Malham Cove is a fantastic place to visit and there is no doubt that it’s one of the best things to do in Yorkshire Dales National Park. Living in Kendal, we are so fortunate to be right between two National Parks and have been lucky enough to spend quite a lot of time exploring this area and scouting out the best Malham Cove walk options.
This article will go through the different options for seeing Malham Cove and the many other highlights along the way, such as Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar. We include easy to follow instructions for walks we’ve walked with reference pictures as well as downloadable Malham Cove walk maps to get you on your way.
There are also easier route options from Malham to Malham Cove which makes this route shorter and more accessible as well as ways to extend your walk and other things to do in Malham. So, whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it below!
Where is Malham Cove Located?
Malham Cove is in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The cove itself is located a relatively short walk from the centre of the village of Malham. There are various ways to get to it from the village itself that we’ll outline in our Malham Cove walk maps below.
Depending on which way you drive in from (our favourite route is from Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale) you will actually see Malham Cove from above. This drive in is stunning, and you’ll also see Malham Tarn (another great walk in the area- route map for this here) from this higher viewpoint too. Here is a map of the location of Malham Cove from Malham itself.
How to Get to Malham Cove
At present, the best way to get to Malham for the Malham Cove walk is to drive. It would be great to see some more useable and accessible options provided aside from driving, but the closest train station is 7 miles away (Gargrave) with more useable services available from Skipton roughly 11 miles away.
If you are visiting the UK from overseas, and are adding the Yorkshire Dales National Park into a bigger UK road trip itinerary, then you can easily rent a car from nearby airports like Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Liverpool.
If you’re not used to driving in the UK countryside, then you should keep in mind that between areas like Settle and Malham, you will drive in on Cove Road. The roads are narrower here (and incredibly scenic). This is always a drive we love but be mindful that you will likely need to use passing places to get by other cars. There are no real drop offs though, so this isn’t something to concern you.
In order to get public transport, you can arrive at Gargrave, Settle or Skipton by train. From there, you will either need to get a taxi (which will add expense) or you can get a bus. This is pretty infrequent, so you will need to know you can absolutely make the return time, so plan accordingly! Here’s the Dales Bus timetable for that.
Best Time to Visit
The wonderful thing about this area of England is that the weather is unpredictable, but this is something we’ve grown to love in our time living close by. You get these incredible skies and small pockets of weather that can be absolutely beautiful. So there really is no wrong time to visit.
The spring and summer months are some of the nicest to go and do the Malham Cove walk, however these are the busiest too. That said, there are some areas that are likely to be busier than others. For example, on a sunny and warm day, we’ve never had Janet’s Foss to ourselves, but in winter, there’s a good chance you can.
Likewise, you may not get Malham Cove to yourself if you choose to go in the school summer holidays, but it’s also pretty big at the top, so we’ve never found this too bad. For the rest of the main walk we’ve listed below, you will find yourself alone for good chunks of it (mostly past Janet’s Foss and up to the top of Malham Cove).
If it’s been raining, some of the paths at the top of Malham Cove can be a bit slippery, but not unmanageable with good, grippy hiking shoes or boots on. However, there is something about a clear sky day here that just feels magical! We don’t think you need to be too bothered about starting early, either, apart from in really busy times. It’s more for car parking than anything. We also think sometimes heading there in the evening (especially if staying in the area) can be especially nice too.
Where to Park for the Malham Cove and Janet’s Foss Walk
There are a number of car parking options for the Malham Cove walk, the Janet’s Foss walk and also the Gordale Scar walk. The good news is, and to make things easier, that the parking for all of these walks is the same place, in the village of Malham. One of the best options in our opinion is the Yorkshire Dales National Park car park which is at the bottom end of the village after the pubs and tea rooms that make up the small village.
It can be located by using the postcode BD23 4DA. What 3 words location: ///strumming.offers.selects. This car park has toilets (which stay open 24 hours a day) and has accessible toilets, a visitor centre and electric charging points. It currently costs £3.50 for two hours and £5.50 for over two hours which you can pay either by cash or card. Though you should check pricing in advance.
There are also often privately run car parks open really close to this on busy days and in the summer months. These are usually just past the visitor centre on the other side of the road and take card payments or cash. This is usually £5 for the whole day and are open until 8pm – a great option on busier days when the other car parks may be busy.
Tip: Make sure you only park in marked parking locations. The roads in this area are narrow, and parking on roadsides can impact emergency vehicle access if needed.
The Best Malham Cove Walks
There are several ways to get to Malham Cove – there’s a shorter route and a longer route. If you have the time and energy, we would whole heartedly recommend the first walk below, as it means you get to see some truly breathtaking sights whilst also enjoying the same views as walk two toward the end. The Janet’s Foss Malham Cove Walk is without a doubt one of our favourites in the area.
