Best Waterfalls Near Chester
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best waterfalls near Chester are Plaspower Waterfall, Dyserth Waterfall, Pistyll Rhaeadr, Waulkmill Waterfall, Pistyll Blaen-y-cwm, Hatch Brook Waterfall, Roddlesworth Waterfall and Machno Falls.
Chester sits on flat, low ground by the Dee, so its nearest waterfalls all lie a good drive away, out in the hills that ring the city. Think of the trip as a run into the uplands, and the falls sort themselves by direction.
The closest, Plaspower Waterfall, is only twenty kilometres southwest in the woods near Wrexham. Push further west into north Wales for the easy roadside drop at Dyserth, and, best of all, southwest into the Berwyn mountains for the towering Pistyll Rhaeadr and the wilder Pistyll Blaen-y-cwm.
Turn east instead and you reach Waulkmill Waterfall on the edge of the Peak District at Bollington. Head north into Lancashire for the hidden pair of Hatch Brook and Roddlesworth in the West Pennine woods.
Furthest of all, out west in Conwy, Machno Falls tumbles through its gorge near Betws-y-Coed. Some are gentle strolls suited to families, others rough scrambles for keen walkers, so match your choice to the day and check the forecast before you drive out.
Here are eight waterfalls to seek out near Chester.
Plaspower Waterfall
Photo: Geraint Roberts via Geograph.org.uk
Plaspower Waterfall The closest of the set, only around twenty kilometres southwest of Chester, Plaspower Waterfall sits on the River Clywedog inside Plas Power Woods, a Woodland Trust estate just west of Wrexham. You reach it on a riverside walk through the trees, where the water tumbles over a rocky step, part weir and part natural fall, into pools that draw paddling children on warm days.
It is a genuinely photogenic spot along the Clywedog Valley Trail, close to the weir and stepping stones on the same stretch of river. The setting is quiet woodland, and the nearest parking is at Nant Mill just along the way.
Dyserth Waterfall
Photo: Chris Downer via Geograph.org.uk
Dyserth Waterfall West of Chester, in the village of Dyserth in Denbighshire, this fall drops right behind the car park, making it one of the easiest to reach in north Wales. A short walk and a footbridge bring you to the foot of the water, which comes down a rock face in a single broad drop of around seventy feet.
If you fancy a different angle, steep steps climb alongside for views from above the fall. A small cafe and a picnic spot sit by the entrance, so it is an easy family stop rather than a hill walk.
Handy, then, for a gentle half-day out of the city.
Pistyll Rhaeadr
Photo: Alan Hughes via Geograph.org.uk
Pistyll Rhaeadr Southwest of Chester, on the southern edge of the Berwyn mountains, Pistyll Rhaeadr is the best-known tall waterfall in Wales. It stands on the Afon Disgynfa about four miles from Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant in Powys, where the water falls in stages down a high cliff, the top plunge dropping around forty metres into a pool before tumbling on through the lower drops.
A natural rock arch, the Fairy Bridge, spans the fall, and the whole thing is counted among the Seven Wonders of Wales. A short, easy walk from the car park reaches the base, while a hill path climbs to the top, and there is a tea room by the falls.
Waulkmill Waterfall
Photo: Hal Westhead via Geograph.org.uk
Waulkmill Waterfall Head east instead, toward the edge of the Peak District, and you find Waulkmill Waterfall on the River Dean in Ingersley Vale, on the northeastern edge of Bollington in Cheshire. It sits below Kerridge Hill and is part natural, part industrial: a natural fall with a mill weir built on top, which once served the textile mill at Ingersley Clough.
The fall lies in woodland of beech, oak and sycamore, reached on a circular walk of a few miles out of Bollington. Come in spring and the ground is lit with bluebells and red campion.
It makes a good half-day on the Cheshire side of the hills.
