Description

Waterfall Swallet

Waterfall Swallet (also known as the “Hidden Waterfall”) is a striking geological feature in the Peak District National Park, England. It is a “swallet”—a place where a surface stream disappears underground into a limestone cave system.

Located on the roadside between the villages of Eyam and Foolow, it is often missed by passersby because it sits deep within a wooded sinkhole (or “doline”).

Key Features

• The Waterfall: The stream plunges approximately 10 meters (about 33 feet) down a limestone cliff. It is the second-highest waterfall in the Peak District, after Kinder Downfall.

• The “Swallet” Phenomenon: At the bottom of the falls, the water doesn’t form a pool; instead, it vanishes into the rocks. Geologists and cavers have traced this water to the Glebe Mine and eventually to the Moorwood Sough in Stoney Middleton, where it resurfaces.

• Visibility: It is a “seasonal” waterfall. During dry spells, it can dry up completely, leaving only a damp rock face. It is most spectacular after heavy rainfall.

History and Folklore

• The Name: The word “Swallet” is derived from “swallow hole,” referring to the way the earth seems to “swallow” the stream. Local lore says the name also refers to “a place where water breaks in on miners,” a nod to the area’s extensive lead mining history.

• Archaeology: The site has been of interest to cavers for decades. Curiously, a human arm bone was once discovered in a nearby cave passage (Crook Pot), though it remains a mystery whether it belonged to an ancient ancestor or a 19th-century miner.

Visitor Information

• Access: The waterfall is on privately owned land, but it can be viewed clearly from a public footpath. There is a small gate and a set of steep, often muddy stone steps leading down into the gorge.

• Caution: The descent into the hollow is steep and can be very slippery. It is not suitable for those with mobility issues.

Although this waterfall is very close to a road, we will make a lovely walk from the village of Eyam to turn it into a couple of hours,  starting, and finishing close to a pub.