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Grid Reference SD 898642

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Looking North up Watlowes Dry Valley above Malham Cove. The line of the valley can be clearly seen by observing the dry stone wall running up its centre. The valley is about half a mile long and almost joins the Cove to Malham Tarn. At some time in the past, water has flowed down this valley and over the edge of Malham Cove. Watlowes Valley was almost certainly carved out by the glacial overspill from Malham Tarn, flowing to what was once England's highest waterfall The valley itself is not very deep. It is believed that this is for a number of reasons. Firstly, the limestone, although it can be chemically attacked, is otherwise very hard. So the normal processes of river erosion would not have much effect. Second, chemical attack is only done by rainfall; but this was meltwater, not rainfall. Also, it is believed that rainfall in ice ages was less acidic.

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