3.6 miles/5.8km | 2 hours | easy to moderate
This short walk around Malham Tarn, beneath the looming cliffs of Great Close Scar, takes you through a variety of habitats - craggy limestone bluffs, thick forest, dark peatland and a wildlife-rich upland lake. Malham Tarn is a National Nature Reserve, and the tarn itself is one of the few upland lakes in England, sitting at around 380 metres. The circular path is easy to follow and suitable for most abilities, with no significant climbing.
Malham is about 45 minutes' drive from Garsdale, and the village is better known for Malham Cove - a spectacular curved limestone cliff with a limestone pavement on top - and Gordale Scar, a dramatic limestone gorge with waterfalls. The Tarn walk is a gentler option than the Cove and Gordale Scar routes, and it is a good choice for a rest day or a walk with children. The Settle to Stainforth walk is nearby if you want a longer route in the same area.
Walk details
- Start point: Malham Tarn National Nature Reserve car park
- Distance: 3.6 miles/5.8km
- Parking: Malham Tarn car park
- Route description: Countryfile - Malham Tarn walk
