A Day in Malham isn't Enough!

This week the National Trust revealed a concerning set of statistics. In recent surveys they discovered that 17% of people asked never walk more than 500 metres from their car and 1 in 4 people walk less than 5 miles in a month.

These statistics were announced in conjunction with the launch of their annual Walking Festival: ‘The Great British Walk’. They also revealed a list of top ten secret trails that can only be accessed by foot.

One of the places featured on this list is Malham Tarn, which we happened to visit just a few weeks ago.

On a scorcher of a Sunday we parked by Gordale Scar and walked a loop via Malham Tarn, where we stopped for a short time so CB and our friend Pins could go for a swim. Pins’ partner (Dermot) and I gallantly volunteered to stay ashore and keep watch for any potential hazards! A place of scientific interest, Malham Tarn is the highest glacial lake in England. It features on the Outdoor Swimming Society website. Anyone wanting to do some outdoor swimming should visit this web site first as you should always do your research before swimming in open water.

The walk itself was a cracker! Packed with natural wonders, stunning views and tons of wildlife. Catching sight of a spotted flycatcher and a teal were particular wildlife highlights. There was literally TOO MUCH to take in on this walk. In fact we ran out of time (and energy) and were unable to explore the famous Malham Cove as well as Janet’s Foss. Actually, to be honest, with all the excitement of swimming in England’s highest lake and our eagerness to get some amber coloured liquid refreshment we completely forgot about the legendary Janet’s Foss. We vowed to return to these famed features and tackle Gordale Scar (ie. climb over it) on a less busy day!

We stopped in the picturesque village of Malham where we had a pint on the green by Lister Arms. It went down so well we went for another in the Buck Inn! It was an awesome end to an awesome day’s walking.

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