Malham Cove and Gordale Scar loop from Malham — Yorkshire Dales National Park

This is still probably my favourite hike. The climb up Gordale Scar waterfall is class!

Hi! I'm Ben, an avid trail runner and hiker, based in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park. As part of The North Face 'Discover Your Trail' campaign I wanted to share my favourite local route to help inspire and encourage others to experience and enjoy the great outdoors. If you search for popular walks in the Yorkshire Dales, or indeed the UK, then Malham will undoubtedly appear at the top of the list. And for good reason, because this small village is arguably the jewel in the crown of Yorkshire's biggest National Park. Best-known for its stunning limestone scenery, this rural area offers a plethora of visual treats, including Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, Janet’s Foss and Malham Tarn. My love affair with Malham began when I first visited as a teenager back in the early 1990's. I can remember it clearly, almost like it was yesterday - the first time I laid eyes on the Cove, my first footsteps on the limestone pavement and that euphoric feeling of stepping into the jaws of Gordale Scar. I was just 13-years old and part of a Geography trip with school. It was one of my first real outdoor experiences and one which lit a flame in my heart. I knew right there and then that I was destined for a life of adventure and exploration, eager to travel and enjoy the great outdoors at every given opportunity. 28 years later and I'm back in Malham, staring up in awe at the mightily impressive Malham Cove. These days, I live over the hill, just 5-miles from the start of this route. I'm proud to call this my home and I'm delighted to share this hike so you can discover my trail. I'm also joined by my good friend and pro-photographer Robbie Jay Barratt, who has agreed to capture some images of this wonderful hike. I've known Robbie for over 15 years - we both went to the same school. In fact, he was actually a student of mine when I returned there as a teacher. We then became colleagues and close friends, teaching Art and Photography together for many years. What makes our relationship even more special is the fact that he was also the first photographer that I ever worked with as an athlete, back in our hometown of Elland, in Halifax, on my very first photoshoot with my trail running sponsor. So, it's a very fitting tribute that he was able to join me here in Malham on my favourite local hike. This circular route takes in the very best sights in the area. Starting and finishing in the centre of Malham, you will not be left disappointed. Just don’t forget to pack your camera, as the stunning 260ft cliffs of the Cove are also home to peregrine falcons and little owls, and above here you will find one of the finest examples of a limestone pavement in the UK, which famously featured in the Harry Potter film 'The Deathly Hallows'. Afterwards, I recommend stopping for a pint at The Lister Arms in Malham, a quintessential pub in the centre of the village which serves a wide range of local hand pulled ales. Here in Yorkshire, it's how we like to celebrate a perfect day on the trail! For this hike, I wore The North Face VECTIV Fastpack Futurelight Mid Hiking shoes because they are perfect for fast hiking, offering a happy medium between a traditional walking boot and a trail running shoe. This versatility means you can tackle all kinds of terrain with a lightweight boot that has grip, breathability and supreme comfort for long days out on the hill. This shoe is also waterproof, so no problem if you want to get up close and personal with the waterfall at Gordale Scar. 👉 https://www.sportsshoes.com/products/?q=vectiv%20fastpack I chose to wear The North Face Athletic Outdoor walking trousers because they are incredibly light and comfortable. The material allows you to move freely and dynamically, especially at pace. Which is great for me as I like to move quickly wherever I go! 👉 https://www.sportsshoes.com/product/tnf579/the-north-face-athletic-outdoor-woven-pants-~-ss22/#sku-tnf579 I paired the AO trousers with the matching AO Glacier t-shirt in the same range, for exactly the same reasons - it's breathable, lightweight and super-comfortable to wear. 👉 https://www.sportsshoes.com/product/tnf573/the-north-face-athletic-outdoor-glacier-t~shirt-~-ss22/#sku-tnf573 My outfit was completed with The North Face Basin 36L Backpack. I love the colour, but more importantly the fit and feel is exceptional and you can carry everything you need for big adventure days! 👉 https://www.sportsshoes.com/product/tnf620/the-north-face-basin-36l-backpack-~-ss22/#sku-tnf620

Beautiful walk after nearly 2 yrs of not walking ,drained but fulfilled with the eldest son and daughter in law ,who were both amazing. .

A lot of rain was forecast for today too, but we didn't want to let that put us off. Not far from the Lake District, there is a large national park in Yorkshire that we already know. Malham is usually quite crowded even in the off-season, so a bad weather forecast is not the only disadvantage. From the visitor center, you first walk comfortably through the beautiful valley through pretty cultural landscape, sometimes through (very relaxed) herds of cows. Then you walk a short distance along a stream into a small gorge (at the end of which you will find a small, pretty waterfall). The path is relatively easy to walk, but the rather uneven limestone is a bit slippery in the current wet conditions. As it started to rain again here, we had to concentrate - but we were wearing good hiking boots, unlike many of the tourists... Above the waterfall, you go into a deep canyon, where the small stream forms another waterfall - in quite impressive surroundings. You have to go back the same way before you go up the mountain on a gentle incline (we treated ourselves to a snack at the snack bar beforehand). As it was raining quite heavily by now, this wasn't all that fun - but the grass you walk on was very grippy despite the wetness. At the top, we walked along the edge of the cliff, again on a nice grassy path. Visibility was very limited, however, and the rain was accompanied by low-hanging clouds. Then came one of the highlights of the tour, the rocks above Malham Cove. The limestone here is totally jagged, the bizarre rocks "cut up" criss-cross over perhaps 200 meters. It's pretty mean to walk across there when it's wet. A young woman who was walking the tour largely parallel to us with her two companions had her young golden retriever with her, which she was training on the way. It was running wild and funny the whole time, but here it literally tucked its tail between its legs. She had to carry him over the rocks, even though she herself had great difficulty. We survived this without any accidents (as did, surprisingly, the many other tourists, some of whom were walking around in fairly light shoes), and the steep path down to the cove was then quite easy thanks to the many steps. A small, pretty stream comes out from under the rocks, which then flows to and through Malham. The way back to the starting point is then very easy, partly along the small road.

We were promosed sunshine 🥺. Visibility was hugely reduced when we got to the top. But a bit of patience over a cup of Kenco saw the weather clear sufficiently.

This is the recommended walk starting at the car park B. Very enjoyable walk

A fantastic day taking in some soectacular sights suxh as Janet's Foss from Malham with the Outdoor Adventure Girls and Berghaus

Cool, clear and dry day. Postcode for parking BD23 4DA. Very busy with lots of visitors about. We got there at 10am and had to park in one of the fields (£8/day). Toilets in the village but had to queue. Its been relatively dry recently so Gordale scar and Janet's Foss waterfalls were a disappointing trickle. The streams are also drying up and the wetlands near Janet's Foss are also dry.