Janet’s Foss, Gordale Scar and Malham Cove Walk

Directions

1. Start this walk at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Car Park in Malham, before heading out and turning left into the village of Malham.
2. Turn right before the Buck Inn and cross the footbridge.
3. After the footpath, turn right along the stone path and continue through a wooden gate leading you away from Malham.
4. Continue through a kissing gate to find Malham Beck on your right. Go through the next kissing gate and turn left, following signs for Janet’s Foss.
5. Follow along the path, making your way through three kissing gates (ignore the footbridge to the right of the trail).
6. Take a fourth kissing gate on this path to enter the woodland.
7. Follow the woodland path round to Janet’s Foss Waterfall.
8. From here, take the path round to the left of the waterfall and make your way through the kissing gate.
9. Follow the path (ignoring the immediate footpath) and take the path bending round to the right.
10. Follow the path to the left-hand side taking you to Gordale Scar. Continue through the campsite and along the stream, before reaching Gordale Scar.
11. Once you’ve seen the wonders of Gordale Scar, follow the route back to the road before turning right for 50 metres, bringing you to the lay-by at Gordale Bridge. Take the lay-by and turn right through the kissing gate, following signs to Malham Cove.
12. Continue along the path until you reach a stone wall, and continue with the wall on your right.
13. Pass through the kissing gate and make a right diagonal in the field. Take the steps and gate when you reach the corner, then bear left to follow the wall. Continue through the gate before taking the next left (there should be a wall on the left of you). Arrive at the road Malham Rakes.
14. Turn right then almost immediately left to take a stile over the wall. Continue away from the road and wall. Follow the path to eventually find a wall on your left.
15. As you reach the corner of the wall and spot a sign for Malham Cove, follow the route directly left towards a limestone pavement.
16. Cross over the stile and onto the pavement and observe the geology of the area. (Please be careful of steep drops and fissures).
17. Follow the far side of the pavement to reach a wall, turning left down the side of the wall and through the kissing gate.
18. Follow the steep, stone staircase down to Malham Cove.
19. After you’ve stopped at Malham Cove, head through the gate at the bottom, and at the fork in the path, bear right.
20. Follow the path south alongside the stream and back to Malham village.