Best Waterfalls in North Yorkshire
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best waterfalls in North Yorkshire are Cray Gill Waterfall, Linton Falls, Redmire Force, Whitfield Gill Force, Aysgarth Lower Falls, Mill Gill Force, Kisdon Force and Marske Beck.
North Yorkshire means the Yorkshire Dales, and the Dales are waterfall country, where the limestone rivers spill over ledge after ledge through wooded gorges. The broadest is Aysgarth Lower Falls, where the River Ure slides across the full width of the channel over flat grey terraces, while Linton Falls near Grassington drops along the line of the Craven Fault beside an old hydro plant.
Above Askrigg in Wensleydale, two gill forces hide in steep woods, Mill Gill and Whitfield Gill, reached one after the other on a climbing path. Over in Swaledale, the Swale plunges at Kisdon Force below Keld, and the little Marske Beck falls at Orgate Force near its village, one of the least-known cascades in the Dales.
Redmire Force spreads over ledges on the Ure, a favourite wild swimming spot, and Cray Gill drops by its hamlet in upper Wharfedale. Some are minutes from a car park; others need a walk on rough ground.
Here are eight waterfalls to seek out across North Yorkshire.
Cray Gill Waterfall
Photo: JThomas via Geograph.org.uk
Cray Gill is a small waterfall by the hamlet of Cray in upper Wharfedale, near Buckden in the Yorkshire Dales. It sits a short step up the road from the White Lion inn, close to the old bridge, and comes to life after heavy rain.
Walkers usually take it in on a round that also passes larger falls on the neighbouring gills. It is a modest, out-of-the-way fall rather than a major set piece.
Linton Falls
Photo: Ian S via Geograph.org.uk
Linton Falls is a set of limestone cascades on the River Wharfe between Grassington and Linton village, about a five-minute walk down from Grassington's main car park. A footbridge crosses right over the falls, which run loud and full after rain, with a pair of weirs beside them.
The falls formed along the Craven Fault, where a shift in the rock long ago left the limestone to the north standing higher than the ground to the south. Next to the water is a small hydro-electric plant, first built in 1909 and working again since 2012, along with traces of old mill workings.
A short walk away stands Little Emily's Bridge, a stone packhorse bridge over Linton Beck.
Redmire Force
Photo: Tony Wells via Geograph.org.uk
Redmire Force is a set of waterfalls on the River Ure in Wensleydale, where the river drops over a series of rock ledges among trees between the villages of Redmire and West Witton. It is best known as a wild swimming spot, with shallow pools at the top and deeper water below, reached on foot along riverside and bridleway paths from either side of the valley.
There are no facilities at the falls, which run fuller and louder after rain.
Whitfield Gill Force
Photo: Richard Spencer via Geograph.org.uk
Whitfield Gill Force is a waterfall in a steep, wooded ravine above Askrigg in Wensleydale, in the Yorkshire Dales. It is the further of the two falls reached from the village: walkers pass Mill Gill Force first, then carry on about half a mile to Whitfield Gill Force.
The path climbs from Askrigg past the church into woodland, and the final approach is rough underfoot. The main fall is often partly screened by trees, so it shows best in winter.
Aysgarth Lower Falls
Photo: David Dixon via Geograph.org.uk
Aysgarth Lower Falls is the broadest and lowest of the three sets of falls that the River Ure spreads over nearly a mile of Wensleydale. Here the river slides and drops over wide, flat steps of grey limestone, spilling from one terrace to the next across the full width of the channel.
In spate it turns into a broad sheet of brown, foaming water; in dry spells it shrinks to threads over bare rock. Wooded riverside paths lead down to it from near the national park centre, through oak and ash.
The falls featured in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and the Middle and Upper falls lie upstream on the same short stretch.
Mill Gill Force
Photo: Stephen Craven via Geograph.org.uk
Mill Gill Force is a wooded waterfall on Mill Gill, about three-quarters of a mile west of the village of Askrigg in Wensleydale. The water cascades over a series of rock ledges in a bluebell wood, running at its best after rain.
It is reached on foot from the church in Askrigg, along a lane and across fields into the woodland, a walk of fifteen to twenty minutes. Many walkers carry on upstream to a second fall, Whitfield Gill Force, on a rougher path.
There are no facilities at the falls, which stay quiet and little visited.
Kisdon Force
Photo: Karl and Ali via Geograph.org.uk
Kisdon Force is a waterfall on the River Swale in a wooded gorge just below the village of Keld in upper Swaledale. The river drops in two falls a little apart, the upper one plunging clean into a large pool.
A narrow, steep path from Keld leads down to it, near where the Pennine Way crosses, the rocks wet and slippery. It is one of a group of falls around Keld, set among trees in a limestone gorge.
Marske Beck
Photo: Andy Waddington via Geograph.org.uk
Marske Beck is a stream that runs down to the River Swale near the village of Marske in Swaledale. Its notable waterfall is Orgate Force, a modest but attractive fall a little way upstream of the village, one of the least-known cascades in the Dales.
Because the beck drains only a small area, the fall runs best after wet weather and can drop away in dry spells. It is reached on foot on the circular walks out of Marske, through woodland below limestone cliffs, with no facilities at the fall itself.
FAQs
What is the best-known waterfall in North Yorkshire?
Aysgarth Falls, where the River Ure spreads over three sets of falls across nearly a mile of Wensleydale, is the best-known in North Yorkshire. The broad Lower Falls, sliding over wide limestone terraces, featured in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and is reached on wooded paths from near the national park centre.
Which waterfalls can you visit near Askrigg in North Yorkshire?
Two gill forces sit above Askrigg in North Yorkshire. Mill Gill Force lies about three-quarters of a mile west through a bluebell wood, and Whitfield Gill Force is a further half-mile on up a rougher path, so many walkers take in both on the same climbing route from the church.
Where can you go wild swimming at a North Yorkshire waterfall?
Redmire Force on the River Ure, between Redmire and West Witton, is the best-known wild swimming spot among North Yorkshire's waterfalls, with shallow pools at the top and deeper water below. There are no facilities, the falls run stronger after rain, and as with all wild swimming, care and caution are needed.
Conclusion
North Yorkshire's waterfalls are the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, from broad set pieces to hidden gill forces. Aysgarth Lower Falls spreads the Ure across its wide limestone terraces, Linton Falls drops along the Craven Fault by Grassington, and Redmire Force pools for swimmers between its villages.
Above Askrigg, Mill Gill and Whitfield Gill hide in climbing woods, while over in Swaledale the river plunges at Kisdon Force below Keld and Marske Beck falls quietly at Orgate Force. Cray Gill rounds off the list by its Wharfedale hamlet.
Some are a short stroll, others a rough walk best after rain when the rivers are high. These are the waterfalls to seek out across North Yorkshire.
