Waterfalls in United Kingdom

Waterfalls in the United Kingdom: Wales, Scotland, England and Northern IrelandThere are many suprising waterfalls in the United Kingdom. The official name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is a big country with many waterfalls, containing the regions (countries) Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.

Most of the major waterfalls in the United Kingdom can be found in mountainous area’s. Scotland and Wales are the most mountainous parts of the United Kingdom. A ridge of hills, the Pennines, runs down the centre of northern England. The highest mountain is located in Scotland (1.344 meters) and is Ben Nevis (Beinn Nibheis), a region with the tallest waterfalls in Scotland. Mountains in Wales are less high but still three mountaintops are over a thousand meters.


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Waterfalls of the UK map


I have listed about 90 of the best waterfalls of the United Kingdom on a Google map. The “waterfalls of UK map” is easy to use and there are links to all waterfalls of UK with more information. Just click on the bigger map icon to view the “waterfalls of UK map” fullscreen.


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Best waterfalls in the UK


Name Region Locations Height # Rating #
Aber falls Wales Abergwyngregyn, Gwynedd 37 m37
3
Henrhyd waterfall Wales Coelbren-Glynneath/Abercrave 27 m27
3
Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall Wales Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Powys 73 m73
3
Sgwd Isaf Clun-gwyn Wales Ystradfellte-Pontneddfechan 30 m30
3
Sgwd y Pannwr Wales Ystradfellte-Pontneddfechan 8 m8
3
Sgwd-yr-Eira Wales Ystradfellte-Pontneddfechan 10 m10
3
Ceunant Mawr waterfall Wales Llanberis, Caernarfon, Snowdonia 30-60 m30
2.5
Devil’s bridge falls Wales Devil's Bridge, Ceredigion 90 m90
2.5
Dolgoch falls Wales Dolgoch-Tywyn(Snowdonia) 20+60 m20
2.5
Melincourt Waterfall Wales Melincourt, Neath-Swansea 24 m24
2.5
Pistyll Cain Wales Ganllwyd, Coed y Brenin 20 m20
2.5
Rhaeadr Ddu Wales Ganllwyd 18 m18
2.5
Rhaeadr Mawddach Wales Coed y Brenin 25 m25
2.5
Rhaeadr y Graig Lwyd Wales Betws-y-Coed 10-15 m10
2.5
Rhaedr Ogwen Wales Lake Ogwen, Pont Pen-y-benglog 30-50 m30
2.5
Sgwd Clun Gwyn Wales Ystradfellte-Pontneddfechan 9 m9
2.5
Sgwd Gwladys Wales Pontneddfechan 7 m7
2.5
Swallow falls Wales Betws-y-Coed 9 m9
2.5
Aberdulais waterfall Wales Aberdulais 6 m6
2
Cyfyng falls Wales Pont Cyfyng, Betwys y Coed 4 m4
2
Devil’s Appendix waterfall Wales Cwm Idwal-Pont Pen-y-benglog (Snowdonia) 93 m93
2
Fairy falls Wales Trefriw 6 m6
2
Maesglase waterfall Wales Mawddwy 180 m180
2
Pistyll-y-Llyn Wales Powys-Denbighshire 91+160 m91
2
Arfon Maesgwm waterfall Wales Dolwyddelan-Moelwyn Mawr 70 m70
1

Mealt-waterfall-ScotlandMost likely the highest waterfalls in the United Kingdom should be in Scotland because there are the highest mountains. And that is wright: the highest waterfalls of the United Kingdom is located in Scotland and is probably Eas an t Strutha Ghil waterfall with a total height of 290 meters. Often Eas a’ Chual Aluinn waterfall is mentioned as the highest waterfall of Scotland, but Eas a’ Chual Aluinn is 200 meters high. Both waterfalls are official named waterfalls (on maps) and are located opposite of each other.

The highest waterfall in Wales is probably Maesglase waterfall, near Mawddwy, with a total height of 160 meters. Often Pistyll-y-Llyn is mentioned as the highest waterfall in Wales with a single drop of 91 meters and a total height of 160 meters. The most beautiful waterfalls in Wales can be found in Snowdonia National Park.

The highest peaks in England are situated in Lake district national park in the northwest of England. Highest peak is the Scafell Pike with a height of 978 meters.
The highest waterfall in England is probably Cautley spout with a total height of 198 meters.

Northern Ireland is maybe not the mountainous are of the United Kingdom, but still there are mountain peaks of 650-800 meters.

Most of the United Kingdom is made up of gently rolling hills with isolated areas of high ground such as Dartmoor in the south-west of England or the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland.


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Biggest waterfalls by volume in the UK


The biggest waterfalls in the United Kingdom by volume is more difficult to determine. At the moment it needs more research to find out which waterfalls are powerful enough to be called one of the biggest waterfalls in the UK.


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Highest waterfalls in the UK


  1. Eas an t Strutha Ghil  (290 meter) – Scotland
  2. Eas a’ Chual Aluinn (201 meter) – Scotland
  3. Cautley Spout (198 meter) – England (Cumbria)

Always hard to say what is the highest waterfall. Where does the waterfall start or end, must the waterfall flow the whole year around? There is one thing for sure, the highest waterfall of the UK is located in Scotland. There is a waterfall called Eas an t Strutha Ghil with a total height of 290 meter. It isn’t a very impressive waterfall and has most of the time a low volume. On the opposite of the valley there is another waterfall, known on the Internet, as highest waterfall of the UK and that is Eas a’ Chual Aluinn with a height of 201 meter. A good number three highest waterfall in the UK is Cautley Spout, a waterfall in Cumbria (England) that cascades down the mountain over 198 meter.
If you think otherwise, please send me an e-mail.


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Most beautiful waterfalls in the UK


I know this is subject to a private opinion but most people will agree that the waterfalls I rated high (beautiful waterfalls) certainly are in a way beautiful. I have one waterfall rated higher than other and that is the Talisker bay waterfall on the Isle of Sky (Scotland) with a single drop of 130 meter. The river Allt Mheididh/Loch an Sguirr Mhoir (nice names) drops over a cliff and ends directly in the Atlantic Ocean. A beautiful spectacle of one of the highest waterfalls in the UK.
Another waterfall I like (nearby the Talisker bay waterfall) is a little bit smaller, but so beautiful, Eas Mor waterfall. Also on the Isle of Sky (Scotland) with a single drop of 50 meter.
And a good number three, totally different, are the Ingleton Waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales (England).