MALHAM sits at the heart of the most fascinating limestone country in Yorkshire.

There are wonderful views by following this walk, which starts from the car park in the village centre.

From the car park entrance, don’t join the road into the village but turn up a walled track on the right, then right again almost immediately on a similar track.

Ignore a grassy branch left opposite a barn and take the next track climbing left.

On levelling out, it forks at a water treatment works: take the main one, left.

Malham Cove is across to the right, while Kirkby Fell and Pikedaw rise ahead.

After a footbridge and ford, leave the track by a stile on the right and cross to a barn, re-crossing the stream at a simple bridge.

From a stile by the barn, a path heads up the field, keeping above the beck to a gate/stile at the top.

The path maintains the same line, crossing the tiny stream to ascend parallel with its trough on your right.

It levels out to reach a stile in the wall ahead: to your right are Pikedaw’s steeper flanks.

Resume straight up the slope in front beneath low limestone scars on your right.

After a short, steeper pull, the gradient eases and the path swings right up onto grassy moorland.

Part way along is a glimpse of mighty Pen-y-ghent through a gap.

A quad track is crossed and you pass pools and spoil heaps from 19th century calamine mine workings.

Just before merging with a broader track at the waiting Nappa Gate, a covered mineshaft is seen to the right, by the track.

By the time the walk’s summit of 1,689ft/515m is gained at Nappa Gate, the view embraces Malham Tarn, with Buckden Pike and Great Whernside beyond.

Turn right on a wall-side path to the wall corner at Nappa Cross, a monastic guidepost. Ahead is a fine prospect of Malham Tarn. Beyond the cross a broad grassy way slopes down to a gate, and maintains this slant through further pastures to meet the grassy Gorbeck Road.

Turn right on this down to a road at Langscar Gate.

From a stile opposite, a path descends the wall-side to a stile, where you turn right to a path junction at the head of Watlowes, the Dry Valley.

Ahead are impressive crags at the head of Watlowes’ rugged confines.

Across the stile, a path drops to the valley floor and follows a wall through this deep trench to emerge on the limestone pavement atop Malham Cove.

Care is urged as the grikes in between have leg-damaging capabilities, while the cliff of Malham Cove falls 300ft directly beneath you!

Turn right to the end of the pavement, where a kissing-gate sends a stepped path descending the slopes at the end of the Cove.

Turn downstream on the broad path through the fields to emerge onto the road at Town Head in Malham.