Scaleber Force

A Dramatic Fall on the South Craven Fault

With rain coming down in buckets today, I decided to pay a visit to an old favourite, just off the high road betwen Settle and Kirkby Malham.  The South Craven Fault, a massive fracture in the landscape, has caused a downthrow in the rocks to the south, and one beck in particular has certainly made the most of the step in between!  Scaleber Force, like so many of the classic Dales waterfalls, sits in an enchanting woodland of its own and can be reached by a scramble down into a rocky glen.  The Victorians, as you can imagine, adored it.

There must have been double the normal amount of water coming down today.  Normally the fall is gracefully elegant.  Today she was threatening to be nasty!

Scaleber Beck eventually becomes a larger tributary at Long Preston, and joins the River Ribble on its long journey to the sea.  There is no greater drama on the whole journey than here ...

Waterfalls are so tricky to photograph ... and I'm not the world's best!  She behaved quite well today though and wasn't too 'white' for comfort.

Scaleber Force is easily reached by taking the steep, minor road out of Settle behind the market place.  After a mile or so an obvious deciduous woodland will appear on the right of the road.  There is room to park in a layby close to the woodland, and a steep scramble down into the gorge will give a great view.  Savour it.

Stephen x