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Ritson Force

Ritson's Force is a series of waterfalls on Mosedale Beck in the Wasdale valley of the Lake District, Cumberland, sitting just above the hamlet of Wasdale Head at grid reference NY 185 092.

The beck tumbles over a succession of rocky drops, reaching a combined height of around 20 feet, before continuing south past the historic Wasdale Head Inn.

The waterfall is named after Will Ritson, the inn's first landlord, celebrated in the area for his legendary tall tales.

The falls can be reached on foot from Wasdale Head via a permissive path created by the National Trust along the western bank of Mosedale Beck, and are briefly visible from the path climbing toward Black Sail Pass.

The surrounding landscape is dramatic, with Scafell, Scafell Pike, and Great Gable all rising nearby.


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