Who needs mountains when you can limestone cliffs, wedding cake-type coves and a neat little scramble up a waterfall to add a smidgeon of technical interest? Let's go to the Dales :-)
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Malham > Janet's Foss >
Gordale Scar > Malham Tarn > Malham Cove
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Distance: 6 3/4miles
(11Km)
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Height Gain: 841 ft
(256m)
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Overview: You don't have to go to
Scotland, The Lake District or Wales for classic scenery.
This short walk in the Yorkshire Dales takes in waterfalls,
crags and lakes on a round trip from Malham. Ideal for a
winter morning :)
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Maps: Ordnance Survey OL 10, LR 98
Online: Streetmap
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Strenuousness: 1
Technicality: 1 (2 for Gordale Scar)
Photogenicness: 3
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Start Point: SD
900 626 -
Malham
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This a route you can go back to again and again - the Dales may have
a gentler feel than big mountain areas like the Lakes or Scotland,
but there's a real beauty to this towering classic limestone scenery
- okay, we're talking big cliffs here. The ground underfoot is green
and springy too, Malham Tarn is a fantastic picnic site and the short
scramble up the back of Gordale Scar adds a dusting of technical
interest and keeps the kids and grandparents happy as well. Enjoy
:-)
Section 1 - Section 1 Malham to Goredale Scar
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Length: 1.8miles ( 3Km)
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Height Gain: 393 ft (
120m)
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From the car
park at the National Park centre to the south of Malham turn
left and cross the road. At River House cross the bridge then turn
right onto the Pennine Way. Cross two stiles then turn left after the
third one down a signposted path to Janet's Foss.
Follow the fledgling River Aire upstream, past a barn on your
right and over a furthe couple of stiles to enter a small wood. The
path leads through a short section of trees to Janet's
Foss - below - a 4-metre wide waterfall. The top of the
waterfall is made of tufa, a rock consisting of pure calcium
carbonate precipitated out from the lime rich water.
Continue past the waterfall to the road, where you trun right.
Cross the stream then turn left at the signpost to Gordale
Scar. Follow the path round the approach to the scar to the
base of the waterfalls. from here there are two options, depending on
water levels and how you feel about easy scrambles.
Section 2 - Goredale Scar to Malham Tarn (Scramble
route)
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Length: Length: 2.4 miles (3.8
Km)
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Height Gain: 358 ft
(109m)
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Normally the stream coming down Gordale Scar - below -
flows down the right hand side of the rock, leaving a choice of a
short scramble over either the lefthand side, close to
the wall or straight up the centre. Neither route is difficult, but
the holds are getting polished after countless thousands of
boots so take care!
Above the first waterfall the ravine widens slightly and the
ground gets easier. The path now breaks out to the left and heads
north west towards the small summit of Seaty Hill. As the path
approaches the road keep to the right and head north for a few yards
to a junction. Continue north towards the obvious group of trees
below Great Close Scar, then turn left and go through the trees.
The path now heads directly towards Malham
Tarn to another big path junction. Turn left along the
Pennine Way and pass the edge of the trees to reach the south end of
the tarn.
Alternative Route if stream is impassable
If the stream coming down Gordale Scar is too swollen it cuts off
the chance of scrambling up below the first waterfall. To continue
the route means retracing your footsteps to the road. cross the
bridge then turn right at the Malham Cove signpost.
A series of yellow waymarks helps guide you across fields to a
gate. Turn left at the gate and continue on past the barn to a road.
Cross the road and turn diagonally right , north west, and continue
to join the wall on your right. Stay to the right where the path to
Malham Cove turns off and continue north west over Malham Lings for a
mile and a quarter to the road. Cross the road and take the left hand
path to the edge of the tarn to rejoin the main route.
Section 3 - Malham Tarn to Malham
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Length: 2.8 miles (4.5
Km)
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Height Gain: 189ft
(58m)
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From the end of Malham Tarn take the Pennine Way south and
continue across the road. The Pennine Way path leads directly to the
impressive deeply-creviced limestone pavement - mind your ankles -
and to the Cove itself, standing 70 metres above the valley floor
with a great view down toward Malham itself, see below.
At the righthand end of the cove take the steep, stepped path down
to the bottom of the cliffs to join the stream that flows out from
under the curved cliffs. Look back for fantastic views of the
climbing routes at the back of the Cove. The path now follows the
right hand bank of the stream to the road, where a left turn drops
you back down into the village and your start point
