BRITAIN'S BEST WATERFALLS

Friday 1st December 2006

Jo Woods

Hardraw Force, Hardraw, Yorkshire Dales One of the best things about 30m/100ft Hardraw Force is that to reach it you have to go through a pub! The Green Dragon is lucky enough to have in its grounds one of Yorkshire's best waterfalls. It's surrounded by trees and has carved out its path over thousands of years.

Steall Falls, Glen Nevis, Fort William, Scotland A half-hour walk on rocky paths through Glen Nevis Gorge leads to the falls, providing some of Scotland's finest views along the way. Glen Nevis was the location for the filming of the Mel Gibson movie Braveheart, and 'brave-hearted' walkers can get even better views by crossing a three-wire bridge. No charge.

Pistyll Rhaeadr, Tanat Valley, near Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Wales The 73m/240ft waterfall is the highest in Wales and England. If it looks familiar, that's because its idyllic setting was used as the location for the 1970s TV and cinema Timotei shampoo advertisement. A dead-end valley road from the village means you can drive right to its base. No charge.

Glencar, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, Ireland Considered the best waterfall in Ireland and credited with providing the inspiration behind W. B. Yeats's poem The Stolen Child, the falls are easily reached by a short walk from the car park at Glencar Lake. No charge.

Scale Force, near Buttermere, Cumbria This is the highest waterfall in the Lake District, with a single drop of about 52m/171ft. The walk to reach it takes about an hour, and there are some fairly steep tracks. No charge.

High Force, River Tees near Middleton-in-Teesdale, County Durham This is a dramatic destination all year round as its 70ft of unbroken falling water is not dependent on rainfall. An easy sloping walk from the car park takes about 15 minutes.