Sleightholme Beck Waterfall Walk

The Walk

Start your adventure from the quiet layby on the A66. Follow the short track downhill past a cottage until you reach one of Teesdale’s natural wonders — God’s Bridge.

 God’s Bridge

This is no man-made crossing. God’s Bridge is a natural limestone bridge created when the River Greta carved through the soft rock beneath a harder layer of stone, leaving the surface intact. It’s one of only a handful of bridges like it in the country.
Peer over the edge and you’ll see crystal-clear water flowing through a naturally formed tunnel beneath your feet. The sense of age here is humbling, you’re literally standing on thousands of years of slow geological change.

Up onto the Moor

From the bridge, head straight on, keeping to the right-hand side of the wall. (Don’t be tempted left — there’s no gate at the top!) Soon the open moorland begins to spread out around you, with sweeping views back across Bowes and the A66 cutting through the landscape.

You’ll drop into a shallow valley where a beck meanders quietly through the grass. Turn right and follow it upstream, this stretch feels wonderfully untouched. As you cross a small footbridge, look out for the mini waterfalls that appear between the rocks. Each one has carved its own shape into the limestone, leaving small plunge pools and channels that sparkle in the sun.

Following Sleightholme Beck

After a short climb past a farmhouse, turn left onto a narrow single-track lane, then continue uphill until you cross a cattle grid. Immediately after it, take the left turn down to the beck and this is where everything changes.

The landscape suddenly opens into a hidden valley of waterfalls. Sleightholme Beck has cut its way through layers of Whin Sill rock — the same ancient volcanic stone that forms High Force, Cauldron Snout, and much of Teesdale’s dramatic scenery.
Over time, the beck has hollowed out natural channels, forming deep cracks, smooth ledges, and dark pools below. The rock here almost looks hand-carve but it’s nature’s own work, slowly shaped by rushing water and ice over millennia.

The sound of water echoes around the valley, and every few steps reveals a new fall or pool. How many can you spot?

 The Fairy Ring

Between the first waterfall and the fence line to your right, something magical appears in the grass, a fairy ring, around three metres wide.

🍄 Fairy Ring Folklore
Legend says that fairy rings were left behind after fairies danced in a circle beneath the moonlight. Locals once believed stepping inside one would whisk you away to the fairy realm or keep you dancing forever!

In truth, these rings are a natural wonder. They form when a fungus spreads outwards underground, growing evenly in all directions and leaving behind that perfect ring of mushrooms above. Still, it’s hard not to feel a little spellbound when you see one.

Returning via East Mellwaters

From the fairy ring, follow the beck until you reach a fence line. Turn right and climb steadily uphill beside it. If the slope feels too steep, retrace slightly and re-join the road by the cattle grid, both routes link up again further ahead.

Go through the gate on your left and follow the farm track across to East Mellwaters Farm. This section gives you some of the most open views in Teesdale, wide skies, rolling hills, and a real sense of space.

Continue down to the road, then just before the bridge turn left and follow the River Greta upstream. The river sparkles through the trees as you make your way back towards God’s Bridge. Cross back over and climb up to the layby where you began.

You’ve just completed one of Teesdale’s most rewarding circular walks, combining geology, mystery, and scenery that rivals anywhere in the North Pennines.

Wide open Teesdale views

Photo Highlights

• The carved rocks and layered pools of Sleightholme Beck

• The natural limestone arch of God’s Bridge

• A perfect fairy ring growing on open moorland

• Wide moorland views looking back over Bowes and the A66

Some smaller falls you will see along the way.

How Sleightholme Beck Shaped This Hidden Valley

This part of Sleightholme Beck is a brilliant example of how water can shape rock over thousands of years. The flat, layered slabs you see underfoot were once the floor of tropical seas that covered Teesdale millions of years ago. As the land slowly lifted to form the North Pennines, the beck began carving its way through these old seabed layers — cutting smooth grooves, deep channels and plunge pools into the stone.

The small round hollows scattered across the rock are known as potholes. They form when pebbles get caught in swirling water and spin around, grinding away at the rock beneath them. Over centuries, these tiny whirlpools carve out perfect circular bowls — like nature’s own artwork.

Because the limestone here rests on top of the harder Whin Sill (the same ancient volcanic rock that creates High Force and Cauldron Snout), the beck has formed a natural staircase of mini waterfalls and pools. Each drop reveals a little more of the area’s geological story — a blend of volcanic heat, Ice Age shaping, and the endless work of running water.

When the sunlight catches the surface, you can see the stone shimmer with warm honey tones of sandstone above darker bands of basalt. It’s a place where Teesdale’s geology is laid bare, nature’s craftsmanship visible in every curve and pool of Sleightholme Beck.

This circular walk is one of those Teesdale adventures that stays with you. From the wild limestone landscapes and hidden waterfalls to the calm moorland and curious fairy ring, every step feels like a discovery. It’s a route that shows just how varied and beautiful this corner of the North Pennines can be, rugged, peaceful, and full of surprises around every bend.

If you love exploring places that feel untouched, pack your boots and come see it for yourself. And while others might tell you to Visit Teesdale, we say Discover Teesdale. Wander at your own pace, take in the views, and let nature remind you why it’s always worth slowing down for.