Distance Covered: 5 miles Time to complete walk: 3 hours
Total Steps: approx. 11,000
Safety Tips: A walking stick is essential. Be prepared for a strenuous climb to the top of Malham Cove. The limestone pavement at the top of Malham Cove can be slippy- take extra care. Stay well away from the edge - admire the climbers with their climbing gear from afar!. Gordale Scar has a path up to the waterfall which can be dangerous - again err on the side of caution there are plenty of spots to have a picnic. Take care on the slight descent to Janets Foss - again it can be slippery- wear walking boots.
If you have never done this walk and have wondered why the walk was voted the third best walk in the whole of Britain- prepare to be blown away. This is the crown jewels of Yorkshire walks and the crown has three jewels and you will be overwhelmed with just how beautiful and mystical Yorkshire can be. First of all marvel at Malham Cove with its labyrinth of limestone at its summit- a secret spot to view the cove is included in the walk. Then prepare to be astounded by Gordale Scar a waterfall set in such an awe inspiring setting you half expect a T-Rex to turn up at any minute. Then last but not least head to Janets Foss a smaller waterfall but a pretty fitting end to a corker of a walk! Enjoy!
The Malham Cove & Gordale Scar Walk
From Middlesbrough, take the A19 southbound to Thirsk. Then join the A168 to Ripon. From Ripon join the A61 to pass Ripley. Take a right turn to join the A59 passing by Skipton. Then at a roundabout follow the A65 to Gargrave. Look for a sharp right turn and follow this through the narrow country roads to Malham. Parking can be found in Malham at the National Park Centre. The parking fee is £4.50 for four hours or more.
Map of the Malham Cove & Gordale Scar walk
The Walk
From the car park turn left and walk into Malham passing some pubs until you arrive at a roundabout junction
Exit the carpark
Follow the road to the right until you reach the junction
Take the road to the right which crosses a hump backed bridge and head towards YHA Malham. Take the path to left of it.
Head towards YHA Malham
Take the path to the left of YHA Malham
Follow the path which is the Penine Way for about 800m through gates which I have decided to name Malham Gates!
Walk through the Malham gates
You will see the more popular path to your left which you eventually will join and Malham Cove in the distance.
Malham Cove
Path adjacent which you will join
Keep on towards the cove and then head to the left downhill to reach a gate to a small bridge.
Head down to the gate
Cross the stone bridge
Turn right and follow the path until you spot the steps to the left which is your route to the top!
Follow the path towards Malham Cove
Malham Cove
Steps to the top of the cove
Climb the steps to the top taking regular pitstops (unless you are super fit!) Then keep to the left at the top on the limestone pavement. There is an excellent view to the bottom of the cove at the other side of the pavement.
Climb to the top
Sign for the Limestone pavement
At the top walk on the pavement carefully and have a pitstop to enjoy the view. When finished head to the other side of Malham Cove to the right.
Be careful on the limestone pavement
View of the limestone pavement
The top of Malham Cove
Head to the other side of the limestone pavement taking care to descend the pavement. A signpost is to the left and a gate. Head through the gate and once through this look for a large stone and taking care you will see a view down to the bottom. Do not attempt this if you have vertigo though!
Views of Malham Cove
Rejoin the grassy track down easy and pleasant descent- just follow the other walkers on the path if you are lost.
Follow the grass track down
Head to a ladder stile and then cross the road to a gate and then follow the grassy path down again.
Go up the ladder stile
Head towards the gate on the other side of the road
The path down is quite pleasant and keep on it and head towards the road and Gordale Bridge below.
Follow the path down
Head towards Gordale bridge
There may be a refreshment van on the road and try a hotdog while your there. Turn left on the road over the bridge and a short distance after you will arrive at Gordale campsite to your left.
Head to the left on the road
Go through the gate on the path to Gordale Scar
Information on Gordale Scar
Follow the path to Gordale Scar
The waterfall is ahead and is amazing. Another pitstop would be ideal to take in the views around.
