Best Waterfalls Near Middlesbrough
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best waterfalls near Middlesbrough are Thomason Foss, Richmond Falls, Nelly Ayre Foss, Mallyan Spout Waterfall, Falling Foss Waterfall, Marske Beck, Harmby Waterfall and Deep Gill Force.
Middlesbrough looks out on some of the finest upland scenery in England, though its best waterfalls all lie a fair drive from town, out in the moors and dales. Head southeast into the North York Moors around Goathland and you will find a cluster of them: Thomason Foss and Nelly Ayre Foss tucked in wooded ravines, the tall thread of Mallyan Spout on the village edge, and Falling Foss further on toward Whitby.
Swing southwest instead and the Yorkshire Dales open up. Richmond Falls spill through the middle of Richmond below its castle, while deeper into the hills lie Marske Beck in Swaledale, Harmby Waterfall near Leyburn in Wensleydale, and the little-visited Deep Gill Force near East Witton.
This is a set for a day out with the map, some best after rain and others gentler in flow. Pack boots, plan the driving, and treat each as a reason to explore the uplands.
Here are eight waterfalls to seek out near Middlesbrough.
Thomason Foss
Photo: steven ruffles via Geograph.org.uk
Thomason Foss Drive out into the North York Moors near Goathland and you reach Thomason Foss, where Eller Beck pours into a dark, enclosed plunge pool in a wooded, rocky ravine close to Beck Hole. It is a well-liked wild swimming spot, though a cold and shady one.
The way in is a walk of about twenty minutes from the bridge by the Beck Hole pub, following the beck upstream and scrambling over boulders toward the end. Smaller and quieter than nearby Mallyan Spout, it hides among the trees and runs at its fullest after a good spell of rain.
Richmond Falls
Photo: Gareth James via Geograph.org.uk
Richmond Falls For an easier stop, drive southwest to Richmond in North Yorkshire, where a run of natural falls tumbles over the River Swale right in the heart of the town, just below the castle on its crag. The river spills across stepped ledges, gentle in dry weather and a powerful, roaring cascade once rain swells it.
Paths run along both banks, and there is parking, toilets and a play area close by, with a viewpoint over the water near the car park. After the long drive from Middlesbrough, this is the least demanding of the eight to reach, and pleasant for all ages.
Nelly Ayre Foss
Photo: John Ryles via Geograph.org.uk
Nelly Ayre Foss Back in the moors around Goathland, Nelly Ayre Foss is a small, wide fall on West Beck, the quiet cousin of the better-known cascades nearby. The water fans out over rock ledges in a wooded valley, and most people take it in as part of a walking circuit that also links Mallyan Spout and Thomason Foss.
It lies a couple of kilometres upstream of Mallyan Spout and is reached on foot from Goathland, with a steep, slippery scramble for the final drop down to the water. Peaceful and little-visited, it rewards those willing to stitch several falls into one day out.
Mallyan Spout Waterfall
Photo: Anthony Foster via Geograph.org.uk
Mallyan Spout Waterfall The tall, slender highlight of the Goathland falls, Mallyan Spout drops around seventy feet down a mossy ravine wall on the western edge of the village, where West Beck spills over the top. It is the highest fall in the North York Moors national park.
A footpath beside the Mallyan Spout Hotel drops down to the beck, then picks along a rocky ledge through the ravine to the water, a short walk that turns slippery in places. Like its neighbours it runs at its most impressive after heavy rain and can shrink to a mere trickle in a dry spell, so time your visit.
Falling Foss Waterfall
Photo: Stephen McCulloch via Geograph.org.uk
Falling Foss Waterfall Closer to the coast, a few miles inland from Whitby, Falling Foss drops about thirty feet through woodland on the Little Beck. Beside it stands Midge Hall, an old woodman's cottage that opens seasonally as the Falling Foss Tea Garden, where cakes and drinks are served at outdoor tables under the trees.
Woodland walks reach it easily from the May Beck and Littlebeck car parks, a short and popular route. The fall is only one of a string of curiosities strung along the beck, including a hermitage carved out of the rock nearby, so it makes a rewarding half-day of pottering.
Marske Beck
Photo: Andy Waddington via Geograph.org.uk
Marske Beck Deeper into the Yorkshire Dales, Marske Beck runs down to the River Swale near the village of Marske in Swaledale. Its cascade of note is Orgate Force, a modest but pretty fall a short way upstream of the village and one of the least-known in the Dales.
Because the beck drains only a small patch of ground, it flows best after wet weather and can fade away in a dry spell. You reach it on foot on the circular walks out of Marske, wandering through woodland below limestone cliffs.
There are no facilities at the fall itself, which keeps it quiet and unspoilt.
Harmby Waterfall
Photo: Gordon Hatton via Geograph.org.uk
Harmby Waterfall Over in Wensleydale, Harmby Waterfall tumbles through a wooded gorge at the edge of the village of Harmby, near Leyburn. A short path with steps drops down to it from the village, just off the main road.
It is a modest fall, seen at its best after rain, and far quieter than the better-known cascades elsewhere in the dale. Roadside parking in the village is limited, so arrive early or on a weekday if you can.
For anyone touring the Wensleydale falls from Middlesbrough, it makes a pleasant, low-effort addition that most visitors overlook entirely.
Deep Gill Force
Photo: Colin Gregory via Geograph.org.uk
Deep Gill Force Last of the set, Deep Gill Force hides in a wooded valley near East Witton, on the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales close to Jervaulx Abbey. Here the beck drops around twenty feet above a small stone arch bridge, ringed by trees and forestry plantation.
It is genuinely little known and rarely visited, with no marked route leading to it, so a map and a sense of adventure help. This is a modest fall in a quiet, out-of-the-way gill, the kind of corner you reach only if you go looking, and all the more satisfying for it.
FAQs
How far are these waterfalls from Middlesbrough?
All of them lie a fair drive away, from around 37 km out at the Goathland falls to nearly 50 km at Deep Gill Force near East Witton. Middlesbrough works as a base for day trips into the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales.
Which is the tallest waterfall near Middlesbrough?
Mallyan Spout at Goathland, dropping about seventy feet, is the highest fall in the North York Moors national park and the tallest on this list.
Are any of them easy to reach with children?
Richmond Falls, in the centre of Richmond, is the simplest, with parking, toilets, a play area and a viewpoint close by. Falling Foss near Whitby is also a short, family-friendly woodland walk.
Conclusion
Every fall on this list asks for a drive, because the country around Middlesbrough saves its waterfalls for the high moors and dales rather than the town itself. That is no bad thing.
A trip southeast lands you in the wooded ravines around Goathland, where Thomason Foss, Nelly Ayre Foss and Mallyan Spout sit within a single walking circuit. Head southwest instead and Richmond, Swaledale and Wensleydale reward you with everything from an easy town-centre cascade to hidden gills like Deep Gill Force.
Most run best after rain, so keep an eye on the weather and pick a wet week. Bring boots for the scrambles, allow time for the driving, and treat the falls as a way into some of England's loveliest upland scenery.
From the North York Moors to the Dales, these are the waterfalls to seek out near Middlesbrough.
