Janet's Foss

The lime-rich water has built a spongy, moss-covered tufa screen beneath the fall, and that is the real curiosity here: it reads like green velvet laid over stone. Around it is limestone woodland with pale rock underfoot and plenty of birdsong.

Start in Malham village at the National Park Centre car park. The there-and-back walk is 3 miles / 4.8 km and about 2 hours, graded moderate and well used. Mainly surfaced paths run through fields and gates, then the way becomes an uneven, rough woodland track with rocky steps for the final approach.

Those steps get slippery when wet, and reviews regularly mention mud and stony, awkward ground, so wear shoes with proper grip. The route is dog friendly, with dogs kept under close control and preferably on a lead, which matters around livestock in the fields.

People do paddle and swim here, and it is worth knowing what that involves before you decide. Waterfall pools in the Dales can be cold, deep and difficult to get out of, with hazards under the surface you cannot see and currents that can be strong. Cold-water risk is significant all year round, not only in winter, and jumping or tombstoning is incredibly dangerous.

The draw here is the setting more than the scale, so come for atmosphere. The approach is often wet and muddy, the last stretch is stony and uneven, and on a fine weekend you will share a fairly small clearing with a steady stream of other walkers.

Many people continue up the beck to Gordale Scar, the limestone ravine a short way further on, and some link back round via Malham Cove. Both add distance and rougher ground, so allow more time and wear boots you trust.