Malham Cove Walk via Janet’s Foss
Starting point: Malham village (parking options listed above)
Difficulty: Easier to moderate – some uphill and downhill on uneven paths. Some hopping over rocks on the top of the cove and steep staircase down from the cove.
Length: 6.5km circular walk
Ascent/descent: 154m ascent and descent
When to do it: All year round, best when not raining
AllTrails Map Alternative: Janet’s Foss, Gordale Scar and Malham Cove
- Starting at the parking in Malham, take a left out of here and you’ll walk past the signs for the Janet’s Foss walk and over the small bridge across the beck. The water here is stunningly clear and a sign of things to come. Then you’ll take a right onto the path which is covered with whitish gravel.
- After following this for a few hundred metres, you’ll take a left and start to follow this path along a well graded trail for about 1km. On your left you will have views of the surrounding moors and hills and on your right, trees and farmland.
3. You’ll know you are approaching Janet’s Foss when you see woodland ahead of you and a National Trust sign for Janet’s Foss. Walk through this gate.
4. Once through the gate, you will walk through a pretty woodland, which, on a hot day we find to be a real relief as it’s shaded. You will be able to hear the starts of water and just keep walking on and following the path through here. This is one of our favourite sections of this walk!
5. You will shortly reach a path to the left which goes uphill slightly, and a small path (which isn’t really meant to be a path) to the right. Take the left as this will lead you to Janet’s Foss and the rest of your trail.
6. You’ll know you’ve reached Janet’s Foss when you see the impressive waterfall in front of you, and usually you’ll see other people there too. If you want to swim, we use the bank side to the left to get changed and enter from there or the front looking to the waterfall (depending on how busy it is) as we feel these give the best entry spots that feel the most secure.
7. Once you’ve finished here take the path back up that you were walking on before and follow it up a short, slight scramble to the top. You can also take a short detour here to the right to see the waterfall from above.
8. This path will then bring you out at the road, and you need to go through the gate and take a right.
9. When you reach Gordale Bridge on your left a short distance from the road you came out on from point 8, you can choose to either extend your walk to Gordale Scar (more on that below) or keep going on the trail to Malham Cove. You will likely see a refreshment stand here on warmer days, so perfect for drinks or similar.
10. If continuing to Malham Cove take the gate (there is a sign that says to Malham Cove) and you will start following this trail along the grassy hill up to Malham Cove.
11. At this point, the trail keeps undulating up and down hill (but mostly uphill) though never too steep, along the Dales Highway for just over a km. This is a particularly lovely part of the walk with some stunning views out over the surrounding landscape.
12. You will then reach a cross section with a small road, which you’ll need to cross to continue over to Malham cove itself. You need to climb over the stile and down the other side, then cross the road and rejoin the path on the other side of the road.
13. From here, you will continue to walk along for about a km until you reach the top of Malham Cove.
14. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the unusual rocks in front of you, which you need to make your way along to the other side. There isn’t really a path as such, just make your way across, as you will want to take the staircase to descend. Don’t let this worry you, it’s pretty easy to find.
15. Once you find the staircase, take this down. It is pretty steep for a few minutes, but once you’ve reached Malham Beck, you’ve done it.
16. From here, there is a wide path back to Malham, which is very obvious, and you can follow this until it intersects with Cove Road to take you the final part into Malham.
Additional Extra: Gordale Scar Walk
It’s entirely possible if you want to make your walk longer, to add in Gordale Scar too. We think it’s well worth it, and adds an extra 1.6km, which makes the whole Janet’s Foss and Malham Cove walk 8.1km. Below are the instructions to add this additional section.
- Follow instructions 1-9 from the walk above.
- From Gordale Bridge, take the path on your right for about 500m or so until you reach Gordale Scar. You can decide how high up you go on the ravine or simply just enjoy from below.
- Once finished, retrace your steps and continue with the walk above from point 10.
Malham to Malham Cove Walk
Starting point: Malham
Difficulty: Easily accessible path (including wheelchairs) up to the steps. From here it becomes steep and uneven to the top. Well graded and looked after.
Length: 3.9km to the top of the cove in total, as a linear walk, 3km if stopping at Malham Beck.
Ascent/descent: 115m ascent and descent to the top of the cove, 50m ascent and descent if stopping at Malham Beck.
When to do it: Can be attempted all year, but best to avoid when heavily raining as rocks can be slippery. The section to Malham Beck can be completed in any weather.
AllTrails Map Alternative: Malham to Malham Cove
- From the parking in Malham, take a left and walk up through the village, taking Cove Road for just under a km, you’ll pass some really pretty houses on your way here!
- Here you will reach a fork off from Cove Road. Take the right fork and this gets you onto the trail for Malham Cove.
3. From here you can follow the trail all the way up to Malham Beck, which is particularly picturesque and has stunning views of Malham Cove.
