High Force

High Force
High Force
Map
LocationMiddleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham, England
Coordinates54°39′1″N 2°11′15″W / 54.65028°N 2.18750°W / 54.65028; -2.18750
TypeCurtain
Total height21 m

High Force is a waterfall on the River Tees, near Middleton-in-Teesdale, Teesdale, England.[1] The waterfall is within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the European Geopark. The whole of the River Tees plunges 70 feet (21 m)[2] over a precipice (an almost vertical cliff edge) in two stages. After heavy rainfall the river will also flow over the usually dry right-hand side channel, creating two falls. Very occasionally the river level will be high enough to flow over the central section of rock; the last recorded time this happened was in December 2015 after Storm Desmond. In harsh winters the falls have been known to freeze, creating cathedral-like ice formations.[3]

Access to the northern bank is via a private footpath on the Raby estate for which a fee is charged. The southern bank can be reached free of charge via the Pennine Way public footpath which crosses the Moor House-Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference WB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "BBC - Seven Wonders - High Force".
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference EE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).