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Ashgill Force

2.5 miles (4 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This circular walk visits the Ashgill Force waterfall in the North Pennines.
The walk starts from the village of Garrigill just to the north of the falls. From here you can pick up the South Tyne Trail and follow the shared cycling and walking trail south to Low Crossgill and the Ash Gill. You follow the gill east and it will soon take you to the waterfall. The rushing falls are very pretty and you can even venture behind them for a splendid alternative view although take great care if you do. They plunge 55 feet over a rocky shelf and are particularly impressive after wet weather. There's also a series of lovely cascades downstream from the falls themselves.
After enjoying the falls you can follow alternative footpaths north west to Windshaw Bridge, Snapper Gill and Garrigill.

Ashgill Force OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Ashgill Force Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

The George & Dragon Inn in Garrigill is a good choice for some post walk refreshments. The cosy village pub does good food and has a charming interior with open fires. You can find it at a postcode of CA9 3DS.

Dog Walking

The river and woodland paths are a nice place to take your dog for a walk. The George & Dragon Inn mentioned above is also dog friendly and may provide biscuits and water bowls for your four legged friend.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

To continue your walking in the area head north along the South Tyne Trail and visit the town of Alston. Here you can pick up the excellent South Tynedale Steam Railway and enjoy a ride on the heritage steams trains.
There are several other splendid waterfall walks in the AONB including High Force Waterfall, Hardraw Force Walk and Cauldron Snout.
At the nearby Nenthead mining heritage centre you can learn all about the lead and zinc mining history of the North Pennines. There's also mine entrances, dumps, old buildings, reservoirs and some rare plants growing on the metal-rich mine dumps. The village can be reached by following a pleasant country lane north east for just over 2 miles.
Just east of Nenthead there's also Allenheads where you will find more ruined mines, a heritage centre and a decent pub dating back to 1770.
For more walking ideas in the area see the North Pennines Walks and Cumbria Walks pages.

Photos

Ash Gill - geograph.org.uk - 234073

Ash Gill. The third waterfall below Ashgill Force.

Ashgill Force in the gloom - geograph.org.uk - 966284

Ashgill Force

Ashgill Force - geograph.org.uk - 234066

View from behind the waterfall, which tumbles over an undercut layer of rocks.

Ashgill Force - geograph.org.uk - 2675

Ashgill Force. The B6277 takes the bridge above the falls, allowing no view of the waterfall.

Winter splendour - geograph.org.uk - 1161002

Winter splendour Icicles on the bank of the Ash Gill just below Ashgill Force.

The path to Windshaw Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1157358

The path to Windshaw Bridge. A scene in deep snow showing the beginning of the path from the Tynehead road to Ashgill Force.

Garrigill - geograph.org.uk - 30080

Garrigill shop and post office

Garrigill - geograph.org.uk - 1838

Garrigill village green - a very pretty scene

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Ashgill Force.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Ashgill Force.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)