kids encyclopedia robot

Gordale Scar facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Gordale Scar is a limestone ravine 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Malham, North Yorkshire, England. 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, which on leaving the gorge flows over Janet's Foss before joining Malham Beck 2 miles (3 km) downstream to form the River Aire. 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".

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.

The waterfall was used as an exterior filming location in the 1982 film The Dark Crystal.

Image gallery

  • Gordale scar from bottom

    The entrance to the ravine

  • Goredale2

    The first hurdle..

  • Goredale scar waterfall

    The upper waterfall

  • James Ward - Gordale Scar (A View of Gordale, in the Manor of East Malham in Craven, Yorkshire, the Property of Lord Ribblesdale) - Google Art Project

    Painting by James Ward

  • GordaleScarValley

    The valley just downstream from Gordale Scar.

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Gordale Scar Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.