Family Waterfalls in North Yorkshire
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The family waterfalls in North Yorkshire are Aysgarth Lower Falls, Falling Foss Waterfall, Deep Gill Force, Burnet Force, Cauldron Falls, Catrake Force, Thomason Foss and East Gill Force.
North Yorkshire's rivers and becks carve some of the most rewarding waterfalls in England, scattered across the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors. This is limestone and gritstone country, where the Ure, the Swale and countless smaller becks slide over ledges, drop into dark pools and thunder through wooded ravines after rain.
For families, the appeal is variety. Some falls sit a short stroll from a village green or car park, like the broad terraces of Aysgarth Lower Falls or Cauldron Falls at West Burton.
Others reward a longer walk through oak and ash woodland, such as Falling Foss with its seasonal tea garden, or the cluster of falls around Keld, where Catrake Force and East Gill Force tumble in rocky steps. A few, like Deep Gill Force and Burnet Force, are quiet, out-of-the-way spots that ask for more effort and care.
Whether you want an easy riverside amble or a proper scramble with older children, there is something here for every kind of family day out. Here are eight family waterfalls to seek out in North Yorkshire.
Aysgarth Lower Falls
Photo: David Dixon via Geograph.org.uk
Aysgarth Lower Falls spreads the River Ure across the full width of its channel, the water sliding and dropping from one wide grey terrace of limestone to the next. It is the broadest and lowest of three falls the Ure lays out over nearly a mile of Wensleydale.
After heavy rain it becomes a single brown, foaming sheet; in dry spells it thins to threads over bare rock. Wooded paths of oak and ash lead down to it from near the national park centre, and the Middle and Upper falls wait upstream, each with its own character.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves filmed here in 1991.
Falling Foss Waterfall
Photo: Stephen McCulloch via Geograph.org.uk
Falling Foss Waterfall is a woodland waterfall of about thirty feet on the Little Beck, in the North York Moors a few miles inland from Whitby. Beside it stands Midge Hall, a former woodman's cottage that runs seasonally as the Falling Foss Tea Garden, serving cakes and drinks at outdoor tables.
Woodland walks lead to it from the May Beck and Littlebeck car parks, a short and popular route through the trees, which makes it a fine choice for families. It is one of a string of features along the beck, including a rock-cut hermitage nearby.
Pack an appetite for cake and seek it out.
Deep Gill Force
Photo: Colin Gregory via Geograph.org.uk
Deep Gill Force is a small waterfall in a wooded valley near East Witton, on the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales close to Jervaulx Abbey. The beck drops around twenty feet above a small stone arch bridge, among trees and forestry plantation.
It is little known and rarely visited, with no marked route to it, so families keen to find it will need map, patience and sure footing. This is a modest fall in a quiet, out-of-the-way gill rather than a signposted day out.
For those who like their waterfalls off the beaten track, it is a rewarding one to seek out.
Burnet Force
Photo: Colin Gregory via Geograph.org.uk
Burnet Force is a secluded, dramatic waterfall on Force Beck near Bainbridge and Carpley Green in the Yorkshire Dales. This is one for families happy to work for the reward, and older children rather than little ones.
Landowners hold the deeds to the surrounding fields, so you must secure explicit permission before crossing their boundaries to reach it. The way down is a steep, slippery scramble on a muddy bank, where cold spray hits your face and the thunderous roar drowns out your own thoughts.
Stand on slick stone slabs and feel the raw energy of the river shaking the ground under your boots. Ask first, tread carefully, and seek it out.
Cauldron Falls
Photo: Andy Waddington via Geograph.org.uk
Cauldron Falls sits at the edge of West Burton village in Wensleydale, where Walden Beck drops over a rocky ledge into a wide, deep pool. The pool churns in high water, which gives the fall its name, and trees close in around the little limestone bowl.
It is a short walk from the village green, with a stone bridge carrying the lane just below the fall, so families can reach it without much effort. In dry spells the flow thins to a modest curtain over the rock, while heavy rain brings it fully to life.
An easy and pretty village fall to seek out.
Catrake Force
Photo: Chris Holifield via Geograph.org.uk
Catrake Force is a waterfall on the River Swale just above the village of Keld in upper Swaledale. The water drops in a set of rocky steps and runs fullest after heavy rain.
It is one of a close group of falls around Keld, along with Kisdon Force, East Gill Force and Wain Wath Force, so a family can string several together on a single walk. Tucked below the village and out of sight of the road, it is quieter than its neighbours, which makes it a peaceful find.
Time your visit for after rain and seek it out.
Thomason Foss
Photo: steven ruffles via Geograph.org.uk
Thomason Foss is a waterfall on Eller Beck in a wooded, rocky ravine near Beck Hole, in the North York Moors close to Goathland. The beck drops into a dark, enclosed plunge pool, a well-liked wild swimming spot, reached on a walk of about twenty minutes from the bridge by the Beck Hole pub, following the beck upstream and scrambling over boulders at the end.
This is one for families happy with a short scramble rather than a buggy-friendly stroll. It is quieter and smaller than nearby Mallyan Spout, tucked away in the trees, and runs fuller after rain.
A hidden ravine fall to seek out.
East Gill Force
Photo: Peter Johnson via Geograph.org.uk
East Gill Force is a small, stepped waterfall near Keld in Swaledale, where East Gill drops down rock ledges just above its meeting with the River Swale. It sits by a footbridge where the Coast to Coast walk and the Pennine Way cross, making it a popular and easily reached spot that suits families well.
It is one of a cluster of falls around Keld, along with Kisdon, Catrake and Wain Wath Forces, so you can happily link a few on one outing. The water tumbles in low steps down to the river, pretty in any weather.
An accessible little fall to round off the list and seek out.
FAQs
Which North Yorkshire waterfalls are easiest for young children?
Cauldron Falls at West Burton and East Gill Force near Keld are among the most accessible, both a short walk from a village or footbridge. Aysgarth Lower Falls also has wooded riverside paths leading down to the water. Always keep children back from the edge, as the rocks can be slippery.
When is the best time to visit these waterfalls?
Most of these falls, including Catrake Force and Thomason Foss, run fullest after heavy rain, so autumn and winter or a wet spell in any season give the most dramatic flow. In dry summers some shrink to a thin trickle over bare rock.
Do I need permission to visit any of them?
Yes, Burnet Force sits on private land where the landowners hold the deeds to the surrounding fields, so you must secure explicit permission before crossing their boundaries. The others listed here are reached by public paths, though some involve rough or steep ground.
Conclusion
From the broad limestone terraces of Aysgarth to the hidden ravine of Thomason Foss, North Yorkshire packs an extraordinary range of waterfalls into its dales and moors. Some, like Cauldron Falls and East Gill Force, sit a short and easy walk from a village or footbridge, ideal for younger children.
Others, such as Burnet Force with its steep permission-only scramble, are best kept for families happy to work harder and for older legs. Whichever you choose, check the weather, since most run fullest after rain, wear boots with grip, and always keep little ones well back from slick, fast-moving water.
Pack a picnic, plan your route around the map, and take your time exploring these becks and gorges. From roadside cascades to out-of-the-way gills, these are the family waterfalls to seek out in North Yorkshire.
