Aira Force

About Aira Force

Aira Force is a stunning waterfall where the Aira Beck drops 20 m (66 ft) down a rocky ravine on its way to join Ullswater Lake. It is located in Ullswater in Cumbria in the Lake District, England.

Flora and fauna

Rare red squirrels may be spotted, and it is said that the daffodils which thrive in spring where the Aira Beck enters Ullswater Lake inspired William Wordsworth’s famous poem on the subject. In the 1780s the area was artificially landscaped, and converted to a pleasure garden, with over half a million native and ornamental trees being planted. In 1846, an arboretum was created below Aira Force, with over 200 specimen conifers (firs, pines, spruces and cedars) from worldwide sources, including a Sitka Spruce, which is now 36 m (118.1 ft) high.

Activities

The waterfall is on land owned by the National Trust which has installed facilities such as parking, disabled access, graded paths and platforms from which to view the falls. This makes it one of the most visited and easily accessible of the Lake District’s waterfalls.

Visitors can enjoy walking and picnicking in the area, alongside climbing and hiking the nearby fells. Water sports nearby include canoeing, sailing, kayaking, fishing and swimming.

There are plenty of hotels and bed and breakfasts to stay in the area, as well as campsites, and it is easy to travel around by car or public transport. There are also lots of restaurants, bars and cafes catering for visitors.