Up to Thornton Force

Ingleton Waterfalls Trail: The valley narrows to a gorge, and there are so many waterfalls that it is hard to keep count of them.  The larger ones are named on the map; the one above is part of Pecca Falls, a cascade of five significant waterfalls. 

We've had a relatively dry summer and certainly the week or two before I explored the Trail had been fairly dry. All the waterfalls would be much more spectacular after rain, but they were still attractive - and at least the path round was dry and not muddy or slippery. 

Further upstream is Hollybush Spout (above). The rock around this area changes from limestone to slates and sandstone, with a consequent shift in the vegetation, and bracken and heathers appear as you approach the open fells. 

Thornton Force is the most famous and spectacular of the falls on the trail. Water plunges 14 metres over a limestone cliff. It has been a tourist attraction since Victorian times and was sketched by the artist JMW Turner. You can tell from the rocky river bed that the water was quite low, so the Force was rather less Forceful than it often is. Even so, it's a lovely spot, a sort of natural amphitheatre.  

There were quite a few young people gathered at the viewing point and some of them decided to climb along the cliff face and round behind the waterfall itself. It looked rather foolhardy and, not wanting to watch them plunge to a nasty death, I didn't hang around there too long! 

If you want to see what Thornton Force looks like in flood, click HERE.