Buckden Beck is a hidden oasis of waterfalls located near the village of Buckden in the Yorkshire Dales. By doing a short Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk, you can reach numerous breathtaking cascades and reach the main Buckden Beck Waterfall. In this guide, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the Buckden Beck Waterfalls found along the Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk.
Read our Buckden Visitor’s Guide (coming soon).
Table of Contents
Buckden Beck Waterfalls: Hidden Waterfalls in Buckden
Buckden Beck (AKA Buckden Gill) is home to some of the most unknown, underrated and spectacular waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Certainly, most people visiting Buckden won’t even see these enchanting waterfalls.
Most visitors to Buckden will simply do the Buckden Pike Walk. That’s exactly what Beck and I did on our first visit to Buckden. But, upon our return to Buckden, we made sure to explore the impressive Buckden Beck Waterfalls (AKA Buckden Gill Falls). Additionally, from Buckden, we explored Cray Gill Waterfalls and Cow Close Falls (guides coming soon), which we highly recommend doing!
To that end, we highly recommend doing the Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk (AKA Buckden Waterfall Walk) so you can see the stunning Buckden Beck Waterfalls.
So, where exactly is Buckden Beck located in the Yorkshire Dales?
Where Is Buckden Beck?
Buckden Beck is located in Upper Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales in the northwest of England. To help get your bearings, please click on the image below to access an interactive map of the area.
Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk: Details
- Type: Out & Back
- Distance: 1.1km (0.7 miles)
- Time: 30–45 mins
- Accumulated elevation gain: 75m
- Difficulty: Easy
- Trailhead: Buckden Car Park or Buckden village
- Map: Wikiloc
Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk: Directions & Description
In this trail description, we’re going to tell you all about the Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk. We’ll tell you exactly how to find the hidden Buckden Beck Waterfalls!
Buckden Beck Waterfalls
From the Buckden Car Park in the village of Buckden, you’ll pass through a gate, briefly joining Buckden Rake. Almost immediately, you’ll turn right following a sign directing you on a path towards Buckden Lead Mines and Starbotton.
Soon, you’ll arrive at Buckden Beck, which is positioned on the lower western face of Buckden Pike – one of the largest fells in the Yorkshire Dales. You’ll see a sign directing you to turn right to go to the Buckden Lead Mines towards Starbotton. You’ll ignore this sign, turning left, to follow alongside Buckden Beck, which will now be to your right.
Soon after, you’ll begin walking alongside superb cascades as the trail gently undulates. You’ll then catch a glimpse of the main Buckden Beck Waterfall in the distance.
Admittedly, Buckden Beck Waterfall is one of the best waterfalls we’ve visited in the Yorkshire Dales. Indeed, we think more people should do the Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk to discover the amazing waterfalls en route. When Beck and I visited, we were the only people on the trail the entire time. Definitely, Buckden Beck deserves more visitors.
To complete the Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk, you’ll simply retrace your steps.
Buckden Pike Walk via Buckden Beck
It’s actually possible to reach Buckden Pike via Buckden Beck. Personally, Beck and I haven’t completed this trail. Essentially, you’ll walk and clamber up the entire Buckden Beck stream, which eventually joins Buckden Gravel Road (AKA Bishopdale Head Occupation Road) en route to Buckden Pike summit. It’s a circular walk that’s a lesser-known Buckden Pike route. Certainly, when it comes to routes up Buckden Pike, most people walk up Buckden Rake to reach Buckden Pike – that’s what Beck and I did.
By reaching Buckden Pike via the Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk, you’ll get to explore even more cascades along Buckden Beck. But, bear in mind, that this is a difficult walk and should only be completed by experienced walkers. Beyond the main Buckden Beck Waterfall, the route up becomes much more challenging and steep, requiring some mild scrambling.
Read more: Buckden Pike Walk In The Yorkshire Dales – The Ultimate Guide
Useful Information About Visiting Buckden Beck
Now you know all about exploring the Buckden Beck Waterfalls, let’s look at some helpful information to help plan your trip to Buckden.
How to Get to Buckden
The easiest and quickest way to get to Buckden is to drive yourself. If you don’t have your own set of wheels, then we recommend hiring a car using DiscoverCars.com. You’ll find a wide variety of cars on Discover Cars for very reasonable prices. Also, the website is user-friendly and booking online is super easy. Have a look at car hire from Manchester.
Currently, the parking fees at Buckden Car Park are £3.50 for two hours or £5.50 for over two hours. If you only plan to do the Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk, two hours should be plenty of time. But, if you plan on walking to Buckden Pike via Buckden Beck or exploring Cray Gill Waterfalls or Cow Close Falls, you’ll definitely need more than two hours of parking.
Other than parking at Buckden Car Park, there is some free parking in Buckden. But, street-side parking is extremely limited. If you arrive early enough, you may be able to find free parking in Buckden, opposite The Buck Inn.
