 meter! After rainfall or in rainy periode (autumn) the river Ure swells to an extremely powerful river, but maybe in springtime it is more beautiful with a good look at the broad limestone steps. I didn’t expect to much but the waterfall (at maximum power) are so impressing, so beautiful.
At the upper falls, at the bridge, you can see a historic building Yore Mill, built as a cotton mill in 1784. Nowadays it is a craft shop and gallery. The Aysgarth Falls have attracted people over the centuries: William Wordsworth (writer) married here, J.M.W. Turner painted the waterfalls. It was also a film location for Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves (fighting scene).
