Colwith Force: Difference between revisions

 

==At the falls==

Colwith Force, for want of a better word, is a pretty waterfall. It’s not the tallest ([[Scale Force]]) and definitely not the most talked about either, that award would probably go to [[Aira Force]] at [[Matterdale]]. But it does have reams of charm that is enough to bring visitors to its banks year after year. There are a couple of places with a dramatic backdrop for the eager spectator and casual photographer, however, caution must be advised as there are short drops to the rocks and fast moving water below. There are no fences or natural barriers in place at the top to prevent a fall apart from a few trees. The rocks here can get slippy too, as can an abundance of leaves throughout winter.

 

The water passes through a narrowing of the gorge, which makes for an impressive rumble and tumble of white water, and particularly so after prolonged rainfall. Viewing the bigger of the drops is done from a promontory opposite a small pump house. This is where people tend to congregate, usually for a rest and a bite to eat before moving on. If it’s busy, wait your turn. It’s always better to be safe in practice rather than scramble over people for a better view. Water here is spliced by a large rock giving us two smaller drops either side, perfect for a long exposure photo. With higher water levels though this more graceful tumble becomes completely engulfed as more water is squeezed through its opening. This becomes more of a raging torrent than an elegant dance, but it’s an amazing spectacle all the same.

 

During the growing seasons foliage can obscure some parts of the waterfall but not enough to miss out on the spectacle. They also provide some colour to an otherwise washed out and sometimes bleak-looking (yet still beautiful, of course) backdrop during winter. Conversely, leafless trees in winter give us more open views, so it’s a bit of a double-edged sword.

 

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Further around there is another, smaller, promontory that sticks out between the middle and lower drops. It is not much bigger than a couple of feet long as it is wide but it’s in just the right location to capture another photo, see below. As before there are no barriers here and it doesn’t take much imagination to think what could happen if anyone lost their footing so extreme caution must be a forethought should anyone wish to view or take photos here.