Malham Cove is a limestone formation in North Yorkshire. The large, curved feature was formed by a waterfall carrying melt water from glaciers at the end of the last ice age, more than 12,000 years ago. Today it is a well-known beauty spot within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. A large limestone pavement is above the cove.
The water coming from the base of the Cove is not that from the Tarn, but rather from Pikedaw Hill. The Tarn water re-emerges at Aire Head to the south of Malham.
The Cove started life 300 metres to the south - on the line of the Middle Craven fault - and made its way upstream when water did indeed flow over the top and, through many years, cut the face back to its present position.
Today the cove is very popular with climbers because of its number of climbing routes.
The cove, along with nearby Gordale Scar, was featured in an episode of the BBC TV series 'Seven Natural Wonders' as one of the natural wonders of Yorkshire.
The pavement was used as a shooting location for the 1992 film version of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. The cove also featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.