Caves · North West England
Scale Force
In or near Buttermere.
Scale Force is considered the highest waterfall in the English Lake District. Opinions vary about how its precise height is calculated, but the total height is normally stated as 170 feet (51.8m). It
Anthony Parkes — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
About
Scale Force is considered the highest waterfall in the English Lake District. Opinions vary about how its precise height is calculated, but the total height is normally stated as 170 feet (51.8m). It lies on the stream Scale Beck. The waterfall – or force (a Norse term for waterfall) – is hidden in a deep gorge on the northern flank of Red Pike. It lies south of Crummock Water and is near the village of Buttermere. William Wordsworth described Scale Force as "a fine chasm, with a lofty, though but slender, fall of water", while Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote, "Scale Force, the white downfall of which glimmered through the trees, that hang before it like the bushy hair over a madman's eyes." In her poetical illustration Scale Force, Cumberland., to a painting by Thomas Allom, Letitia Elizabeth Landon writes "It sweeps, as sweeps an army Adown the mountain side, With the voice of many claps of thunder, like the battle’s sounding tide".
Photo gallery
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Derwent and Tributaries SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Scale Force is considered the highest waterfall in the English Lake District. Opinions vary about how its precise height is calculated, but the total height is normally stated as 170 feet (51.8m). It lies on the stream Scale Beck. The waterfall – or force (a Norse term for waterfall) – is hidden in a deep gorge on the northern flank of Red Pike. It lies south of Crummock Water and is near the village of Buttermere. William Wordsworth described Scale Force as "a fine chasm, with a lofty, though but slender, fall of water", while Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote, "Scale Force, the white downfall of which glimmered through the trees, that hang before it like the bushy hair over a madman's eyes." In her poetical illustration Scale Force, Cumberland., to a painting by Thomas Allom, Letitia Elizabeth Landon writes "It sweeps, as sweeps an army Adown the mountain side, With the voice of many claps of thunder, like the battle’s sounding tide".
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 54.5432, -3.3135
- District
- Cumberland
- Parish
- Buttermere
- Postcode
- CA13 9FG
- Parliamentary constituency
- Penrith and Solway
Sources
- wikipedia: Scale Force (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Scale Force
Waterfalls · 0.2 km
Crummock Water
Natural landmarks · 1.2 km
Mellbreak
Natural landmarks · 1.4 km
Mellbreak
Mountains & hills · 1.4 km
Little Dodd
Mountains & hills · 1.7 km
Starling Dodd
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Rannerdale Knotts
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Rannerdale Knotts
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Dodd
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Red Pike
Natural landmarks · 2.0 km
Red Pike (Buttermere)
Mountains & hills · 2.0 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Scale Force?
- Scale Force is in North-West England, United Kingdom (postcode CA13 9FG), in the parish of Buttermere.
- What is Scale Force?
- Scale Force is considered the highest waterfall in the English Lake District. Opinions vary about how its precise height is calculated, but the total height is normally stated as 170 feet (51.8m). It
- How do I get to Scale Force?
- Drivers can use postcode CA13 9FG.
- Is Scale Force a protected site?
- Yes — Scale Force is part of the River Derwent and Tributaries SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Scale Force free to visit?
- Yes, Scale Force is free to enter.
- How do I get to Scale Force?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode CA13 9FG. It sits within the Penrith and Solway parliamentary constituency.