Waterfalls - 2nd & 1st class stamps issued 23 June 2026

Tomorrow, June 23rd, Royal Mail will issue a set of 10 stamps depicting Waterfalls across the United Kingdom.  The set consists of 5 each of 2nd class and 1st class stamps.

Normally, under the heading "Reason and Inspiration" in the information pack provided to dealers there are a couple of paragraphs explaining why this subject and why now, but in this case it is just one short sentence:

A celebration of some of the UK's most enchanting and spectacular waterfalls from across the four nations of the UK.

So that describes what we see, and indeed it is true that we are attracted to waterfalls, the sound and sight of water gushing over a precipice or rocks as sometimes thousands of gallons a minute hurtle past us on the way to the sea, even though they pale into insignificance when compared to some of the giants of the world.   Alongside is one that we found near Crossconnell in the Republic of Ireland, that was well worth the short walk. (And I can recommend The Rusty Nail in the village for a good meal and a good pint!)

Attractive stamps and if they are used some people will recognise places that they have visited, while others my be inspired to visit locations that they have never been to, even though they may live not far away.  The key there is, "if they are used" - please report any non-philatelic usage you see!

The stamps

5 x 1st class, 5 x 2nd class stamps depicting waterfalls issued 23 June 2026.

Details

2nd class: Rogie Falls: Near Contin, Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands, Scotland. On the River Blackwater, famous for salmon leaping the falls. 
Pollnagollum Cave: Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. Pollnagollum Cave Waterfall is a small waterfall within the Belmore Forest. Polnagollum Cave was a filming location for Game of Thrones.
Aysgarth Falls: Lower Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England. A series of broad stepped waterfalls on the River Ure within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Pistyll Rhaeadr: Near Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Powys, Wales. Often cited as the tallest single-drop waterfall in Wales.
Becky Falls: Dartmoor National Park, Devon, England. A woodland waterfall trail with granite cascades.  
1st class: Hardraw Force: Hardraw, near Hawes, North Yorkshire.  England's highest single-drop waterfall on Hardraw Beck. 
Rhaeadr y Graig Lwyd (Conwy Falls): Near Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, North Wales. A powerful waterfall on the River Conwy, just downstream of Fairy Glen.
Fairy Pools of Glen Brittle: Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland. Crystal-clear pools and cascades on the Allt Coir' a' Mhadaidh below the Cullin mountains.
High Force: Upper Teesdale, County Durham. One of England's most dramatic waterfalls, on the River Tees.
Ess‐na‐Larach (Eas na Larach): Scottish Highlands. A lesser-known Highland waterfall; the name is Gaelic and may appear with slight spelling variations depending on map/source. 

Technical details and acknowledgements

Studio Mean is responsible for the design of the 37 x 35 mm stamps which are printed in litho on gummed paper by Cartor Security Printers in sheets of 50, perforated 14½ x 14.  The 2nd class have a single central phosphor band and the 1st class two bands.

Rogie Falls, photograph © Simon Hird, featured with kind permission of Forestry and Land Scotland; Pollnagollum Cave, photograph © Ken Stone, featured with kind permission of Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark. Aysgarth Falls, photograph © Robin Weaver/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority; Pistyll Rhaeadr, photograph © Alan Williams/naturepl.com, featured with kind permission of Phillip Facey and January Elwood; Becky Falls, photograph © John Coombes/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Becky Falls Ancient Woodland Park;  Hardraw Force, photograph © Stuart Hodgson, The Hiking Photographer, featured with kind permission of Hardraw Force Heritage Centre; Conwy Falls, photograph © Simon Stapley/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Conwy Falls Forest Park; Fairy Pools of Glen Brittle, photograph © George Maciver/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of the MacLeod Estate; High Force, photograph © steven gillis hd9 imaging/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Raby Estates; Ess-na-Larach, photograph © Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Locations, from the FDC filler card: 

Locations of waterfalls shown on the stamps.

Products available

Set of 10 stamps, first day cover, presentation pack, stamp cards, framed set of mint stamps.

 

Coming up 

News about the next stamp issue, Moths, should appear here around 2 July.

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