Scale Force
Getting there, parking, where to stay and the fells you can walk straight from Scale Force.
Scale Force at a glance
Scale Force is the Lake District's highest waterfall — a single ribbon of water that drops about 170 feet (52 m) through a deep, mossy cleft in the fellside above Buttermere. It's a very different creature to a honeypot like Aira Force: there's no car park at its foot and no tea room, just a rough, often boggy walk in from the valley to a hidden, fern-hung ravine. That remoteness is the whole appeal — it's the "highest and most hidden" of the famous Lakeland falls.
Quick facts
| What it is | Often called the Lake District's highest fall — a ~170 ft (52 m) drop in a mossy ravine |
| The walk | A rough ~3-mile there-and-back from Buttermere village, boggy in places (allow ~1½–2 hrs) |
| Can you swim? | A cold, dark plunge pool in the cleft — for the hardy only, and never after heavy rain |
| Dogs | Fine on the open fell (lead near stock); the ground is rough and wet underfoot |
| Pushchair / family | No — boggy, rough, remote; for fit walkers and sure-footed older children |
| Getting there | On foot only from Buttermere village car parks; no parking at the falls |
| Best time | After heavy rain, when the fall is in full spate; a dry, settled day for the boggy approach |
| The fell above | Red Pike (Buttermere) and the high western fells |
Where is Scale Force?
Scale Force near Buttermere, in the Lake District. Zoom and pan to explore — or see every Lake District waterfall on one map.
The walk to the falls
There's no shortcut to Scale Force — reaching it is half the experience. From Buttermere village the path heads round the head of the lake and out across open, often wet and boggy ground to the foot of the ravine, a round trip of about three miles with some genuinely soft going in places; allow 1½ to 2 hours with stops. The fall itself hides in a narrow, mossy cleft, so you come upon it suddenly — a tall white thread dropping into a dark, fern-hung chasm. Good boots are essential, and it's worth pairing with a low circuit of Buttermere, or a bigger day up onto the fells above.
Swimming
The pool at the foot of Scale Force is a deep, cold, shadowed plunge in a rocky cleft — the sort of place wild swimmers seek out, but one to treat with real respect. It's genuinely cold, dark and remote, with no help nearby and a long, boggy walk back out, and after rain the fall drives a lot of water into a confined space. If you do dip, keep it short, never get in below the fall itself, and know the signs of cold-water shock. For an easier swim, Buttermere and Crummock Water are close by.
When to go
Scale Force is all about water: after heavy rain or snowmelt it's a spectacular, roaring ribbon, and in a dry spell it can dwindle to little. The tension is the approach — the walk in is at its boggiest just when the fall is at its best — so the ideal is a clear, settled day soon after a wet spell. It's far quieter than the roadside falls year-round; a weekday gives you a real chance of having the ravine to yourself.
The setting & wildlife
The fall sits in a shaded, north-facing cleft where little sun reaches — which is why it's so thickly hung with mosses, ferns and liverworts, a lush micro-world in the rock. Around it is open, rough western fell: cropped grass, bog and crag, with ravens overhead and the big skyline of the High Stile range above Buttermere. It's one of the wilder waterfall settings in the Lakes, a world away from the manicured glens near the towns.
The name & its story
"Scale" comes from the Old Norse skáli, a shepherd's shieling or hut — the same root behind "Scales" and "Scale" place-names across the Lakes, marking where flocks were once summered. "Force", as ever, is the Norse fors, a waterfall. So the name simply records a waterfall by the old shieling — a plain Norse label for what became, in the age of the Picturesque tour, one of the most sought-out cascades in Lakeland.
Family, dogs & accessibility
This is not a family stroll or an accessible visit: it's a rough, boggy, remote walk with no facilities, so it's not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs, and it's best kept for fit walkers and sure-footed older children who are happy with wet ground and a longer day. Dogs are fine on the open fell — keep them on a lead around grazing stock — but remember the going is wet and there's no water source but the beck itself. Come properly booted and equipped.
The fells above
Scale Force spills off the flank of the high western fells beneath Red Pike (Buttermere) — the first of the great High Stile skyline above the lake. Strong walkers use the fall as the start of a much bigger day, climbing on to Red Pike and the ridge; most, though, simply make it the turning point of a wild valley walk from Buttermere.
Fells & walks near Scale Force
- Red Pike (Buttermere)
- Rannerdale Knotts
- High Stile
- Starling Dodd
- Mellbreak (Mellbreak South Top)
- Whiteless Pike
Straight-line distances from the centre of Scale Force — the nearest summits with a full guide on this site.
All walks from Scale Force → — every route and fell within about 5 km, ranked, with today’s conditions.
Getting there & parking
There is no parking at Scale Force — it's walk-in only. Park in Buttermere village (the National Trust and honesty-box car parks; they fill early on fine days) and follow the lakeside path round the head of Buttermere towards the falls. It's a car-free-friendly valley too: the seasonal Buttermere bus links it to Keswick over the passes, so you can arrive without a car and make a full day of the walk in.
Events & festivals
Planning a trip around a show or festival? See our Lake District events & festivals guide for what's on near Scale Force — traditional Lakeland sports, agricultural shows and seasonal events, month by month.
Frequently asked questions about Scale Force
How do you get to Scale Force from Buttermere?
On foot only. From Buttermere village the path leads round the head of the lake and out across open, often boggy ground to the foot of the ravine — a there-and-back of about three miles, allowing 1½ to 2 hours with stops. There's no road and no car park at the falls, and good boots are essential for the wet approach.
How high is Scale Force?
Scale Force drops about 170 feet (52 m) in a single fall, which makes it often described as the Lake District's highest waterfall. It's a tall, narrow ribbon in a deep mossy cleft rather than a wide, powerful sheet — most spectacular after heavy rain or snowmelt, and much reduced in a dry spell.
Can you drive to Scale Force?
No — there's no parking at Scale Force and no road to it. You park in Buttermere village (National Trust and honesty-box car parks, which fill early) and walk in round the lake. It's a genuinely remote fall, which is much of its appeal.
Is Scale Force a hard walk?
It's moderate but rough rather than hard: no real climbing, but the ground is wet and boggy in places, remote, and with no facilities, so it needs proper boots, a map and a settled day. It's fine for fit walkers and sure-footed older children, but it is not suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs, or a casual stroll in trainers.
Can you swim at Scale Force?
There's a deep, cold plunge pool in the cleft that wild swimmers seek out, but treat it with real caution: it's genuinely cold, dark and remote, with no help nearby and a long boggy walk out, and after rain a lot of water pours into a confined space. If you dip, keep it short, never get in directly below the fall, and know the signs of cold-water shock. Buttermere and Crummock Water offer easier, safer swimming close by.
📚 Maps & guidebooks for Scale Force
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