Jackie Hunt- Stained Glass

July 2010 saw the installation of a new stained glass art work in the tall window of Malham Tarn House. This was one of the end products of a residency at Malham Tarn Field Centre held by local artist Jackie Hunt.

The venues and artists were selected following a competitive selection process. Once this was complete Jackie worked with school groups, FSC leisure learners, centre staff and local people over an 18 month period. Working in glass was a new experience for all these people but the final piece bears the traces of Jackie’s work with all these different groups. Final installation was completed in July leaving the Centre with a stunning piece that beautifully reflects and transmits the work of the Centre.

Filming in and around the centre

2010 has seen the area in and around the Field Centre feature in  international films and UK TV alike. In January BBC’s Countryfile came to Malham Tarn to talk to the National Trust about White Claw Crayfish and Cave spiders. A colony of Cave spiders made their home in the Orchid House of the centre around a decade ago. Due to renovation works currently under way to turn it into a resource for walkers and school groups, the spiders needed to be relocated. More than 150 spiders were re-homed in a cave less than a quarter of a mile away.

Secondly Malham Cove and Malham Moor were filmed for the latest instalment of J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter films, ‘The Deathly Hallows-Part 1’ The Cove was featured when Harry and Hermione pitched their tent on top of the limestone pavement, whilst the moor was the location for Xenophilius Lovegood’s house. Members of FSC staff saw filming at the Cove last winter.

In October the film crew from a new Channel 4 programme ‘The Secret Supper Club used the kitchen and the National Trust boathouses. Members of staff were invited to join Olly Smith as guests to taste food they had prepared. This is due to be aired on a Sunday in January.

                          Photo Copyright Warner Brothers

                                           Photo Copyright Warner Brothers

Snow news

Once again snow has been an interesting addition to the scenery and life up at Malham Tarn, with snow falling very early, like elsewhere in the country. Last winter the Tarn froze for 80 days in what was probably the coldest winter since 1982. Winter was followed by a cold and dry spring with less than 12 cm of rain between April and June. With the early start of the 2010-2011 winter weather in November and December so far, it will be interesting to see how 2011 begins.

Photograph courtesy of Robin Sutton

Simon Armitage

In mid-July poet Simon Armitage- who is a fixture on the GCSE English curriculum stopped overnight and gave a reading of some of his work to an audience that included Centre Staff, school students who were staying at the Centre and members of the public.

In February 2010 Armitage was considering walking the Pennine Way with no money to see if it would be possible to survive by singing for his supper like a troubadour from the past. Malham Tarn’s Head of Centre, Adrian Pickles, heard about the plan and contacted Armitage. Along the length of the Pennine way there were other offers for the wandering poet. So one sunny afternoon in July Adrian Pickles and Maggie met Simon Armitage on the Pennine Way and accompanied him down to Malham via the Field Centre.

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority

This year during half terms and summer holidays the education team met members of the public to deliver events at different National Park centres. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority enlisted the help of the field centre to deliver drop in sessions varying from woodland invertebrate hunting freshwater stream dipping. All of the sessions were well received, seeing some events attracting more than 100 people. The staff could be found in locations such as Malham, Bolton Abbey, Aysgarth and Reeth. Some of the participants had heard of the event via the National Park centre and their publications, whilst others came across the activities on their way.

Stream dipping at Bolton Abbey

Welcome to the new blog!

Welcome everyone to the new Malham Tarn Field Centre Blog.


The aim of the blog is to keep everyone updated with what is happening at the Tarn.


Check back soon for our recent developments!