Gordale Scar
Reluctantly, tear yourself away from the amazing experience and head back to the entrance and retrace your steps back to the bridge and van. Now follow the road and look for a sign to your left which takes you Janets Foss.
Go through the gate to your left
Information on Janets Foss
Head carefully down to Janets Foss
Head down to Janets Foss
Janets Foss waterfall
From the waterfall follow the path against the stream out onto open meadows.
Follow the path
Keeping on the path you arrive back at Malham. Turn left over a small stone bridge and then left again to the carpark.
Malham Cove
Malham Cove is a limestone formation 0.6 miles (1 km) north of the village of Malham, North Yorkshire, England. The large, curved feature was formed by a waterfall carrying meltwater from glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age more than 12,000 years ago. Today it is a well-known beauty spot within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. A large limestone pavement is above the cove.
The cove was formed by a large Ice-age river that fell at this point as a cataract. The water drop was 80 m (260 ft) high and more than 300 m (980 ft) wide. The colossal amount of water flowing over the waterfall created the curved shape of the cove because the lip was more heavily eroded than the sides. Today the water course is marked by a stream that flows out of Malham Tarn 1.5 mi (2.4 km) north of the cove. It becomes a subterranean stream at 'Water Sinks' about 1 mi (1.6 km) before the top of the cove. Another stream named Malham Beck emerges from a cave at the bottom of the cove. The two streams were once thought to be one and the same. However, experiments with dyes have shown that they are two separate waterways that go underground at different locations. Their paths cross without mixing behind the limestone cliff re-emerging a few miles apart. The experiments show that there is complex system of caves and tunnels within the limestone cliff. The system is estimated to be about 50,000 years old. Cave divers, entering the system through the cave at the base of the cove, have so far explored about 1 mi (1.6 km).
The cave systems usually carry away any waters before they reach the fall; however, Malham Cove temporarily became a waterfall for what is believed to be the first time in centuries on 6 December 2015, after heavy rainfall from Storm Desmond.
Gordale Scar
Gordale Scar is a limestone ravine 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Malham, North Yorkshire, England. It contains two waterfalls and has overhanging limestone cliffs over 100 metres high. The gorge could have been formed by water from melting glaciers or a cavern collapse. The stream flowing through the scar is Gordale Beck, which on leaving the gorge flows over Janet's Foss before joining Malham Beck two miles downstream to form the River Aire. A right of way leads up the gorge, but requires climbing approximately 10 feet of tufa at the lower waterfall.
Janets Foss
Janet's Foss is a small waterfall in the vicinity of the village of Malham, North Yorkshire, England. It carries Gordale Beck over a limestone outcrop topped by tufa into a deep pool below. The pool was traditionally used for sheep dipping, an event which took on a carnival air and drew the village inhabitants for the social occasion.
The name Janet (sometimes Jennet) is believed to refer to a fairy queen held to inhabit a cave at the rear of the fall. Foss is a Nordic word for waterfall, still used in Scandinavia, and is presented in a number of cases in England as 'force'.
Janet's Foss was the location of the fictional Molkham Falls as featured in the 2006 independent British film, WATERFALL. Filming took place there in May 2006.
Janets Foss
Janet's Foss is a small waterfall in the vicinity of the village of Malham, North Yorkshire, England. It carries Gordale Beck over a limestone outcrop topped by tufa into a deep pool below. The pool was traditionally used for sheep dipping, an event which took on a carnival air and drew the village inhabitants for the social occasion.
The name Janet (sometimes Jennet) is believed to refer to a fairy queen held to inhabit a cave at the rear of the fall. Foss is a Nordic word for waterfall, still used in Scandinavia, and is presented in a number of cases in England as 'force'.
Janet's Foss was the location of the fictional Molkham Falls as featured in the 2006 independent British film, WATERFALL. Filming took place there in May 2006.
No comments:
Post a Comment