Forces Falls

Ooh, I know at least a couple of old Cumbrians who'll splutter at this, but that's the name of today's wonderful outing (see extra). More of this later...

Into stunning Swindale today in a gap in the weather. The new waterworks are a bitter pill in this lovely location. I applaud the expansion of micro hydro generation, but in this valley ancient examples of it done well by the Manchester Corporation abound. I can see that a lot of the structure has been made out of slate, but then just the most ridiculous amount of galvanised handrails and concrete paths totally overwhelms. Fortunately the best this quiet valley has to offer comes later.

At the head of the valley the only other people I see all day unsurprisingly turn right onto the Old Corpse Road. I head left following what is currently called Swindale Beck. As the Cwm wall rears the path vears away from the water, but I stick with it. We've had a lot of rain of late yet I'm still surprised how wild the water is, the rocks are treacherous, but it's definitely still type one fun. It's always type one fun till you're up to your neck....
I'm super careful, an accident here would be unthinkable, so a couple of sections are skirted round, the gorge sides as slippy as ice with their coating of wet & slimy black algae, but for the most part I follow the steep line.
Force in old English means waterfalls (typically broad and powerful). I'm prepared to go out on a limb and say I think this is one of the most impressive in the UK - and probably least known. For once the name seems apt, wide rushing powerful forces are mixed with splitting tall narrow falls that meet again in seemingly bottomless pools - for nearly 100 metres of height there's a real gorge like feel to it, with very very little water that isn't rushing past. Collectively it's simply wonderful.

I was sure that water would be my blip, and I've chosen my extra as, for today at least, I found this the hardest and most impressive force to get to. But the light and squally shadows made it hard to get a real "wow" shot.
As a purist I think the watercourse should keep its Swindale name until the ground levels on the high Moor-like valley of Mosedale, after which it rightfully becomes Mosedale Beck, which I've blipped before.

I now headed back East. On Swindale's high common the heather was simply the best I've ever seen. Squalls mixed with shafts of light and as I handrailed the North facing crags the view made me simply stop and stare. So today's main blip is looking across Outlaw Crag towards Selside.