Pistyll Blaen-y-cwm
Photo: Graham via Geograph.org.uk
Pistyll Blaen-y-cwm Back in the Berwyn mountains, southwest of Chester, Pistyll Blaen-y-cwm marks the head of the Blaen y Cwm valley, where the young Afon Tanat spills off the southern hills near Llangynog in Powys. It is one of a scatter of falls in the upper Tanat valley, and among the more reachable of them, taken in on a walk up the valley from the ancient church at Pennant Melangell nearby.
The country here is quiet upland of rough grazing and steep slopes, with no facilities at the fall itself, so bring what you need. For walkers who like their waterfalls wild, it is a fine reward at the head of the glen.
Hatch Brook Waterfall
Photo: Alan Chadwick via Geograph.org.uk
Hatch Brook Waterfall North of Chester now, in the West Pennine Moors near Chorley in Lancashire, Hatch Brook Waterfall drops through a wooded ravine above the village of Brinscall. Its flow varies greatly with the weather, from a decent fall after rain to little more than a trickle in dry spells, so it pays to come when the streams are up.
It is awkward to reach, glimpsed from above the track or found by a steep scramble down to the base, which keeps the crowds away. This is a little-known spot in the Brinscall woods, one for walkers who enjoy tracking down a fall rather than being led straight to it.
Roddlesworth Waterfall
Photo: Mr T via Geograph.org.uk
Roddlesworth Waterfall Close by, south of Blackburn in Lancashire, Roddlesworth Waterfall is a small cascade on the River Roddlesworth, set in the Roddlesworth and Tockholes plantation. This is mixed woodland laid out around a chain of reservoirs, and a short walk from the road along riverside and woodland paths brings you to the fall.
Like its neighbours it swings from a trickle in dry weather to a roar after heavy rain. The wider wood, with the ruins of an old house hidden among the trees, is a popular place for family walks and dog-walking, though there are no facilities at the fall itself.
Machno Falls
Photo: Damon Knight via Geograph.org.uk
Machno Falls Furthest out, west of Chester in the hills of Conwy, Machno Falls is a set of cascades tumbling through a rocky gorge on the Afon Machno, just north of the village of Penmachno near Betws-y-Coed. A rough, unmarked path leads down from a roadside spot to view the falls through the trees, so sturdy footwear helps.
Close by stands the so-called Roman Bridge, which is in fact a seventeenth-century stone packhorse bridge arching over the same river. It is a quiet, little-visited place with no facilities.
Pair it with a stop in nearby Betws-y-Coed for a good day out in the Welsh hills.
FAQs
Which waterfall is closest to Chester?
Plaspower Waterfall is the nearest, roughly twenty kilometres southwest in Plas Power Woods just west of Wrexham. It is an easy riverside walk on the River Clywedog, making it the simplest of these falls to fit into an afternoon out of Chester.
Are any of these falls good for families?
Yes. Dyserth Waterfall in Denbighshire drops right behind its car park, with a cafe and picnic spot by the entrance, and Pistyll Rhaeadr near Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant has a tea room and a short, easy walk to the base. Both suit a family day out from Chester.
How tall is Pistyll Rhaeadr?
At Pistyll Rhaeadr, on the edge of the Berwyn mountains southwest of Chester, the water falls in stages down a high cliff, with the top plunge dropping around forty metres. It is counted among the Seven Wonders of Wales.
Conclusion
Not one of these falls sits within easy reach of the city streets, but that is the nature of Chester: the drama lies out in the surrounding hills. For a gentle day, Plaspower near Wrexham and the roadside drop at Dyserth ask very little of you, while Pistyll Rhaeadr rewards a short walk with one of the tallest falls in Wales.
If you would rather earn your view, the hidden woodland cascades of Hatch Brook and Roddlesworth in Lancashire, or the wild Pistyll Blaen-y-cwm in the Berwyns, will keep the keener walker happy. Whichever way you turn, pack boots for wet rock, keep an eye on the forecast, and allow time for the drive through the hills.
From easy family stops to remote upland gorges, these are the waterfalls to seek out near Chester.
