Waterfall Swim Spots: Janet’s Foss

Since swimming in my first waterfall in February 2022, going on Swim Hikes and finding the best waterfall swim spots has become a great passion of mine.

Janet’s Foss is on the edge of the National Trust’s Malham Tarn Estate in the Yorkshire Dales, England. It is an idyllic waterfall at the head of a magical wooded glen. The waterfall is quite small, but very picturesque with a beautifully clear easily accessible pool beneath, perfect for a waterfall dip!

Foss is the Scandanavian word for waterfall or force, and legend tells us that Janet (or Jennet), queen of the local fairies, lived in a cave behind the waterfall. The cave can be seen to the right of the waterfall.

Parking For Janet’s Foss

You can actually park really close to Janet’s Foss, on Gordale Lane as there is a couple of laybys (BD23 4DL), which are a stones throw from the waterfall. However, there is only enough parking for a handful of cars here and you will be lucky to get a space as not only is Janet’s Foss a popular tourist spot, so is nearby Gordale Scar and Malham Cove. We managed to get one but it was late afternoon in Winter, and still it was reasonably busy.

Alternatively you can park at the Yorkshire dales national car park at Malham (BD23 4DA) where there is a reasonably sized car park, with 2 electric vehicle charging and reasonably priced at £5 for the day.

Getting to Janet’s Foss

If you are lucky enough to get a parking space on Gordale Lane then it is literally just off the road. If you walk in the direction of Malham with Gordale scar behind you, then a hundred meters or so on the left is a sign for Janet’s Foss. You just go down the path and you are there. It is a path but there are steps at the top which can be a bit slippy, so watch your footing.

If you are walking from Malham it’s about a 20 minute walk or so. You can walk via the road from Malham village. In which case you cross the bridge heading East towards Gordale Scar. In just less than a mile you will see the sign for Janet’s Foss on the right. If you get to the refreshment van or Gordale Scar Campsite then you have gone to far.

Alterantively from Malham you can take the scenic 20 minute walk, and actually walk along the riverside path to the waterfall. We followed a route on All Trails app, which was a nice pretty easy route along the river through the glen up to Janet’s Foss. As you come out of the main carpark you turn left and pick up a footpath on the right hand side in about 100m. It was pretty easy to navigate, even for me with my basic navigational skills!

Access to Waterfall

The waterfall is easily accessed from all sides, which may be one of the reasons why it’s so popular. The water is so clear and you can see the bottom so it easy to judge depth. Other than a few rocks to climb over to start with the bottom is quite pebbly so also kind on the feet. Most is reasonably shallow (waist height), but the depth does vary and there is a bit of a plunge pool to the right. I have seen people jump in here, but I didn’t assess the depth at that point when we were there so can’t comment on the suitability.

It’s a beautiful clear pool to swim in and the small waterfall is simple mesmerising.

Useful Information

• The whole area (Janet’s Foss, Gordale Scar and Malham Cove) are extremely popular tourist destinations, so expect the carpark to get busy during peak times. I would suggest getting there early, or late in the day even or avoid peak times if you can.
• Janet’s Foss is not only a popular tourist destination it is also a very well known wild swimming spot. So if you are planning a swim there expect not only spectators, but also to be sharing the water with other fellow swimmers. Saying that us wild swimmers tend to be a fairly friendly bunch.
• Gordale Scar is an easy short walk from Janet’s Foss and well worth a visit. Although you can’t get in the waterfall there, you can scramble up it if you’re feeling brave.
• Nearby Malham Cove is also worth the extra walk and is pretty special. If you have a reasonable level of fitness and want to spend some more time in the area, there is a nice 9 mile circular route that combines Janet’s Foss, Gordale Scar and Malham Cove.
• Malham village itself is a pretty little village, with a couple of pubs, tea rooms and a few shops. Perfect for post dip refreshments!

Have you swam in Janet’s Foss before ? I’d love to hear about it if you have.

Kerry x