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Malham Classic START Malham Grid ref SD 900626 DISTANCE 4.5 miles (7.2 km) ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPS 1:50,000 Landranger 98 - Wensleydale & Upper Wharfedale. 1:25,000 Explorer Outdoor Leisure No 2 Yorkshire Dales South/West.  ACCESS Start from the village centre. There is a large car park at the entrance to the village. Served by bus form Skipton.
From the car park head into the village, crossing the beck either by a footbridge by the forge, or by the road bridge and doubling back to follow the beck downstream. The short lane ends at a gate from where a broad path heads across the fields. At a double kissing-gate the path swings left to a barn, crosses to the left of the wall and continues in the same direction. The outer portals of Gordale await, but as yet reveal nothing of the grandeur to come: Malham Cove, however shows itself off back over the village. Very soon Gordale Beck is joined and followed upstream. On entering a delightful section of woodland, the charming waterfall of Janet's Foss will be reached all too soon. Legend has it that Janet, local fairy queen, had a cave behind the falls. What is more certain is that this wood provides a rich habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna: an information board is provided. Here the path breaks off left to emerge onto the road to Gordale. Turn right along it for a short distance, crossing the beck (by the old bridge if you wish) and arriving at a gate on the left just before Gordale House. A well trodden path heads across the pasture to the unmistakable cliffs of Gordale Scar, which converge as we enter the dark confines Our way now returns to the old bridge, where we leave the road by a kissing-gate. From the wall corner just above, climb the field side to a ladder stile, then rise again to a gate at the top corner. Here a firm path runs along to the left, remaining with the wall beneath more open limestone country. At the end it slants up to the right to parallel the moor road to Malham Tarn, before joining it at a stile. Cross straight over to another, and head away on a landrover track across the pasture. A wall is joined and followed as far as the next corner. When the wall turns away, there is a fork in the route. While the right branch rises up to a stile in the wall ahead, our way bears gently down to the left, with the limestone pavement atop Malham Cove revealed immediately below us. Drop down to a stile and gateway to gain access to the top of the Cove. Up to the right, the Dry Valley strikes away into the hills. The extensive pavement atop the Cove is absolutely fascinating to tread, but with great care as the grikes in between have leg-damaging capabilities. The limestone cliff of Malham Cove rises some 300ft from the valley: the waterfall that fell here must have been awesome! At the far end, stiles send a stepped path descending the slopes at the end of the Cove. At the bottom, one can first bear left to access the very base of the mighty cliff. Issuing from the base is Malham Beck, the water having sunk on the moor. To return to the village, simply turn downstream with the beck, a broad man-made path returning through the fields to emerge onto the road just short of the village. With grateful thanks to Paul Hannon (From his book 'Walking Country Malhamdale') |
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