Best Waterfalls Near Durham
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best waterfalls near Durham are Summerhill Force, Low Force Waterfall, High Force Waterfall, Huggill Force, Bleabeck Force, Richmond Falls, Marske Beck and Cauldron Snout.
Durham sits below some of the finest waterfall country in northern England, though you will need to travel to find it. Head southwest, up into the high Pennines, and the dales open out one after another.
In Upper Teesdale, around the village of Bowlees, you can string together Summerhill Force at Gibson's Cave, the gentle cascades of Low Force, the thundering drop of High Force and, just beyond it, the quieter Bleabeck Force. Further up the same wild river, below Cow Green Reservoir, the long staircase of Cauldron Snout pours off the moor.
Over toward Bowes lies the obscure little Huggill Force, hidden in its gorge. Cross south into Swaledale and you meet Richmond Falls, spilling through the middle of Richmond town, and Orgate Force on Marske Beck.
None sits on Durham's doorstep, so treat each as a proper drive into the hills, boots ready and a flask packed. Here are eight waterfalls to seek out near Durham.
Summerhill Force
Photo: G Laird via Geograph.org.uk
Visit Summerhill Force at Gibson's Cave Tucked into a wooded glade near Bowlees in Upper Teesdale, Summerhill Force spills over a rock lip into a pool at a spot known as Gibson's Cave. The cave is not a true cavern but a hollow worn back beneath the overhanging rock behind the falling water.
You reach it on a woodland path of roughly three-quarters of a mile from the Bowlees visitor centre, an easy stroll once you have made the drive southwest into the dale. Local tradition tells of a 16th-century outlaw named Gibson who is said to have sheltered in the recess, lending the quiet green hollow a touch of old story.
Low Force Waterfall
Photo: William Metcalfe via Geograph.org.uk
Explore Low Force on the River Tees A little downstream of the taller High Force, Low Force is a set of low cascades on the River Tees in Teesdale. The water tumbles over rock ledges into broad pools, with the chain suspension footbridge known as the Wynch Bridge crossing just below; the present bridge dates from 1830.
The drop measures around five and a half metres, and the pools beneath draw cold-water swimmers. The Pennine Way runs alongside the river here, and you can walk to the falls on a footpath from the nearby Bowlees visitor centre.
It makes a gentle, rewarding target for a day out in the hills west of Durham.
High Force Waterfall
Photo: Steve Daniels via Geograph.org.uk
See High Force thunder over the dolerite High Force is a powerful fall on the River Tees in Upper Teesdale, where the river drops around seventy feet in a single plunge over a band of hard dark dolerite. By the sheer volume of water thundering over in spate it ranks among the biggest falls in England, though it is not the tallest.
A paid woodland path on the north bank leads down to a viewpoint facing the fall, while a free but longer route follows the south bank along the Pennine Way. The water crashes into a deep pool below the rock face, a fine reward for the drive up into the dale.
Huggill Force
Photo: Paul Gregory via Geograph.org.uk
Seek out hidden Huggill Force near Bowes Hidden in a steep gorge near Bowes in Teesdale, Huggill Force is a small waterfall on Hug Gill. The beck drops through a wooded cleft that stays out of sight until you are almost upon it, reached on a short walk over open ground.
This is a genuinely obscure fall, little written about beyond a handful of photographs, with rough moorland country spreading all around. If you enjoy seeking out the quiet corners the crowds miss, it rewards the drive into the hills southwest of Durham, though you should not expect signs or facilities to guide you to its wooded hollow.
Bleabeck Force
Photo: Karl and Ali via Geograph.org.uk
Walk beyond High Force to Bleabeck Force A short way upstream of its thunderous neighbour High Force, Bleabeck Force is a gentler thing on Blea Beck. Rather than crashing down, the beck slides and steps over ledges of rock in a run of small cascades, close to where it joins the River Tees.
Most visitors stop at High Force and turn back, so this quieter fall a little further on stays peaceful. You reach it on the riverside walk up from Bowlees, crossing fields and rocky paths beside the Tees with the high Pennines rising all around.
In winter it can freeze into sheets and columns of ice, a pretty spot for anyone who walks beyond the big fall.
Richmond Falls
Photo: Gareth James via Geograph.org.uk
Find Richmond Falls below the castle Right in the middle of Richmond in North Yorkshire, just below the castle on its rock, Richmond Falls is a series of natural falls on the River Swale. The river spills over stepped ledges, gentle in dry weather and a roaring, powerful cascade after rain, with riverside paths running along both banks.
There is parking, toilets and a play area close by, plus a viewpoint over the falls near the car park, which makes it an easy stop in the heart of the town. Of all the falls in this set it is the simplest to reach once you have driven south into Swaledale country.
Marske Beck
Photo: Andy Waddington via Geograph.org.uk
Track down Orgate Force on Marske Beck Running down to the River Swale near the village of Marske in Swaledale, Marske Beck holds a modest but attractive fall called Orgate Force, a short way upstream of the village and one of the least-known cascades in the Yorkshire Dales. Because the beck drains only a small area, it runs best after wet weather and can dwindle in dry spells.
You reach it on foot on the circular walks out of Marske, through woodland below limestone cliffs, with no facilities at the fall itself. It suits walkers happy to head deep into the Dales in search of a peaceful, out-of-the-way spot.
Cauldron Snout
Photo: steven ruffles via Geograph.org.uk
Reach Cauldron Snout below Cow Green The furthest of the set, Cauldron Snout is a long cataract on the upper River Tees, where the water pours down a staircase of dark dolerite below the dam of Cow Green Reservoir. Rather than dropping in a single fall, it runs around two hundred yards down the fellside, which makes it one of the longest cascades in England.
The Pennine Way passes right beside it and crosses the Tees at its foot. The setting is remote open moorland on the Durham and Cumbria border, so the long drive and walk suit those who want wild country with their waterfall.
FAQs
How far are these waterfalls from Durham?
All of them lie some distance from Durham, roughly a forty-minute to hour-long drive southwest into Teesdale, Swaledale and the Pennines. The nearest, around Bowlees, are about 39 kilometres from the city, while Cauldron Snout is the furthest at around 48 kilometres.
Which is the easiest waterfall to reach near Durham?
Richmond Falls is the simplest, sitting right in the centre of Richmond town in North Yorkshire, with parking, toilets and a viewpoint close by. High Force and Low Force are also straightforward, reached on short paths from the Bowlees visitor centre in Teesdale.
When is the best time to visit?
After heavy rain the Teesdale falls, especially High Force and Cauldron Snout, run at their most powerful, so a wet spell followed by a bright day is ideal. In winter, quieter falls such as Bleabeck Force near High Force can freeze into striking columns of ice.
Conclusion
None of these falls is a quick errand from the city, and that is rather the point. The reward for driving up into Teesdale, Swaledale and the high Pennines is water at its wildest: the roar of High Force in spate, the long slide of Cauldron Snout off the fell, and hidden corners like Huggill Force and Orgate Force that few people bother to find.
Pick a bright day after rain, when the becks run full, pack proper boots for the rough riverside paths, and check the weather before you set out onto open moorland. Whether you want an easy stroll from Bowlees or a long walk into empty hills, these are the waterfalls to seek out near Durham.
