Starting at the bridge in the hamlet of Gayle
just outside of Hawes, take the footpath behind the cottages until you reach a
field. From here, you go through the gate and follow the track through the
fields that will bring you to a set of steps that take you straight down the
path to Aysgill waterfall. There’s only really one footpath, so you shouldn’t be
able to go wrong.
Cotter Force is a small waterfall on
Cotterdale Beck, a minor tributary of the River Ure. Cotter is about a 2 ½ mile
walk from the centre of Hawes, but if you drive to the waterfall, there is roadside
parking there. The footpath to the waterfall has been updated so that it is
accessible for both wheelchairs and pushchairs. It’s not long into the walk before
you can see the waterfall come into view.
When we visited the other week, it was
a Saturday, but we didn’t pass a single other person; I was surprised it was so
quiet because the waterfall is spectacular! There is a bench at the end
of the walk where you can sit and admire the view or climb further out
along the rocks to get a closer look.
The sixth (!) and final waterfall of our trip
was a quick stop off at Aysgarth. (I’ve written a post about visiting Aysgarth
Falls from a few years back if you’d like to read it here).
