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Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

A Victorian pay-gate footpath from 1885 that threads two river gorges, past Thornton Force and Beezley Falls, in four and a half of the best-engineered miles in the Dales.

Where
Ingleton
Time needed
3-4 hr visit
Tickets
£10
Thornton Force waterfall dropping over a limestone lip on the Ingleton trail Thornton Force waterfall dropping over a limestone lip on the Ingleton trail

What to expect at Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail is a private, ticketed footpath opened in 1885 by the Ingleton Improvement Company, who cut steps and railings into two wooded ravines so that Victorian excursionists arriving by rail could see the falls without dying in the attempt. It runs roughly four and a half miles in a circle from the village of Ingleton, up the valley of the River Twiss, over the open ground at Twisleton, and back down the River Doe. The rock is the reason: the trail crosses the Craven Fault, and at Thornton Force you can stand under a 14-metre waterfall pouring over a lip of Carboniferous limestone that sits directly on top of slates around 500 million years old, one of the most photographed unconformities in British geology. The other named drops are Pecca Falls, Hollybush Spout, Baxenghyll Gorge, Beezley Falls and Snow Falls.

The trail is a hard, well-made path rather than a stroll: stone steps, timber staircases, handrails above drops, and a couple of stretches where the river is a long way below your boots. From the Broadwood kiosk the path climbs beside the Twiss through oak and hazel to the Pecca Falls series, a staircase of five drops in a mossy cleft, then opens out to Thornton Force, where a viewing area lets you see the water and, if you look, the geological junction beneath it. A footbridge and a zigzag lead up to a lane and a field crossing at Twisleton Hall, with big views to Ingleborough and Whernside. The descent into the Doe passes the iron footbridge over Baxenghyll Gorge, a narrow slot of thundering water, then Beezley and Snow Falls before a walled lane returns you to the village.

Wear boots with grip and expect wet rock; trainers slide on the steps and there are hundreds of them. The route is not suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs or anyone unsteady on stairs, and there is no shortcut back once you are committed past Thornton Force other than turning around. Dogs are allowed on leads and pay a small charge. There is a cafe and toilets at the Broadwood entrance and a seasonal refreshment hut partway round; carry water anyway. Rain makes the falls magnificent and the path treacherous in equal measure, and the gorges hold no phone signal. Allow more time than the distance suggests, because the steps set the pace.

Ingleton sits just off the A65 between Settle and Kirkby Lonsdale, about 20 minutes from Settle, 45 minutes from Skipton and an hour and a half from York by road. Follow the brown signs through the village to the Broadwood car park, LA6 3ET, where the ticket kiosk sits at the entrance and parking is included in the admission price, which removes the usual Dales car-park hunt. The village fills up on summer weekends and the roadside spaces are limited, so use Broadwood rather than the main street. By public transport, the 80 and 81 buses link Lancaster, Kirkby Lonsdale and Ingleton on weekdays; the nearest station is Bentham, about four miles away on the Leeds-Morecambe line, with Clapham a similar distance. A taxi from either runs around £12-£15.

Admission is charged at the kiosk and is currently around £10 for an adult, roughly £5 for a child aged five to sixteen, with under-fives free and dogs around £2. Parking at Broadwood is included, which effectively saves the £6-£8 you would pay elsewhere in the Dales. There is nothing extra to buy on the trail itself beyond refreshments; the cafe at the entrance does teas, bacon rolls and ice cream for a few pounds. Card and cash are both taken. Groups should ask about reduced rates at the kiosk rather than expecting them online. For comparison with the rest of your day, White Scar Cave a mile up the road charges separately and considerably more, and the two together make an expensive but full day for a family of four.

Arrive at opening, around 09:00, if you can: the first hour is quiet, the light in the Twiss gorge is soft, and you will not be shuffling behind slower groups on the narrow staircases. By 11:30 on a fine Saturday from May to September the path is busy and the car park is filling. Last admission is around 16:00, earlier in winter, and the gorges go dark long before the open hillside does. Autumn is the best all-round month: full colour, high water and thinner crowds. Winter can be spectacular with ice curtains but sections may close after storms. The falls are unimpressive after a fortnight of drought in July, when the Twiss can be reduced to a trickle; check that it has rained recently before paying.

