The Yorkshire Dales is home to some of the best waterfalls with lots of them great places to wild swim too. Discover some of the best wild swimming locations in the Yorkshire Dales in this guide.
1. Catrigg Force
A beautiful waterfall hidden in a wooded gorge; Catrigg Force has a deep pool and is an excellent wild swimming location in the Yorkshire Dales. When the river level is low, a perfect changing area is revealed directly infront of the pool and you can walk into the water easily. However, during high rain, this can become slippy and impossible to get to the edge of the pool so save this one for a period of dry weather.
Catrigg Force is just a 15 minute walk from the main car park in Stainforth. It’s an easy path to follow with a short, steep section to start and the turn off for the waterfall is signposted.
You can find the full walking route for Catrigg Force here.
2. Kisdon Force
Kisdon Force is one of the BEST wild swimming spots in the Yorkshire Dales. It has two huge, deep pools to swim in. You can jump off the ledges into the pools and there is even a rope swing to play on too.
This is another place to save for settled weather and during a period of low rain. Kisdon Force is a powerful waterfall with undercurrents and a large swell and is quite intimidating, especially for wild swimming.
Access it from the small village of Keld by following the main path out the village and following the sign for Kisdon Force down through the woods. There is a steep and slippery path to navigate here to get down to the waterfalls.
3. Hardraw Force
Most famous for appearing in the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner, Hardraw Force is England’s highest single drop waterfall. It drops 30m into a wonderful pool below which is perfect for wild swimming.
This is a popular waterfall and is likely to be very busy if you visit during peak times. It is also on private land and there is a small fee to access the waterfall.
You can find more information and read the full walking route for Hardraw Force here.
4. Janet’s Foss
Janet’s Foss is probably one of the most famous waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dale and is frequently visited by walkers exploring Malham Cove. Said to be haunted by Janet, Queen of the Fairies, who lives in a small cave behind the waterfall, this is an incredible place for a swim. Expect it to be busy during peak times; it’s a popular, and well known, spot!
You can find more information and download a walking route for Janet’s Foss here.
5. Cauldron Falls
Possibly one of the easiest waterfalls to reach in the Yorkshire Dales; Cauldron Falls is literally a 2 minute walk from the roadside. Located on Walden Beck, free roadside parking is available in West Burton (just be mindful of local residents and not blocking driveways). From the village, head to the beck and the waterfall is right infront of you.
The pool is deep enough for a swim and there is a small rocky overhang to the left of the waterfall which you can walk under and behind the waterfall in high flow. There are flat areas to get changed on both sides of the river.
You can find more information for finding Cauldron Falls here.
6. Leck Beck
One of the lesser known wild swimming locations in the Yorkshire Dales but one which is well worth the effort. Leck Beck is on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales and is best accessed from Cowan Bridge Car Park just outside Kirkby Lonsdale.
In the best interests of keeping spots like this clear of those who don’t respect them, I’ll let you discover this one for yourself and plan your own route. If you need any help finding it, drop me a message on Instagram and I’ll be happy to give you some clues for finding it.
7. Wain Wath Force
Located literally right by the roadside, Wain Wath Force is a stunning waterfall on the River Swale near Keld. The river here is wide and the waterfall tumbles into a deep pool below. The rocks are perfect for jumping off (just make your own judgements for whether this is safe). There is space for one car on the roadside but it is much nicer to walk here from Keld as you’ll then be able to visit another waterfall on the way.
Check out this walking route for Wain Wath Force on the OS App or Komoot here.
8. Thornton Force
A big boy waterfall, this one is well worth a visit. It’s part of the Ingleton Waterfall Trail, which you’ll have to pay a hefty price to visit but it’s worth it.
Thornton Force isn’t always this *flowy* and when it isn’t an angry, raging beast, this is a wonderful wild swimming spot. You can get changed at the side and even walk behind the waterfall!
9. Buckden Beck
This one is more of a dipping spot than a proper swimming spot but the location is beautiful and this makes up for that. The Buckden Beck waterfall is located a 20-ish minute walk from the car park in Buckden, follwing the beck straight out the back of the campsite and up to the waterfall.
It’s a lovely little spot for a dip, with a flat area to get changed to the left. The pool isn’t particularly deep or large but it’s a fun little place to cool down or dunk into the cold water.
10. Cotter Force
One of the most accessible waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales, Cotter Force is a five minute walk from the roadside parking just outside of Hawes.
From the layby, follow the public footpath up the beck and the waterfall will quickly come into view. The pool is another great one for swimming with flat areas to get changed on the side.
If wild swimming is new to you, check out this blog I wrote about why wild swimming is so popular and why you should DEFINITELY start and remember to always think about water safety before diving right in!
Let me know if you’ve ever visited any of these waild swimming locations or if they’re on your list; I love to hear from you!
Or, take a look at some of my wild swimming must haves on Amazon (contains affiliate links).