4. You can either stop here or take the steps up to the left to get to the top of Malham Cove, these are steep but it’s only for about 1/200m, and you can take plenty of stops along the way to enjoy the view.
5. When you’re on the top, make sure you stop and take in the views for a while as they’re stunning.
6. When you’ve finished, you can return exactly the same way back into Malham.
See Malham Cove in Motion
Our video below shows what it’s like to walk the longer, circular walk taking in Janet’s Foss and Malham Cove on a stunning, sunny day.
Ways to Extend Your Malham Cove Walk
The great thing about Malham and the Malham Cove walk is there are lots of options for extending. If you do the longer walk we’ve outlined above, you can look to spend about 4 or 5 hours exploring. So, there is plenty of time to explore other things to do in the Yorkshire Dales too.
Below, we’ve outlined some of our favourite things to do before, including or after we’ve finished a walk at Malham Cove, which are pretty much guaranteed to give you a memorable day and see just how vast this area is.
Swim at Janet’s Foss Waterfall
If you do our first Malham Cove walk option above, you will walk pass Janet’s Foss, but even if you don’t and do the shorter version, visiting Janet’s Foss is well worth the effort. It’s a stunning waterfall set in what feels like fairytale woodland. You can use our instructions in the first walk above (points 1-6) to find its location and the route to it.
The water is always cold, and if like us, you love a swim walk, then you should absolutely add this in. We love swimming throughout the year even when its colder, and it’s absolutely swimmable all year. However, if you’re not used to it, you may find the summer months more fun. These will also be the busiest, so on a sunny weekend or in a school holiday, don’t expect to have it to yourself as the Janet’s Foss walk is one of the most popular in the area.
One thing to be aware of is that it can be a bit slippery getting in and there are some rocks you’ll need to navigate. We would advise bringing water shoes or wetsuit boots with a sole as this makes getting in with some traction so much easier. If it’s been raining, it can also be deep and fast flowing, so just be mindful and swim within your limits!
Visit Gordale Scar
If you follow our first walk option for Malham Cove above, you will see that we’ve added an additional extra to go on to the Gordale Scar walk from Janet’s Foss. If you have the time and energy, we’d say this is well worth doing. If you’re in the area for any amount of time, you could also do the first walk one day and a walk to Gordale Scar and then perhaps up to Malham Tarn as an alternate the next day.
Gordale Scar is a pretty incredible looking limestone ravine just up from Janet’s Foss and we always find it breathtaking to visit. There are majestic waterfalls, which can be pretty powerful after rain (which, we do get quite a lot of around here).
We love the fact that when you walk along the path to Gordale Scar, you just see the towering rock walls opening up which are truly stunning. Once you reach the end of the waterfall mouth, you can scramble up the rocks to explore further which is fun. We think Gordale Scar is well worth a visit!
Look Around the Quaint Village of Malham
The village of Malham might be small, but there are some beautiful little pubs, places to eat and tea rooms situated along the main road. These are great for getting refreshments from when you’ve finished exploring and relaxing at the end of the day. In summer these are particularly picturesque.
On a recent visit, we checked out Beck Hall before heading home for food and it was unexpectedly incredible. It was just good pub food but with a gourmet feel made with great ingredients. The thing that makes this pub even more stunning is it’s set on the side of the beck. So, you can eat in the most lovely setting – certainly an amazing memory and somewhere we’d really recommend.
What to Bring with You for the Malham Cove Walk
Whilst the Malham Cove walk is relatively well looked after in terms of trail maintenance, it is still a wild and fragile place and there are a number of key items you should bring with you and wear to make your walk more enjoyable. These are as follows:
Good hiking shoes or boots: Whilst the trails in the Malham area and the Yorkshire Dales National Park in general are in good condition, there are some steep sections, loose rocks, and you will almost always find some patches of mud. Likewise, at the top of Malham Cove, the rocks across it have fairly deep ravines that you’ll need to hop over, so we’d always recommend something to support. We feel that the best hiking boots or the best hiking shoes for the job here are ones that will support your ankles and keep your feet dry. So, opt for something waterproof and with a sturdy ankle.
Waterproof hiking gear: Be sure to bring waterproof layers – as there is a good chance that you will experience rain at some point whilst walking in the area. We think that the best waterproof rain jackets for hiking are ones that use Gore-Tex or similar and provide a lightweight option that can be stowed away, even in summer. Likewise, the best waterproof rain pants will be packable so you can just get them out if you need them.
Downloaded or paper map: There is very little signal when you hike around Malham so you will need to make sure you have your walking map downloaded onto your device to follow when you arrive. The signage is dotted around but it isn’t completely obvious at times. It’s also a good idea to bring a printed map, compass and know how to use it. The best hiking compasses don’t need to be complicated, or heavy and can just stay in your pack in case you should ever need it.
