Malham Cove: ‘I climbed 260 feet up to the limestone pavements in the Yorkshire village and it was death-defying’

In the village of Malham sits a large curved limestone formation that was made by a waterfall at the end of the last Ice Age more than 12,000 years ago. Today it is a popular tourist attraction within the Yorkshire Dales. Our reporter Liana Jacob attempted the hike and was overwhelmed by its size.

The last time I visited Malham Cove was during a geography trip at school around 20 years ago. My memories of that trip inspired me to visit again last weekend with my family.

I remembered the dramatic views and quaint village and as I was driving through the countryside, my excitement was building up.

Walking down the path to the cove, I looked up to the top and I panicked. I was so distracted by the views, I hadn’t prepared myself to climb 230 to 260 feet.

I was about to back out but my sister convinced me to go for it - and I’m so glad I did. We walked up the 450 steps, taking numerous breaks along the way.

On one hand, we were lucky with the weather being dry but on the other hand, it was so dry from the heat that the ground felt extra slippery.

When we reached the limestone pavements, every step I took felt precarious. In between the stones were large gaps - it was death-defying yet exhilarating.

I’ve been parasailing before, I used to love roller coasters and I’ve booked myself a hot air balloon ride - so I have never been fazed by heights - but I was so scared walking along those limestones.

Once you’re up there, there is nothing to hold on to and you do have to rely on balance - two things I’m not comfortable with.

I couldn’t help but celebrate when we reached the edge, where we took plenty of photos. It felt like the edge of the world and the people standing below were reduced to tiny dots.

My skills had improved along the way and I began expertly preempting every move from limestone to limestone. I felt like James Bond.

After this hair-rising and adrenaline-inducing experience walking on the limestones, the stairs seemed like nothing on the way down.

Once we reached the ground level, I felt myself let out a huge triumphant sigh of relief and my sister and I both agreed to have ice cream - it was the most satisfying ice cream I’ve ever had.

After that experience, I have a bigger appreciation for Harry Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint for being able to film the Deathly Hallows Part 1 there.

Would I go through this again in the future? Perhaps. Although I think I’ll be hiking mini mountains in preparation next time.