Gordale Scar
Limestone ravine in North Yorkshire, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gordale Scar is a limestone ravine 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east of Malham, North Yorkshire, England.[1] It contains two waterfalls and has overhanging limestone cliffs over 330 feet (100 m) high. The gorge could have been formed by water from melting glaciers or a cavern collapse. The stream flowing through the scar is Gordale Beck,[2] which on leaving the gorge flows over Janet's Foss before joining Malham Beck 2 miles (3 km) downstream to form the River Aire.[3] A right of way leads up the gorge, but requires climbing approximately 10 feet (3 m) of tufa at the lower waterfall.
| Gordale Scar | |
|---|---|
An aerial view of the scar | |
| Geology | |
| Type | Limestone ravine |
| Geography | |
| Location | 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east of Malham, North Yorkshire, England |
 Interactive map of Gordale Scar | |
Gordale Scar is situated within the protected area: Malham-Arncliffe SSSI.
Notable visitors
William Wordsworth wrote in the sonnet Gordale, "let thy feet repair to Gordale chasm, terrific as the lair where the young lions couch".[4]
James Ward created a large and imaginative painting[5] of it that can be seen in Tate Britain. J. M. W. Turner also painted a picture of it in 1816, also to be seen in Tate Britain.[6]
Colin Tudge references this feature and James Ward's painting in his book The Time Before History.[7]
The waterfall was used as an exterior filming location in the 1982 film The Dark Crystal. Goredale Scar appears in the Netflix series The Witcher (S2 E3: "What is Lost").
Image gallery
The entrance to the ravine
The first hurdle..
The upper waterfall
Gordale Scar, 1814 painting by James Ward
The valley just downstream from Gordale Scar.
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