THE FOOTNOTES
Every print from Marking The Wild comes with its own trail story, this is yours.
Here you’ll find sketches, route details, reflections from the walk, and a few extra notes I couldn’t quite fit on paper.
Think of it as a companion to the artwork; a small way to step into the moment with me, and maybe take the journey for yourself.
Malham: Hidden Pockets of a Patient Landscape
Malham is full of places that feel like they shouldn’t be next to each other. A waterfall tucked into a pocket of woodland. A gorge that looks like the land split open on purpose. Quiet fields that pretend nothing dramatic is happening just over the next rise. A haunting tarn that sits still enough to make you check if the wind has stopped. And a cliff so precise in its shape that it almost feels designed.
What makes the area special isn’t the scale, it’s the sense that things appear suddenly. A path that seems ordinary for a while will reveal something unexpected if you keep following it. A turn through trees leads to water you can hear before you see. A narrowing valley becomes a cathedral of rock for reasons it doesn’t bother explaining. Even the limestone pavement above the cove feels like a secret platform you weren’t meant to find.
The platform itself (featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1) is awe inspiring. But, if you’re anything like Pika (the dog) you may want to explore with caution. Thankfully Pika was harnessed and on-lead, or they would have fallen deep down into the crevasse without a safety net (you have been warned).
There’s an unexpected kind of adventure here. Malham doesn’t guide you; it reveals itself. Piece by piece. Place by place. The more time you give it, the more the hidden parts begin to show.
Waypoints Through The Wild
Start: Head out in Malham Village, instead of heading towards Gordale Lane, move south of the village to a path adjacent to The River Aire which becomes Gordale Beck. The clear footpath leads toward Janet’s Foss waterfall, one of the many extra sites along the way. The trail is easy to find and rises gently toward woodland.
Continue through the trees as the sound of water grows, arriving at Janet’s Foss where the waterfall sits tucked into its sheltered hollow. Crossing Gordale Lane and Hawthorns Lane, follow the path onward toward Gordale Scar, approaching the gorge from below as the steep walls rise sharply on either side.
After a stop from some tea from your flask, make a return journey until you reach Gordale Lane once more and turn right, snaking up and onto Malham Rakes; climbing gradually as views widen and the landscape opens.
Continue along the track for a while until you reach Malham Tarn, where the terrain levels and the eerie lake offers a moment of stillness.
Pick up the path leading toward Trough Gate, following the long, open stretch that guides you back toward the limestone country.
Move toward the top of Malham Cove, stepping carefully across the limestone pavement before descending the stairs to the base of the cliff. Turn left into the Cove to explore this unusual site from below.
Finish: Return to Malham Village along the well-trodden path beside Malham Beck, completing the loop.
Sense The Scene
See: quiet woodland light, sudden shifts in rock and water, wide upland spaces, the geometric lines of the limestone pavement, the sheltered cove.
Hear: rushing water, Skylarks echoing in the gorge, an eerie silence at the tarn.
Smell: cool woodland air, damp limestone, fresh grass on higher ground.
Feel: the rock splitting on the limestone pavement , textured woodland bark, the tall grasses on your legs.
Taste: Wild garlic in spring, mineral limestone on the breeze.
Practical Parts
Parking: Available in Malham Village; charges apply.
Facilities: Toilets, cafés and pubs in Malham Village, ‘Gordale Refreshments’ kiosk on route (opening times vary).
Hazards: Slippery limestone pavement with deep crevasses; steep sections near the cove; uneven ground in gorges; busy paths during peak times.
Have you been here? What's Your Story
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