The first thing we noticed, visiting the village of Hardraw in Yorkshire, is the anomaly relating to the name of the waterfall. Many refer to them as Hardraw Scar, some call it Hardraw Force, whilst the entrance sign outside the Green Dragon Inn in the village, clearly calls it Hardrow Scaur, so that is the name we have used here.
Having reached the village of Hardraw the first thing we’d recommend is not to make a mad dash for the falls. Take a slow amble around the village and drink in the surroundings. It is a beautiful place, within spitting distance of Hawes, yet quiet, with only the occasional passing car when we were there. In fact the busiest “traffic” was people walking the Pennine Way, which passes through the village.
The falls are within the extensive grounds of the Green Dragon Inn and it seemed a little odd paying at the bar for a visitor attraction like this, but after paying the £2 entrance fee and having entered into an antique looking cash register, we left the back door of the inn and set of on a gentle walk, past a camping area and into the wooded ravine that is home to the waterfall.
The waterfall is claimed to be the largest single drop waterfall on the surface, with a height of over one hundred feet. The pathways are well maintained, without looking artificial. A good balance has been struck between keeping things natural and the no doubt rigorous Health & Safety requirements. One of our group had visited the falls as a child in the 1970s and walked, gazing in wonder, behind the falls themselves, however due to the danger from falling rock as a result of the continued erosion, this particular activity is now prohibited. Be prepared for a little mud in wet conditions on the paths though and once again, take your time as you walk to the falls. There is plenty of nature; forna & flora to be seen if only you look.
The lush green canopy of the ravine ensures you are sheltered from the worst of the rain, or the power of the sun’s rays as you walk upstream. Then before we knew it we were there. The waterfall itself is an impressive sight, even after a long dry spell. The power the water hits the rocks below with is incredible and we couldn’t help but wonder if somehow this could be harnessed to generate electricity. On the way back we sat on one of the sturdy benches provided looking back upstream. Our conclusion, £2 well spent.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
