High Force and Bowlees Geo Trail

About

This 4-5 mile (6.5-8km) circular walk, from Bowlees Visitor Centre or High Force Hotel car park, will introduce you to some of the special features of the landscape around High Force and Low Force waterfalls.

From Bowlees car park and Visitor Centre you follow the path down to the impressive Wynch Bridge. Following the River Tees you pass Low Force, a series of gentle waterfalls, and then on up to High Force, England’s largest waterfall and an area of fascinating geology. The route will then lead you up into Upper Teesdale, and area of rich and important flora (the most famous being the Blue Gentian), rare bird life such as grouse, lapwing, curlew and redshank, and ancient juniper woodland. On the return part of the route there is the option to walk to the bottom of High Force, before completing the circle back to Bowlees car park.

You can download the High Force and Bowlees Geotrail leaflet/map from the North Pennines website.   

For a short additional extension to the route from Bowlees car park you can also take the footpaths by the beck to Gibson’s Cave and Summer Hill Force waterfalls (0.5 mile return).