Scale Force

Scale Force drops 170 feet through a narrow gorge on Scale Beck, creating a vertical cascade within steep rock walls north of Red Pike mountain.

Norse settlers named this waterfall using their term 'force', which became part of numerous waterfall names throughout northern England during medieval times.

William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote about Scale Force, with Coleridge comparing the water's appearance through trees to hair over madman's eyes.

The walking trail to Scale Force spans 4.2 miles from the Buttermere Court Hotel car park, involving a moderate climb with potentially slippery and muddy sections.

Scale Force stands as the highest waterfall in the Lake District, where sunlight rarely reaches the bottom of its deep, moss-covered chasm.

Location: Loweswater

Part of: Scale Beck

GPS coordinates: 54.54320,-3.31350

Latest update: March 6, 2025 21:15