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Swaledale Outdoor Club |
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Swaledale Outdoor Club |
| > Home > Newsletter > Walking > Malham |
MalhamNine of us met up in Richmond Market Place - myself, Yvonne, Christine, Margaret, Ian, Ray, Lillian, John, Brian and divided ourselves into three cars for the journey to Malham. Although we were the first to leave, we eventually arrived in Malham last having taken the scenic route! The journey across the Dales was a delight and mostly quite new to me. The weather was looking much more promising than it had first thing although there was quite a lot of snow to be seen on the high ground. The descent into Malham village was spectacular - glimpses of Malham Tarn just after the crossroads and soon the sight of Malham Cove rising 300ft on our left. Apparently, Malham is always popular and as the weather had brightened up considerably the car park was already almost full. We were joined here by Bill who had been travelling up from the south and had stopped off for a walk on his way back to Newcastle! We set off, crossing the stream that runs through the middle of the village. A level path led across pastureland and eventually into a wooded valley whose slopes were massed with ramsons, or wild garlic, already giving off its pungent, unmistakable smell. Following Gordale Beck up the valley we soon came to Janet’s Foss - a beautiful little waterfall said to be named after the Queen of the local fairies who lived in a cave behind the waterfall. After a short pause to remove surplus clothing (it was warming up nicely) we scrambled up out of the valley and into the open again. We now headed towards Gordale Scar and queued up behind groups of other walkers at the bottom of the 150 foot chasm for an exhilarating if damp scramble up beside the waterfall. A brief drinks stop near the top and then a long walk across moorland eventually picking up the track that runs around the base of Great Close Scar. We soon reached an isolated farm where we struck off across the moor following a line of telephone poles to the hill overlooking Malham Tarn. From here we had a wonderful view across the lake that inspired Charles Kingsley’s The Water Babies. An excellent spot for a lunch stop especially as we were entertained by what looked like a team-building exercise involving two groups constructing and then paddling rafts of bright blue oil drums. Malham Tarn is the highest alkaline lake in the British Isles due to the dissolved lime and is a renowned wildlife area. The lake is home to one of Britain’s most attractive birds, the Great Crested Grebe and I was pleased to spot a pair near the shore. The sun had temporarily disappeared and the sudden chill prompted us to set off again in the direction of Malham Cove. On the way we passed the Water Sinks - apparently the water from these reappears, not at the foot of the Cove, but at Aire Head Springs in Malham Village. A steep flight of fairly recently constructed stone steps led us down Comb Scar. We noted the number of double stiles particularly on routes near a car park and decided they were to speed up the flow of pedestrian traffic rather than ‘his n hers’ stiles as someone who shall be nameless suggested! The famous limestone pavements on the approach to the top of Malham Cove were crowded with people but we managed to find a perch where we would admire the stunning views across to Malham and beyond and pick holes in the technique of the rock climbers on the face below us. Long ago, the melt water and rain poured over the top of the cove to create an impressive waterfall. The last time this happened was in the floods of 1850 - generally the water just drains through the slots in the limestone. A final steep flight of stone steps to the valley floor and yet another snack stop at the foot of the limestone cliff where the Malham Beck makes a sudden appearance and then the short walk back to the village and the Hiker’s Bar of the Buck Inn. My first visit to the area and well worth the early start. Thanks to everyone for such an excellent day and especially to Ray for organising and leading the walk and to Yvonne for allowing me the luxury of being able to admire the scenery between Richmond and Malham rather than having to keep my eyes on the road! Alison Parks |