It suits reasonably fit walkers, families with children over about six who are used to steps, photographers and geology enthusiasts. It does not suit wheelchair users, buggies, anyone with knee or vertigo problems, or a visitor with an hour to spare, because there is no half-loop. Teenagers manage it easily and enjoy the gorge bridges. On a wet afternoon it is arguably better than in sun, provided you have waterproofs, since the falls are at their loudest; on a hot day the tree cover keeps the first half cool. Bring a picnic: the field crossing at the top has the best view and the fewest people.

Ingleton itself has an open-air heated swimming pool, unusual in the Dales and open in summer, plus pubs and a village shop for supplies. White Scar Cave is a mile and a half up the B6255 towards Hawes. Ingleborough, one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks at 723 metres, is climbed from the village and takes another four hours if you have the legs. Clapham and the walk to Ingleborough Cave and Gaping Gill lie 15 minutes east. Settle, 20 minutes away, gives you the Settle-Carlisle railway, a market square and a good choice of rooms; Ribblehead Viaduct is a further 20 minutes north and is the classic late-afternoon photograph.

Be clear that this is a ticketed private path, not a National Park right of way, and some visitors arrive expecting free access and leave annoyed. It is also genuinely strenuous: the marketing images of a gentle riverside walk understate several hundred steps and a stiff climb out of the Twiss valley. In drought the falls shrink dramatically, and there is no refund for low water. Finally, the loop cannot be shortened once you are past Thornton Force, so families with tired small children should turn back at the Force rather than commit to the far side. Storm damage occasionally closes sections at short notice, so check before driving a long way.

Plan your visit Tickets£10 Time needed3-4 hr visit WhereIngleton Opening hours Daily from 09:00, last admission around 16:00 (15:00 in winter) Closed Christmas Day Kiosk cash and card, dogs admitted on leads Hotels near Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

Questions about Ingleton Waterfalls Trail

How much is the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail?

Around £10 for an adult and roughly £5 for a child aged five to sixteen, with under-fives free and dogs about £2. Parking at the Broadwood entrance is included in the ticket, which is unusual in the Dales and worth £6-£8 in itself. There is nothing further to pay on the trail; the cafe at the entrance charges separately for drinks and snacks. Card and cash are both accepted at the kiosk. Group rates are best asked about in person.

Are there free entry times?

No. This is a privately maintained path with a staffed kiosk and there are no free hours, free days or off-season discounts. The money pays for the steps, handrails and bridges, which are rebuilt constantly after floods. If you want free waterfall walking nearby, Aysgarth Falls in Wensleydale and Janet's Foss near Malham cost nothing to reach, though you will pay for parking at both. Ingleton village itself, its pool and its riverside are free to wander.

How long does the walk take?

Three to four hours for most people. The circuit is about four and a half miles but includes several hundred steps and a climb of roughly 150 metres, so it walks slower than the distance suggests. Fast walkers do it in two and a half hours; families with young children and camera stops take four and a half. Last admission is around 16:00 in summer and 15:00 in winter, which is timed to let everyone finish before the gorges go dark.

When is it closed?

It opens daily from around 09:00 and closes only on Christmas Day, though last admission moves earlier through the winter, typically to 15:00. Sections occasionally shut without notice after storms and floods bring down trees or wash out steps, and in severe ice the operators may close the whole trail on safety grounds. If you are driving more than an hour, check the day's status before setting off, particularly between November and February.

Do I need to book in advance?

No. Tickets are sold at the Broadwood kiosk on arrival and there is no timed entry or online booking requirement for individuals. The only queue is at the kiosk itself on bank holiday mornings, and it moves in minutes. Large groups and schools should contact the trail ahead to arrange rates and arrival times. What is worth booking in summer is accommodation in Ingleton or Settle, since the village has only a handful of inns and B and Bs.

What is the nearest station or bus?

Bentham station, about four miles away on the Leeds-Morecambe line, is nearest, with Clapham station a similar distance on the Settle-Carlisle route; taxis from either run roughly £12-£15. The 80 and 81 buses connect Lancaster and Kirkby Lonsdale with Ingleton village on weekdays, stopping a five-minute walk from the trail entrance. Driving is far simpler: leave the A65 at Ingleton and follow the brown signs to Broadwood car park, LA6 3ET, where parking is covered by your ticket.

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