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Sparkling Water

Lovely waterfalls in Europe

By Rasma RaistersPublished about a year ago 7 min read
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Iceland

Dettifoss Waterfall is located in the Vatnajokull National Park in northeast Iceland. It is the most powerful waterfall in Europe, with an average flow of water of over 193 cubic meters per second. You can almost feel the power watching this waterfall tumble down, making a deafening noise and shaking the surrounding rocks. To see this natural beauty up close, you can walk along trails that are found on both sides of the fall.

Gullfoss Waterfall cascades down in two parts, and the River Hivita, a glacier river, is its source. There are two traps of the waterfall, which are formed by basalt layers. Both traps are slightly on a right angle, the second trap being a gorge into which water tumbles down 32 meters. When cascading into the gorge, the water gives off a lot of spray and when the sun is shining, beautiful rainbows appear. Gullfoss is part of the famous Golden Circle in Iceland which is a tourist route in southern Iceland. This area contains most tours and travel-related activities in the country.

Estonia

Keila Waterfall is on the list of the best waterfalls in Europe. The waterfall is located in the small town of Keila-Joa in northern Estonia. This waterfall also provides power since it has a hydroelectric power plant on it. There are hiking trails along which you can get up close to nature. Near it, you can see other attractions like a neo-Gothic manor house and suspension bridges.

Latvia

The Venta Rapid is the widest waterfall in Europe. The waterfall is around 100 -110 meters wide. It can be seen along its entire length on both sides of the Venta River and from the old brick bridge stretching across the river some 200 m downstream from the waterfall. It is located in the town of Kuldiga, and it is an exciting phenomenon to see salmon as if they were flying, jumping over the rapids to clear them each autumn and spring.

Norway

Kjosfossen Waterfall cascades down glacial rocks 225 meters. On either side of it are green landscapes. One of the ways to visit this waterfall is to take the Flam Railway from the port of Flam to the mountain town of Myrdal. You can enjoy the scenery along the way during the train journey with mountains and snow melt rivers. There is a small hydroelectric power station on the waterfall.

In the summertime, when the train stops at Kjosfossen as passengers get off on the viewing platform for a short break, a mysterious woman with long hair, dressed in red comes out of the forest and dances to a Norwegian folk dance. She is known as the Huldra, an elusive forest spirit from Norse mythology.

England

Hardraw Force is the largest single-drop waterfall in England. The waterfall is hidden behind the historical Green Dragon Inn, a pub in Hardraw Village. If one did not know the waterfall was behind the inn, one would miss it.

The fall is accessible through the pub to enter the path leading to Hardraw Force. The trail goes along the Hardraw Beck stream to a small gorge into which the waterfall cascades down into the river. You can walk behind it and see it from every angle.

Scotland

Mealt Falls are located on the northeast coast of the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It has a lovely backdrop of the Kilt Rock formation. The falls tumble down into the Sound of Raasay, indirectly connected to the Atlantic Ocean.

Ireland

Torc Waterfall is 20 meters high and located outside the town of Killarney. The fall is within the world-famous Killarney National Park, a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is off of one of the main park paths, surrounded by a dense forest.

For fantastic views, you can hike to the top of the waterfall following a path of stones and steps known as “Cardiac Hill.”

The Netherlands

You'll find an amazing man-made waterfall fed by a creek in Loenen close to De Hoge Veluwe National Park. The waterfall is 15 meters high, and there are stairs on either side of it. It is the highest waterfall in The Netherlands.

France

Cascade de Lance translates to the upside-down lance which the waterfall looks like when viewed from the top. It is located in Colmar, on a rocky outcropping in the French Alps. The waterfall is blanketed by rock steps, and the water cascades from one of the openings to the face of the rock. The water flows from the River Lance and tumbles into an emerald pool There are many hiking trails here to enjoy the waterfall and surrounding nature.

Austria

Krimmi Waterfalls are located in the province of Salzburg. These are one of the highest falls in Europe, cascading down from a height of 380 meters. A beautiful 100-year-old waterfall hiking trail winds its way along the waterfalls. Other hiking trails lead you past many natural wonders, and these waterfalls are said to have a healing effect, especially for respiratory diseases. You can see the falls between May and the end of October. In the winter, only the lower section of the waterfalls is accessible, and during the Christmas season, beautiful torchlight walks are offered.

Croatia

The Plitvice Lakes are travertine waterfalls with over 90 waterfalls between the 16 lakes. For thousands of years, the Korana River flowed and deposited, forming dams of travertine, and as a result, today, you can see lakes, grottos, and waterfalls. These lakes are in the Plitvicka Jezera National Park in the middle of Croatia near the town of Grabovac. They are a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Romania

Bigar Waterfall is one of the most unique waterfalls in Europe. The water trickles down from a mossy rock formation jutting out of a mountain. The rounded waterfall is in the Anna Mountains and in a protected area within Caras-Severin County in southwestern Romania.

Germany

Triberg Waterfalls are located in the Black Forest of Germany. At 163 meters high, these are one of the highest falls in the country. They are near the town of Triberg. The first section of the falls is accessible from walking platforms. To get to the higher viewing platforms, you can hike through the beautiful forest. These falls are comprised of a number of drops with the water cascading down the hill through the forest.

There are little squirrels that make their home here and look for a handout of peanuts which can be purchased at the entry.

Madeira Island

Risco Waterfall is located in the Rabacal Valley on Madeira Island in the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the biggest waterfalls on the island, tumbling down 100 meters. The waterfall has two parts – Risco Waterfall and Lagoa do Vento, with Risco being the lower part and the other the higher part. You can reach the fall through Levada das 25 Fontes hiking trail, which follows an ancient irrigation system.

Switzerland

Trummelbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen are the largest underground waterfalls in Europe. There are ten connecting waterfalls that tumble down with a power of 20,000 liters of water per second. Walking through the underground tunnels, you can hear the roaring water. You can access the falls through a series of tunnels, walkways, and staircases.

Bosnia and Hercogovina

Kravice Waterfalls are located outside the city of Mostar. They cascade from the Tebizat River. You can enjoy the falls and swim in the refreshing water. You can enjoy the lovely surrounding nature of the Balkans. They are open from May until October, and you can join a group tour.

Slovenia

Sum Waterfall is the biggest of three river waterfalls in Slovenia. At 13 meters high, the fall tumbles down from the Radovna River, and you can find it at the end of Vintgar Gorge, a 1.6km gorge through the Hom and Borst Hills. After walking through Vintgar Gorge, there is a wooden bridge from which you can get fantastic views of the waterfall. This is a popular site to visit from Lake Bled.

Italy

The trail that leads to Fanes Waterfall is one of the most popular in the Italian Dolomites. Along the way are many waterfalls to enjoy. The waterfalls are located in northeastern Italy, in the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, and the trail is part of the National Park of the Ampezzo Dolomites. The first waterfall along the Panoramic Trail is the Fanes Waterfall. You can walk down into the gorge and take in the view from the bottom. The Path of Canyons and Waterfalls zigzags from side to side of the stream, from waterfall to pool, between the forest and rocky path.

Spain

The Natural Park of Monasterio de Piedra has over twenty different waterfalls. It is located between Madrid and Zaragoza. For hundreds of years, local monks channeled water from the Rio Piedra and created ornamental waterfalls combining them with natural formations. A hiking trail takes you past all the falls. A single file carved staircase will take you down from the top of the 50-meter-tall Cola de Caballo Waterfall through the Iris Cave behind the falls.

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About the Creator

Rasma Raisters

My passions are writing and creating poetry. I write for several sites online and have four themed blogs on Wordpress. Please follow me on Twitter.

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