Scale Force facts for kids
Scale Force is a famous waterfall located in the beautiful English Lake District. Many people believe it is the tallest waterfall in the area! Its exact height can be a bit tricky to measure, but most agree it's around 170 feet (about 51.8 meters) tall. This amazing waterfall is part of a stream called Scale Beck.
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Discovering Scale Force: A Hidden Gem
Scale Force is more than just a waterfall; it's also known as a "force." This word comes from an old Norse (Viking) term for a waterfall. It's quite hidden away in a deep, narrow valley called a gorge. You can find it on the northern side of a mountain called Red Pike.
Where to Find This Amazing Waterfall
This special waterfall is located south of Crummock Water, which is a lovely lake. It's also very close to the small, charming village of Buttermere. Because it's tucked away, finding Scale Force feels like discovering a secret natural wonder!
Famous Visitors and Their Thoughts
Over the years, Scale Force has inspired many famous writers and poets. They were so impressed by its beauty that they wrote about it!
William Wordsworth's View
The famous poet William Wordsworth once described Scale Force as "a fine chasm, with a lofty, though but slender, fall of water." He saw it as a beautiful, deep crack in the land with a tall, graceful stream of water flowing down.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Description
Another well-known poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, had a very vivid imagination. He wrote that "Scale Force, the white downfall of which glimmered through the trees, that hang before it like the bushy hair over a madman's eyes." He imagined the water looking like white light shining through the trees, which reminded him of wild hair.
Letitia Elizabeth Landon's Powerful Poem
Letitia Elizabeth Landon, a talented poet, also wrote about Scale Force in her poem "Scale Force, Cumberland." She described its power, saying, "It sweeps, as sweeps an army Adown the mountain side, With the voice of many thunders, Like the battle’s sounding tide." She felt the waterfall was as strong and loud as an army marching down a mountain, making sounds like thunder and a powerful battle.
