Scale Force, Waterfall in Loweswater, England.
Scale Force is a waterfall on Scale Beck, near Loweswater in the Lake District, dropping through a narrow gorge carved into the hillside. The gorge is so tight that the rock walls on either side press in closely, creating a deep, dark channel where the water falls almost straight down.
The word 'Force' in the name traces back to Old Norse, reflecting the influence of Norse settlers who arrived in northern England during the medieval period. The waterfall became known to a wider public in the 19th century, when walkers and painters began exploring the fells around Buttermere and Loweswater.
The name 'Force' comes from an Old Norse word for waterfall, brought to northern England by Norse settlers long ago. Visitors can still hear this old word in the names of many other waterfalls across the Lake District.
The walk to Scale Force begins from the car park near Buttermere village and follows a path that climbs steadily across open hillside before entering the gorge. The ground can be very muddy and slippery after rain, so sturdy boots make the difference between a comfortable walk and a difficult one.
Scale Force is the tallest waterfall in the Lake District, yet its full height is almost impossible to take in at once because the gorge is too narrow to step back far enough. The thick moss coating the lower rocks stays damp year-round, since sunlight almost never reaches the floor of the chasm.
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