Malham Cove

And so to the wonder that is Malham Cove... My route took me around the back of the cove and then down the steep steps to its left. There is a large area of limestone pavement up at the top, but I know from past experience that it can be slippery and treacherous - and these days I am keen to avoid twisted ankles or anything worse, so I avoided most of that, though it is an interesting landscape feature. 

The Cove is a large, curving limestone cliff, formed by a waterfall of glacial meltwater more than 12,000 years ago. Nowadays the water of Malham Beck erupts from the base of the cliff, seeping down through the porous limestone. Eventually it becomes the River Aire and ends up flowing through Saltaire. 

Moving closer to the cliff face, you can see climbers about halfway up, where there is a ledge that allows access. It must be a difficult climb, with a large overhang at the top. Peregrine falcons breed here too, during the summer, so some of the climbing routes are out of bounds from March to at least the end of July. It's heart-stopping stuff to watch the climbers!