Janet's Foss, Malham, North Yorkshire

After leaving the spectacular setting of Gordale Scar and returning to the road we walked south for a short while until we reached a path which led us down to Janet's Foss, a small waterfall where Gordale Beck cascades over a limestone outcrop into a deep pool below.

Local legend has it that a Fairy Queen, Janet (also known as Jennet) lives in a cave behind the falls. "Foss" is from a Norse word for force, or waterfall.

 Strictly speaking the area behind the fall is not a true cave. Calcium carbonate deposited from the flowing water onto moss growing on the rock surrounding the waterfall has created a screen of tufa behind which is the "cave" in question. There is another, larger cave to the right of the pool.

Traditionally used for sheep dipping, the deep pool at the foot of Janet's Foss is now a popular place for families to visit. Its close proximity to Malham means it can become extremely busy, especially at weekends. The clear cold water makes for a very tempting paddling pool for children and dogs. We were lucky to have the place almost to ourselves on our visit, enabling us to watch a Dipper busily searching the rocky crevices for insects while a Grey Wagtail looked on from a nearby branch.

Leaving the waterfall behind we walked through Wedber Wood, towards Malham.
The path runs alongside Gordale Beck and meanders through the dappled shade of ancient woodland. There is a decidedly magical feel about this area; it's easy to see how stories of Jennet the Fairy Queen might have originated in such a place. A fairy glade is an accurate description; or at least that's the feeling I had.

 The air was filled with the aroma of wild garlic which was in full bloom when we visited in May.

 Several fallen trees have been turned into Wishing Trees and have thousands of coins hammered into them. 

Gordale Beck, dotted at this time with bright splashes of yellow Marsh Marigolds, runs alongside the path until it eventually emerges from the woods and passes through pastureland until it finally reaches Malham village.

 

As we approached Malham we could see the towering limestone cliffs of Malham Cove once more, in the distance.

As always, thanks for visiting my blog. I hope you've enjoyed the photos.

Gordale Scar, North Yorkshire

After negotiating the clints and grykes of the limestone pavement above Malham Cove, we headed uphill for a short while along part of the Pennine Way.

 

Dropping gently downhill the path eventually came to the road where a refreshment van provided a very welcome cup of tea. We had a ten minute break watching a Mallard with its ducklings and a Meadow Pipit having a bath in the small stream by the edge of the road.

A short walk along the road brought us to Gordale Scar, a gorge formed during the Ice Age. Melt water created a huge cavern which eventually collapsed and formed the gorge and the waterfalls within it. Access to the gorge is via a stony path which dissects a campsite. 

 The approach gives little idea of the geological spectacle which awaits around the last bend in the path.

 

 As we walked further into the gorge, towards the waterfall at its end, the 100  metre high walls seemed to close in around us.

  It is possible to climb up the waterfall and continue upwards to Malham Tarn, as these people were doing. Alternatively you can retrace your steps, as we did, and walk back to the road where we headed for Janet's Foss, a beautiful little area of ancient woodland which will be the subject of my next blog post.
Click here to go to the next blog post
As always, thanks for visiting, I hope you've enjoyed the photos.

Malham Cove, North Yorkshire

Picturesque Malham, complete with its beck running through the middle of the village, is situated amongst the spectacular limestone scenery of cliffs, crags, and scars of the Yorkshire Dales. The village is surrounded by a farming landscape of ancient dry-stone walls, rivers, waterfalls, meadows and woodlands.
Malham has been a settlement for over a thousand years, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Traces of Iron age boundaries can still be found. Formerly the main employment was in mills and mines, now it is found in farming and tourism.

 

A section of the Pennine Way leads from the village to Malham Cove, a huge limestone amphitheatre formed after the last ice age by an enormous river that fell at this point as a cataract 80 metres high and more than 300 metres wide.
In December 2015 Storm Desmond brought so much rainfall that water poured over the cliff edge for the first time in living memory. See a clip here...

 
The cliff is extremely popular with climbers, their metal equipment looking somewhat out of place next to the precarious nests of a House Martins colony.

The cliff face is also home to a pair of nesting Peregrine Falcons. There are, I believe, currently four chicks confirmed. In order to protect the birds visitors are asked to keep a good distance away from the nest site and the British Mountaineering Council has imposed a temporary, voluntary rock climbing restriction around it. I have a long zoom on my camera, in case you were wondering.

 Access to the limestone pavement which lies at the top of the cove is by way of a flight of 400 stone steps on the Western side. 

Some young climbers were trying out their skills near the top of the steps.

The view as you head upwards is worth the effort involved and the sight of the amazing limestone pavement which suddenly comes into view, is almost other-worldly. The area featured in one of the Harry Potter films, which might give some idea of its unique geological appearance.

Once at the top of the cove several walking routes present themselves. We headed for Gordale Scar, which will be the subject of my next blog post.
Click here to go to the next blog post
Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed the photos.