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Malham Cove via Malham Lings.

Start. Malham.

Route. Malham - Finkle Street - Malham Rakes (lane) - Tarn Road - Broad Flats - Malham Lings - Torlery Edge - Tarn Road - Malham Tarn - Tarn Foot - Water Sinks - Comb Hill - Waterlows - Malham Cove - Cove Road - Malham.

Notes. Malham sits on the Middle Craven Fault, a distinctive fault line cutting east west across the Dales, it marks the point the high dales suddenly give way to the lower pastoral lands of the south. North of the fault, above Malham village, by contrast, there are dry limestone pastures, used for sheep grazing since at least Medieval times, south of the fault rich soils, now acidic pastures but in the past used to grow corn.

All this means the rock architecture in this part of the Dales is incredible, but this comes at a price, popularity, Malham has fast become a massive tourist hot spot. Most of the visitors come eager to view Malham Cove a 250ft high gentle curving cliff of white limestone, in all honesty this as attracted visitors for centuries but now ease of access brings them in their droves and I am one of them so shouldn’t be complaining. So to avoid the crowds as best we could we decided to walk Malham Lings first, wild moorland carved up by limestone pavements where Bronze and Iron Age man built simple stone settlements, farmed the land and grew crops.

Opposite The Buck Inn a narrow lane crossed Malham Beck, this we followed passed The Lister Arms and out of the village. The lane climbed we climbed with it to reach a road junction, this single ribbon of tarmac is Malham Rakes, it guided us into stunning views over Malhamdale, after a great deal of ascent we reached a finger-post promising passage to Watersinks. With a green trod under foot we slowly traversed Malham Lings, somewhere on these high moorlands are the remains of Bronze and Iron Age dwellings, our untrained eyes obviously mist them amongst the long grass and limestone scars. We continued to another finger-post, here we stepped onto a path signed Water Houses, this in turn guided us to Malham Tarn, where we hankered down behind a wall and had a brew and something to eat.

Sadly it was time to head back, this next stretch would be the busy bit, after wandering along the shore of Malham Tarn we reached a small car park, turned right to access Water Sinks. Here the stream emitting from Malham Tarn goes to ground re-appearing over two miles away at Aire Head.

We continued into a narrow valley limestone crags rising on two sides, it’s easy to imagine water running down this dry valley especially when the path avoids a limestone cliff that was once so obviously a waterfall. You would be right, at the end of the last Ice Age glacial meltwater cut this massive trench. Water usually permeates underground in limestone country, with the ground being frozen and the fact so much ice was melting massive torrents flowed down the valley plunging over the star of the show, terminating in a waterfall that would have rivaled Niagara, Malham Cove.

It was a spectacular walk out, some time was spent on the limestone pavements above Malham Cove, even though it was busy, eventually we descended the many steps that guide visitors to the top. With a good path under foot we reluctantly joined the pilgrims heading back to Malham, ending the day alone strolling through dappled light along the banks of Malham Beck while the pilgrims stuck to the road.

view route map.

home.

Malham Smithy, traditional blacksmiths shop.

Packhorse Bridge over Malham Beck, we crossed this to access Finkle Street.

Passed en route there and back The Buck Inn, dating back to 1874, built on the site of an old coaching inn.

Sunlight on Raven Scar above Malham Cove, as seen from Malham Rakes.

Views over Malhamdale to the grey bulk of Pendle Hill.

Kirkby Fell as seen from Malham Rakes.

Remember this one from two and a bit weeks ago, over the scars of Malham Lings, Weets Top.

Over the limestone pavements of Malham Lings.

Up here on Malham Lings the bones of the landscape cut through the peaty soils, it was here Bronze and Iron Age man made there homes (somewhere).

We spent some time looking for the remains ancient man left, but sunlight on the flanks of Fountains Fell encouraged us to head to Malham Tarn.

Sue strides out towards Great Close Hill.

Across Malham Tarn in the shadow of Highfolds Scar Malham Tarn House, built as a hunting lodge in the 18th century, in the safe hands of the National Trust since 1947.