Aira Force

The stream flowing over the waterfall is Aira Beck, which rises on the upper slopes of Stybarrow Dodd at a height of 720 m and flows north-easterly before turning south, blocked by the high heather-covered slopes of Gowbarrow Fell. It turns south on its eight-kilometre journey to join Ullswater, at a height of 150 m. One kilometre before entering the lake, the beck makes the 20 m leap down a rocky and steep sided ravine at the falls known as Aira Force. The water falls approximately 22 m to a rocky pool, from where the beck continues through a shallow valley to the lake. The river name Aira is derived from Old Norse eyrr, a gravel bank, and Old Norse á, a river, hence "the river at the…

Aira Force lies on land owned by the National Trust. The Trust purchased the 750-acre Gowbarrow Park (on which the force lies) in 1906 and has provided facilities, such as car parking, disabled access, graded paths, and viewing platforms to make Aira Force one of the most famous and most visited waterfalls in the Lake District. The National Trust has also provided public lavatories, a café, and a visitor centre. The site is open to visitors throughout the year. A public footpath from the village of Dockray passes the waterfall. Beside the walk that passes up the glen is located a good example of a Wish Tree, in this case using a large fallen tree trunk. Visitors hammer coins into it using…