Cow Green Reservoir and Cauldron Snout

The walk starts by Cow Green Reservoir, which was formed in 1970 by the building of a dam across the River Tees (built after fierce opposition since the reservoir flooded a large area of botanical importance). The nature trail leads for a mile along the east side of the reservoir to Cow Green Dam, where the River Tees emerges again from the dam wall and starts its descent to Cauldron Snout waterfall.

The river now plunges in a foaming cataract and a series of steep cascades to the peaceful meadows 60 metres below. The best view of the waterfall is from these meadows where the river quietly flows past the crags of Falcon Clints, or from the ridge between the Tees and Maize Beck on the other side of the river.

The high altitude of the region means that the average temperature is cool, similar to that of Reykjavik in Iceland — one of the factors making Upper Teesdale a nature reserve of world importance, where a range of Arctic and Alpine plants have remained since ice sheets receded 15,000 to 20,000 years ago.

There are many fragile rare plants, so visitors must keep to the paths (small hardy Swaledale sheep play an essential part in maintaining botanical balance by grazing to prevent coarser grasses from spreading over rarer species). Grassy limestone areas contain common varieties like harebell, wild thyme, and rock rose alongside rare species such as spring gentian (found only here and in south-west Ireland).

Limestone grasslands are separated by heather and cottongrass areas growing in peat where upland birds nest (red grouse, golden plover, redshank, lapwing, curlew, wheatear, skylark, and meadow pipit).

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.