Aysgarth Falls

The falls were formed as the River Ure cut down through alternating bands of limestone and shale, with the harder limestone layers creating the broad steps the water now tumbles over. The result is a series of falls that, while individually modest in height, combine into one of the most photographed stretches of river in the Dales.

Aysgarth has been a popular beauty spot since Victorian times, when visitors arrived by train to the long-closed Aysgarth station to admire the falls, and the village even hosted J. M. W. Turner, who came to paint the scene in the early 19th century.

The Lower Force, with its wooded backdrop and tumbling cascades, was chosen as the location for the fight between Robin Hood and Little John in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and remains easily recognisable today.

The walk linking all three falls is short, well under a mile each way, and suitable for most ages and abilities, though some sections involve steps and can be slippery when wet. An hour is enough to see all three falls at an easy pace.

The visitor centre is a good place to start, with maps for longer walks if you want to extend your visit into the surrounding woodland and riverside paths. The falls are at their most dramatic after heavy rain, when the volume of water increases noticeably.

It combines naturally with Bolton Castle or the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes, both a short drive further along the dale, for a full day exploring Wensleydale.