Gordale Scar

Gordale Scar is a limestone ravine 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast 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 , which on leaving the gorge flows over Janet's Foss before joining Malham Beck 2 miles (3 km) downstream to form the River Aire.^[2] A right of way leads up the gorge, but requires climbing approximately 10 feet (3 m) of tufa at the lower waterfall.

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".^[3]

James Ward created a large and imaginative painting [1] 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.^[4]

Colin Tudge references this feature and James Ward's painting in his book "The Time before history".^[5]

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
Painting by James Ward
The valley just downstream from Gordale Scar.

References[]

^ Bagshaw, Mike; Mills, Caroline (2010). Alastair Sawday's Slow North Yorkshire: Moors, Dales & Coast, Including York. Alastair Sawday Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-84162-323-8.
^ Fellows, Griffith (2003). The waterfalls of England : a guide to the best 200. Wilmslow: Sigma Leisure. p. 138. ISBN 1-85058-767-1.
^ Wordsworth, William (2008). The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, in Ten Volumes - Vol. VII: 1816–1822. Cosimo. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-60520-263-1.
^ Turner, Joseph Mallord William. "Gordale Scar". www.tate.org.uk/. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
^ Tudge, Colin : "The Time before history", Touchstone, 1997. p.14ff.

Coordinates: 54°04′19″N 2°07′51″W / 54.07194°N 2.13083°W / 54.07194; -2.13083

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[Sawday-1] Bagshaw, Mike; Mills, Caroline (2010). Alastair Sawday's Slow North Yorkshire: Moors, Dales & Coast, Including York. Alastair Sawday Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-84162-323-8.

[2] Fellows, Griffith (2003). The waterfalls of England : a guide to the best 200. Wilmslow: Sigma Leisure. p. 138. ISBN 1-85058-767-1.

[Wordsworth-3] Wordsworth, William (2008). The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, in Ten Volumes - Vol. VII: 1816–1822. Cosimo. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-60520-263-1.

[Tate-4] Turner, Joseph Mallord William. "Gordale Scar". www.tate.org.uk/. Retrieved 11 July 2015.

[5] Tudge, Colin : "The Time before history", Touchstone, 1997. p.14ff.

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