A famous Yorkshire landmark will be aglow this weekend as a summer-long festival starts.

Malham Cove

Malham Cove, the 80m (260ft) limestone crag, is the venue for a torchlit walk to launch the Yorkshire Dales national park’s Hay Time Festival. Members of the public are invited to the event, this Saturday.

Children from a West Yorkshire School have been invited to make their own lanterns for the event, and a drop-in session will be open for anyone else to fabricate their lanterns on Saturday afternoon. The procession to the Cove starts at 8.30pm, this Saturday, 24 May, from the National Park Centre in Malham village.

More than 70 events are planned throughout summer to celebrate the Yorkshire Dales’ hay meadows.

Catherine Kemp, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s outreach officer, said: “We are hoping lots of people will come along and join in the fun. It’s a great chance to try something different and to learn about some of the wildlife in this beautiful cove.

“We are very pleased to tie in with the annual Malham Safari at the start of its week of events. It should be a brilliant day – and night.”

The Safari sees the Dales village adorned with giant animal models and this year has an Olympic theme.

Details of the Malham events are on the YDNPA website.