Nature has inspiring ways of exhibiting its gracious beauty. Science aside, even as a mere observer, one can easily connect with nature and experience its profoundness through all their senses. Such a simple dialogue with nature can refresh our minds and open doorways to wonder and imagination, helping us understand its importance in our own life. The rivers-grand and small, the mountains tearing through the clouds, the trees surviving for thousands of years, the vast and dense forests whose feet barely get a glimpse of the sunlight, and many other blissful manifestations of such mystic worlds, whisper to our human spirit and encourage us to seek out, explore and understand nature.
We have seen many waterfalls that cascade down the hills zealously and gracefully. But here is a waterfall which seems to rebel against the gravitational forces. Today we look at one such beauty of nature which gives us a glimpse of the clash between wind and water, the two forces of nature. Situated in the northwest of Derbyshire, River Kinder is a small river originating from Kinder Scout Plateau and after flowing through the Kinder Gates Rocks it joins the waterfall known as Kinder Downfall.
The effect of these strong winds which causes a 98-foot waterfall to flow backwards has become a famous sightseeing location recently. Below is a video which was taken in the month of October 2014, when Hurricane Gonzalo hit parts of Britain with winds up to 70 miles per hour.
Kinder Downfall formerly known as Kinder Scut is the tallest waterfall in the Peak District, an upland area of Northern England. The Downfall flows over the edge of the Kinder Scout Plateau before flowing into the Kinder Reservoir. The Kinder Scout plateau got its name from this waterfall and has also become a National Nature Reserve. The plateau is a magnificent landscape comprising of several gritstone rocks and impressive dark peak gritstone cliffs.
The Kinder Scout plateau also has a history of a revolution called ‘Mass Trespass’ which was an uprising by the public revolting against the Game Keepers and Private Landowners who had restricted access to the plateau for the general public and were using it for their own hunting pleasures. Today the plateau has become a favorite destination for hikers and people using their weekends to experience something fresh escaping into the wilderness.
During summers the waterfall behaves like any other with barely any water trickling down. But when the water level rises during the rainy season this waterfall takes a complete U-turn. Literally. The strong winds cause the water to flow in the opposite direction making it look like a reverse waterfall. As the water freezes during winters, the Kinder Downfall provides a unique icy challenge to the mountaineers who use their axes, ropes and crampons.
The powerful gusts of wind make it almost impossible for the water to descend resulting in a backward effect with water being sprayed over the rocks of the plateau. The view of the reverse waterfall seems like an illusion of some sort. This is a rare and unique phenomenon where nature itself defies the laws that govern it.
