Malham Limestone Area

[Yeti]

I went to Malham two weeks ago, which boasts the best limestone scenery in Britain. The walk included Gordale Scar (a huge gorge), Malham Tarn (one of only two natural lakes in Yorkshire and sitting at 400m), as well as the enormous limestone pavement on top of Malham Cove - a giant cliff that used to bear a waterfall. Caves and potholes abound, as well as the "water sinks" near Malham Tarn, where the river simply disappears under the ground, to appear 2 miles later at the bottom of the cliff and 200m lower down.

Janet's Foss - a waterfall with a hidden cave behind the visible, mossy "screen" over which the water runs.

Typical Dales scenery.

The valley narrows to the gorge. Note the scarred hillside.

Gordale Scar. A nasty rock-climb in the middle!

Gradually ascending through the gorge.

Near the top.

Malham Tarn in the distance.

The lake:

Approaching a dry valley - perfect glacial U-shape.

The limstone pavement, with a 100m drop off the edge!

Malham Cove, to finish with. Peregrine Falcons nest in the cliff face.

[Andy Bown]

The waterfall picture is idyllic , I love how the 2 falls are reflected in the still water.

[sunny scunny]

Very nice scenery with some great pics there

[J07]

That is pretty!

[Gray-Wolf]

And just imagine the size of the waterfall that carved out Malham cove!! When you look down from the top you can picture the scale of things!!! (to many 'free climbers' scaring the wits out of me thee the last time I popped up there though.....which was an improvement on the hang gliders leaping off the top!!!)

Next time anyone is up there check out the cracks in the Limestone pavement on the top of the cove for the little 'alpine' mini climates that still exist in them (if you like your plants that is) left over from he last ice age.

[Yeti]

And just imagine the size of the waterfall that carved out Malham cove!! When you look down from the top you can picture the scale of things!!! (to many 'free climbers' scaring the wits out of me thee the last time I popped up there though.....which was an improvement on the hang gliders leaping off the top!!!)

Next time anyone is up there check out the cracks in the Limestone pavement on the top of the cove for the little 'alpine' mini climates that still exist in them (if you like your plants that is) left over from he last ice age.

Have you done the walk via Gordale Scar GW?

[androcles]

Those shots are very good, Yeti, and they make me feel very homesick.

I used to live in Harrogate til about twenty years ago. My family all live round there still.

My wife and I did the 'hike' up the scar to the tarn at the top and back again when we still had usable knees...! If I remember right, it was about 8 miles round trip. The scenery is very beautiful and I miss it terribly - those huge open spaces. There are too many bloomin' trees round here to see very far and can become claustrophobic.

We took our children up to Malham Cove a couple of years ago and had tea in the tearoom there.

It is awesome to imagine the volume of water going over that cliff at one time...

God's Country...sigh!

Oh well, back to web building...doin' my 'ead in.

Cheers matey and thanks for sharing.

Best Wishes

Andy Moore

Edited October 7, 2008 by androcles

[Yeti]

Those shots are very good, Yeti, and they make me feel very homesick.

I used to live in Harrogate til about twenty years ago. My family all live round there still.

My wife and I did the 'hike' up the scar to the tarn at the top and back again when we still had usable knees...! If I remember right, it was about 8 miles round trip. The scenery is very beautiful and I miss it terribly - those huge open spaces. There are too many bloomin' trees round here to see very far and can become claustrophobic.

We took our children up to Malham Cove a couple of years ago and had tea in the tearoom there.

It is awesome to imagine the volume of water going over that cliff at one time...

God's Country...sigh!

Oh well, back to web building...doin' my 'ead in.

Cheers matey and thanks for sharing.

Best Wishes

Andy Moore

Thanks! I have always wanted to visit Hampshire and the New Forest as the central south always sounds very appealing... though of all the places I have been - the Alps many times, Spain, France etc. there's no place quite like home! I love being close to the hills and the Dales are always so green. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

[Rustynailer]

What a lovely part of the world, very nice pictures indeed.

Thank you.

Russ