Public Transport
It’s also possible to use public transport to get to Buckden. From Skipton, it’s possible to get a bus to Buckden. Generally speaking, buses alight in Buckden at The Buck Inn and also at Buckden Car Park. We recommend using Google Maps, Traveline or Dales Bus to plan your journey.
Although public transport is an option, we don’t recommend it. Depending on where you’re travelling from in the UK, you’ll likely have a slow and tedious journey to get to Buckden. Whilst, buses are often very infrequent. Certainly, it’s best to drive to Buckden yourself.
Where to Stay in Buckden: The Buck Inn
When it comes to a place to stay in Buckden, The Buck Inn is the obvious standout choice for accommodation. On top of that, Beck and I rate The Buck Inn as one of our favourite pubs in the Yorkshire Dales. After completing the Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk, we highly recommend visiting The Buck Inn!
Whether it’s for a meal, a drink or you’re staying the night, The Buck Inn is a great place to visit after your walk. The Buck Inn serves fantastic hearty pub meals and they have plenty of beers on tap. The Buck Inn is also known for monthly folk music events!
In terms of accommodation, the rooms at The Buck Inn in Buckden are very comfortable and nicely decorated. The accommodation at The Buck Inn is very highly rated. Specifically, guests always rave about the breakfast!
Other Waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales has plenty of awesome waterfalls to chase. Below, we’ve listed other Yorkshire Dales walks that involve visiting incredible waterfalls (some guides coming soon).
- Cray Gill Waterfalls: near Buckden Beck, you can explore several waterfalls along Cray Gill as well as Cow Close Falls.
- Ingleton Waterfalls Trail: of course, the most famous waterfalls in Yorkshire are seen along the Ingleton Falls Trail.
- Settle Caves and Waterfalls Walk: you’ll visit a couple of fantastic waterfalls and caves during this circular walk.
- Hardraw Force: another famous waterfall in the Dales that’s located near Hawes.
- Keld Waterfalls Walk: another exceptional Yorkshire Dales waterfall walk which visits seven waterfalls!
- Aysgarth Falls Walk: a pleasant walk exploring the Lower, Middle and Upper Falls of Aysgarth Falls.
- West Burton Falls (AKA Cauldron Falls): an impressive waterfall located near Aysgarth Falls.
- Bolton Abbey Waterfall: an epic waterfall located in the Valley of Desolation near Bolton Abbey.
- Malham Cove Walk: after seeing Malham Cove, explore Gordale Scar Waterfall and Janet’s Foss.
- Cautley Spout: England’s highest waterfall above ground, can be seen on a walk around Howgill Fell.
- Hull Pot: an incredible waterfall next to Pen-y-ghent.
- Force Gill Waterfall: a picturesque waterfall that can be found during the Whernside Walk.
- Rat Hole Waterfall: see the highest continuous single-drop underground waterfall in the UK at Gaping Gill.
Read more: Yorkshire Dales Waterfalls Guide (coming soon)
FAQs
Below, you’ll find the most frequently asked questions about Buckden Beck.
Are the Buckden Beck Waterfalls Kid-Friendly?
Yes, you’ll be able to do the Buckden Pike Waterfall Walk with kids.
Is Swimming Allowed at Buckden Beck?
Yes, there are no rules forbidding swimming at the beck.
Are There Other Waterfall Walks Nearby?
Yes, there are plenty of underrated waterfalls to visit near Buckden. As mentioned, you should also visit Cray Gill Waterfalls and Cow Close Falls from Buckden.
Hiking Essentials
These are our five hiking gear essentials for exploring Buckden Beck.
- Merrell Moab Mid Gore-Tex Hiking Boots: these hiking boots are super comfortable and lightweight.
- The North Face Venture Jacket: a fantastic windproof/waterproof jacket.
- Osprey Skarab 30L Day Backpack: a great backpack for hiking, which has plenty of space to store your gear.
- The North Face TKA Glacier Fleece Jacket: an excellent warmth:weight ratio fleece jacket that’ll help keep you warm.
- Columbia Convertible Trousers: a value for money pair of water-resistant convertible trousers.
For a longer hiking gear list, read our 66 Travel Items You Must Travel With. For a list of everything else you’d need for travelling, read our Packing Checklist.
Bonus Tips
- Buckden camping: it’s possible to camp in Buckden at the Heber Farm Camping and Caravanning Club Site. The campsite is located next to Buckden Car Park.
- Explore other waterfalls in Yorkshire: there are plenty of great waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales as well as in the county of Yorkshire as a whole, including plenty of nice waterfalls in west Yorkshire, including Folly Dolly Falls, Lumb Hole Falls and Goit Stock Waterfall (guides coming soon).
- Explore other nearby national parks in the northwest of England: don’t just stop at the Yorkshire Dales. Head to the beautiful Lake District (guides coming soon), Peak District, Forest of Bowland and North York Moors National Park.
Please leave us a comment below, we’d love to hear from you.
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