High force waterfall, England’s largest, is located in Co. Durham. Without doubt it’s one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the UK standing at an impressive 21m. It’s open all year round, though during the low season from November until Easter an honesty box is in operation. The admission charges are as follows: Adult £1.50, child under 16: Free (when accompanied by a paying adult), Concessions: £1.00.

Typically photographs of the waterfall are shot from the plunge pool however, I found that the shooting opportunity on top of waterfall was far more successful. Pathways lead up to both sides of the waterfall however the pathway on the right hand side of the waterfall (when looking head on) is the only one that gives access to directly on-top of the waterfall (this is only possible when the channel is at low flow). Once on-top there’s a vast array of shooting opportunities, just be careful not to get to close to the edge, it’s a 21m drop!

From a photographers point of view it’s ideal for long exposure photography. Spray can be a problem so remember to take a suitable cloth to wipe your lens/filters clean. The waterfall can be shot from many different view points so remember to explore the several pathways for interesting points of view. Be careful not to arrive at mid-day when the sun is directly above the waterfall but also when it’s likely to be busy. Both wide-angle and medium telephoto lenses are useful, remember neutral density filters to slow down the exposures.