Characteristics of a gorge include:

• very narrow valley
• very steep, high valley sides is
• located immediately downstream of a waterfall
• river channel takes up most, if not all, of the valley floor
• boulders litter the river bed
• turbulent, fast-flowing whitewater

Find out more about the landforms of erosion in the upper course of a river.

Interlocking spurs are fingers of land that jut out into the river valley that streams and rivers are forced to flow around in the upper course.

Find out more about the landforms of erosion in the upper course of a river.

Formation of a waterfall

Find out more about the landforms of erosion in the upper course of a river.

A waterfall is a step in the long profile of the valley. It is where water falls down the vertical drop in the channel usually from a considerable height.

Find out more about the landforms of erosion in the upper course of a river.

A gorge is a narrow, steep-sided valley, with bare, rocky walls.

Find out more about the landforms of erosion in the upper course of a river.