REMEMBER Malham from your school field trips? It has the finest examples of natural limestone features to be found in the north of England and is a popular port of call for groups of geography students investigating the processes of weathering and erosion.

This Yorkshire Dales ramble almost reads like a school text book. Limestone pavements, dry valleys, sink holes and fault lines are all encountered on this walk which visits the spectacular Malham Cove.

Allow a few hours to complete this expedition to take in the steep climb up to the top of the Cove and a worthwhile diversion to the dramatic gorge of Gordale Scar with its vertical rock walls and waterfalls. Care is needed walking over the blanket of limestone pavement above the Cove which provides spectacular views south. But the rest of the walk is a gentle stroll through pleasant streamside pastures. With magnificent scenery all along the way, this is a trip to Yorkshire not to missed and does not even involve any homework...

DISTANCE: 4 miles

START: Malham National Park information centre car park (pay and display) on the south side of the village (OS GR 627900). Malham is signposted and reached by minor lanes north of the A65 at Hellifield (between Settle and Gargrave). The car park is on the left before entering the village.

Follow these route directions in conjunction with the OS Outdoor Leisure (2) Yorkshire Dales South map.

TURN left out of the car park entrance and walk into Malham village past the Buck Inn on the left. Take the lane forking right by the pub which crosses a bridge over the beck and passes the Lister Arms. Between this inn and the Youth Hostel take the track on the left signposted for Malham Cove. This walled track becomes a waymarked path through several fields heading directly towards the Cove. It eventually drops to the stream running out from the base of the Cove and can be followed all the way up to the Cove before crossing it via stones to join the path on the other side of the stream.

Cross the stream and turn back from the Cove to go through a gate. Take the path on your right which now starts to ascend in a zig-zag around the left-hand side of the Cove. This is a steep ascent in places but at the top bear right over the broad expanse of limestone pavement and enjoy a well-earned breather with the spectacular view which is worth the climb.

Keep well away from the edge (it is a sheer drop from the top of the Cove!) and take care with your footing to cross over the limestone blocks. On the far side of the Cove you will see a ladder stile on your left leading up a dry valley (this is part of the Pennine Way footpath). Ignore this but go straight ahead through an open gateway in a wall. Almost immediately, do not climb the hill straight ahead but bear right along a grassy path which keeps above a wall down to your right.

Follow this grass path for about half a mile and it eventually meets a lane. Bear right and join the path to Gordale Scar starting on the opposite side of the lane. This waymarked path is followed for another half a mile until it meets another lane by a bridge over a beck. It leads downhill alongside a wall on your right then crosses over the wall to drop downhill through several fields. At the lane, it is worth turning left and crossing the beck to join the signposted and well-trodden route to Gordale Scar.

After visiting the gorge, retrace your steps back to the road and turn right over the bridge. Follow the road for about 200m until a gate on the left leads into the National Trust property of Janet's Foss. A pleasant path is now followed keeping Gordale Beck on your left. This path is now followed for about a mile alongside the stream and eventually crosses a footbridge and continues alongside a wall to a junction with the Pennine Way footpath. Turn right (heading north) along the Pennine Way with Malham Beck on your left. After a relatively short distance, cross the stream and join the lane in Malham village to return to the car park or explore the village.