Daypack: The best daypacks for hiking will be about 18-23 litres and will give you enough room to stow everything you need and more. It’ll also give you space for your hiking poles if you want to bring them, swimming stuff, your water and things like sunscreen, bug spray and a hat.
Swimming gear: If you plan to swim in Janet’s Foss, we’d recommend swimwear, swimming boots to help with getting in and a changing towel that can be easily stowed inside your daypack. We have a whole guide to essential gear for cold water swimming which you might want to read if you plan to swim here, especially if you don’t swim in cold water very regularly.
You may also find it useful to read our guides on what to wear hiking and our day hiking checklist. These go into more detail of exactly how to pack your daypack and what to bring with you dependent on the season or the length of hike you plan to do.
Leave No Trace
Whilst Malham Cove, Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar experience a lot of visitors, particularly in summer, they are wild and fragile places. Whilst visiting, there are a few easy things you can do to keep these places looking and being their best for years to come.
Park only in designated areas: Whilst it can be frustrating when busy and you can’t get parking where you want, you should only park in marked bays. The roads around here are narrow and parking where you’re not meant to can create obstructions which prevent emergency vehicles from getting by.
Take your litter home with you: This one is fairly obvious, but make sure when you’ve stopped, or opened your bag, that everything you came with is going with you, especially in areas like Janet’s Foss, where rubbish can wash downstream.
Go earlier, later or around shoulder season if you can: It can get very busy in high summer and at weekends, so if you want to visit in full sunshine on a hot day, we’d recommend arriving earlier or later in the day.
Stick to the trails: This helps to keep the land around the trails looking it’s best, and over time, creating extra trails can lead to confusing instructions and people getting lost.
Wear biodegradable sunscreen: If you plan to swim in Janet’s Foss, we’d recommend using biodegradable sunscreen or an ocean safe sunscreen, to prevent potential microplastics and harmful chemicals entering the water. It’s well researched that this can have an impact on biodiversity and river health.
Enjoy the Malham Cove Walk
The Malham Cove walk is without a doubt one of our favourite things to do in the Yorkshire Dales National Park – it’s pretty iconic! It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve been; it still has the same appeal and it’s just so picturesque and combined with Malham, it’s utterly gorgeous.
We hope our guide has helped you find out everything you need to know to enjoy these walks. Whether it’s the Malham to Malham Cove walk, the longer walk taking in Gordale Scar and Janet’s Foss, or the other things you can do in the area, we know you’ll have a wonderful time and make some great memories!
FAQ
Can You Swim at Janet’s Foss?
Yes, you can swim at Janet’s Foss. Depending on your swimming already, you can swim here all year, which we do. However, if you’re not used to cold water you may prefer to swim here in the summer months. Our guide above tells you more about Janet’s Foss. Be mindful if it has just rained heavily that the waterfall can be very powerful and the water deep right under it.
How Long is the Malham Cove Walk?
This really depends on which walk you do, if you walk to the top of Malham Cove from Malham, the walk is just under 4km, whereas the walk that takes in Janet’s Foss and Malham Cove as a circular is 6.5km. If you want to add on Gordale Scar too, this will add 1.6km to the Janet’s Foss and Malham Cove walk, taking it to roughly 8.1km as an entire trip.
The time it takes to do the Malham Cove walk will really depend on your fitness and the amount of stops you do along the way. We can usually do the full circular in between 3 and 5 hours, depending on how long we stop to swim at Janet’s Foss and at the top of Malham Cove.
What Facilities Are There in Malham?
In Malham, you will find several pubs and small hotels that serve sit down meals. There are also a number of smaller shops that sell a few sandwiches, cakes and pastries as well as a tea room. You won’t find a decent sized supermarket here though. In the main National Park car park, there are also public toilets.
Is Malham Cove Accessible?
The path to Malham Cove from Malham is relatively well graded all the way up to the steps which would take you up to the top of the cove. You would be able to access the bottom of Malham Cove around Malham Beck in a wheelchair.
The longer walk is also pretty well graded from Malham up to just before Janet’s Foss. Then there are some steps and the walk over the hills to Malham Cove from there does become more undulating on less well graded paths.
Is the Malham Cove Walk Easy?
Whether a walking route is easy or not is a relative thing and depends entirely on you. It also depends on the weather – if it is hot, there is very little shade, and you will feel that. If it’s pounding down with rain, the walk along the top of the cove can feel pretty treacherous. However, we find the longer walk to be easier to moderate if done on a mild, rain free day. We’d say it’s best to base whether you think it’s easier or not on the descriptions and photos above as well as the distance and height gain.
Disclaimer: This article contains Affiliate Links. You won’t pay any more for buying through these links, but we may receive a commission from any purchases made through them. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to support us by buying through our links, we thank you as it helps us to continue providing the resources we do to help you enjoy the outdoors more!