A Walk in Malham, March, 2000
Part 1: It started out innocently enough
The area around Malham is one of the most popular in the Yorkshire Dales. Janet's Foss (a small waterfall in a quiet glade), Malham Tarn (a large pond) and the limestone formations of Gordale Scar and Malham Cove are all within a short walk of the small town of Malham. In November, Mary Ellen and I had a nice walk around Malham, managing to see Janet's Foss and Weet's Top, with its very nice views, but avoiding the other major attractions. With our friends Connie and Dave visiting from the US, and game for some ambling around Yorkshire, we thought a tour of the Malham sights, followed by a relaxing sit down in the pub, was in order.
A little mist never hurt anyone
Connie and Dave didn't bring waterproofs, but, with the mild temperature, low altitude and short distances, we decided that anything short of steady rain would be OK. And our steady rain alternative was a trip directly to the pub, which isn't bad as a Plan B. The weather report for the Dales called for misty conditions in the higher elevations, with strong breezes. Mary Ellen and threw some extra clothes in the car trunk, and off we went.
We drove through a bit of rain on the way to the Dales, and the road near Settle was misty enough. But as we navigated the winding back road toward Malham the skies seemed a little lighter. We arrived at the National Park center and saw a few cars and two large buses. The sky remained overcast with low clouds, and Mary Ellen and I put on waterproof trousers, "just in case" and our happy troupe crossed Malham Beck and hit the trail.
Janet's Foss
There were a few others on the trail for the first half-mile or so. A few hundred yards before Janet's Foss, we passed a large group of school kids, maybe 10 years old, and a couple of grownups, one of whom was pointing out the features of the laithe--a barn for wintering cattle--aside the trail.
The walk through the glade to the Foss was very different than our November visit--now the trees were bare but the ground was covered with thick green moss. Very pretty in an entirely different way than when it was leafy and green. We spent a few minutes at the Foss, then pressed ahead to the trail that leads into Gordale Scar.
Janet's Foss--in November, 1999
