July, 2019 | Postcards From Here and There

Malham

Malham is a small village in the Yorkshire Dales which is about 12 miles from the town of Skipton. It is a typical Dales village with a quiet, timeless feel about it. You get the impression that nothing happens very quickly here. The landscape is stunning with ancient dry stone walling that typifies this part of the Dales and a patchwork of fields and open moor.

The village itself is relatively small but can get incredibly busy in the summer and at weekends. It has cafés and two pubs for refreshment. There is a large parking area at the Malham National Park Centre where you can also pick up local information and ideas for walks.

Most visitors head towards Malham Cove which is a short walk along Cove Road out of the village and then a track to the base of the cove. Malham Cove is a 250 foot high limestone cliff. Before the last ice age a waterfall poured over the cliff which must have been a pretty impressive sight as the falls were believed to be higher than Niagara is today. It is home to nesting Peregrine Falcons as well as other bird life and viewings of nesting sites take place at certain times of the year from the grassy area below the cove

It is possible to take a more scenic route to the cove. Walk over the hump backed bridge and then take the lane to the left in front of the youth hostel. There is a well worn path that leads across the fields which ends at Malham Beck. Crossing a delightful, old, clapper bridge will bring you to the foot of the cove.

Malham Beck emerges from the base of the cove and flows for a mile or so until it joins Gordale Beck to become the River Aire. It was once believe that the Aire emerged from the cove but this has since been proved not to be the case.

Malham Beck emerges fro the base of Malham Cove

To the left of the cove is a path which leads to the top. It is quite a strenuous walk but well worth the effort. The path is well made and provides good footing but may become slippery when wet. There are places to stop, rest and take in the view on the way up.

The top of the cove is a geological feature known as limestone pavement which has formed over the centuries by a combination of erosion and weathering. The gaps between blocks are called grykes and they provide a habitat for plants, many of which are rare and only found in these unique habitats.

Also In the area and worth a visit if time permits.

Janets Foss. A small but delightful waterfall that can be reached by a very pleasant walk that can be undertaken from the top of the cove or by taking Gordale Lane from the village.
Gordale Scar. A gorge created during the last ice age.
Malham Tarn. A. glacial lake about 5 miles from the village.

5 Reasons to Visit the Languedoc

The Weather. The Languedoc has a mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and rainy, wet winters. It annually receives 300 days of sunshine on average and in the months of July and August the temperature can reach 30 Celsius. The average annual temperature is 15 degrees. The area also can be quite windy, in the summer months The Tramontane comes from the north west and brings a cooling influence in the hot summer months. For many early autumn is a great time to visit the region with clear blue skies and warm temperatures.

The History. The Languedoc region is steeped in history, from the Roman amphitheatre and Tour Magne in Nimes, the Pont du Gard to the medieval city of Carcassonne you won’t feel short changed. There is much do see, do and admire. The region also has its own language, Occitan, however you are unlikely to hear in spoken in everyday use.

The Wine. Vines have been grown here for over two thousand years and the Languedoc is the largest wine growing region in the world with over 245,ooo hectares of vines spread over 36 appellations. In total the production of wine annually is in the region of 1.2 billion litres. In the past the Languedoc was seen as producing large volumes of ordinary wines for the mass market in France but this has changed in the last twenty years or so. New growers have been attracted here, driven partly by the cheaper land prices than in other wine growing regions and by the opportunities to experiment and be innovative. The first organic vineyards were in the Languedoc region. The result is that wines of the region offer great value for money and are well worth investigating.

The Landscape. Much of the region has a wild, natural beauty with small, beautiful villages and stunning views. There is also 200km of coastline with sandy beaches and the welcome cooling waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Away from the autoroutes driving is a pleasure as the roads are relatively quiet and are in good order. There are many stunning drives to be undertaken taking in hill villages and getting you right to the heart of the region and discovering its culture.

The Canal du Midi. Opened as long ago as 1681 and given its current name 100 years later it stretches 150 miles from Toulouse to the Mediterranean Sea. Originally built to carry freight, principally wheat and wine, it today is used for recreation and tourism and is one of the great wonders of France. Boats can be rented for holidays on the water or bikes can be hired to cycle alongside the canal. The banks of the canal are also very pleasant for walking with trees giving shade from the hot summer sun.

Saint Guilhem Le Désert

Saint Guilhem Le Désert is a small, picturesque village in the Hérault Valley in the Languedoc region of Southern France. It sits on the pilgrim route (The Way of Saint James) to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and is regarded as one of the prettiest villages in the country and it is easy to see why. Home to a population of only 250 people it can trace its origins back well over a thousand years, it is truly a medieval village. It has narrow, winding streets which offer some shade from the hot Languedoc sun and which are perfect for wandering. Many of the shops are now selling principally to visiting tourists but you do get a flavour of how it once was.

The village sits at the place where the Gallone river valley meets the Hérault River gorge.The approach from the Devils Bridge (Pont du Diable) is dramatic with the steep sides of the gorge and the fast flowing river.

The centre piece of the village is The Abbaye de Gellone which was founded in 804 although the building you see today dates from the middle of the eleventh century. The abbey fell into decline in the eighteenth century but has been restored back to its former glory.

The village can get very busy, especially in the summer months and there is little parking available. A better option is to park at the large car park for the Pont du Diable and beach which you approach on the D27 when travelling from Aniane. There is a visitors centre, café and toilets here as well as a free shuttle bus which will take you directly to the village. Buses run every 30 minutes and the journey takes just a few minutes.

The Pont du Diable is well worth having a look at. It was built by Benedictine monks to link together the abbey in nearby Aniane with the abbey in the village. It crosses the river as the Hérault gorge ends and begins to widen out. Downstream from the bridge, at the visitors centre, you can hire kayaks to explore the area.