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Travelling up from Appletreewick* and Burnsall
(*traditionally pronounced 'Aptrick')
Upper Wharfedale is deservedly popular with visitors, with some outstanding scenery and, very importantly,
some very distinctive village inns and pubs. The crowds (and traffic) can however become overwhelming and
Upper Wharfedale's villages are dominated by holiday and second homes with the remainder largely occupied by
commuters, with the West Yorkshire conurbation being on the doorstep. Certainly in the uppermost reaches of
Wharfedale, beyond Kettlewell, the few remaining true natives, mostly farmers, must feel very isolated amongst
the incomers. Unfortunately, due to the demise of the traditional village communities in this area, some
of the pubs have a feel of being bit-part players in a theme park, certainly in the tourist season. Winter
is perhaps the best time to appreciate the area and its hostelries, a welcome number of which
remain Free Houses. Even in winter however, expect lots of visitors and people with walking poles and rucksacks !
Any inns / pubs on this page which I think are definitely worth a visit have their photographs to the left outlined in that salmony colour.
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Appletreewick - The New Inn'
(SE 051 602)
Free House. Light unspoiled interior with a vaguely European Art-Nouveau cafe-bar appearance and ambience.
Proprietor and Landlord John Pitchers since 1985.
The pub has recently been sold privately however and will change hands in March 2007. Good bar meals and a superb selection of British and continental beers both draught and bottled.
Mountain bikers are made particularly welcome by the way. A real gem of a pub nestled away in this corner of Wharfedale - one of the most distinctive Inns on this site and which is a long standing local CAMRA favourite.
Tel. 01756 720252 |
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Appletreewick - The Craven Arms'
(SE 051 602)
Very olde worlde 16th century pub just along the road from the New Inn and which changed hands in the spring of 2005. Good fires, quality food and flag floors. The Craven Arms is well worth a visit just to have look around the recently completed Cruck Barn' to the rear of the main pub and which is used for functions.
A reasonable range of alternating Real Ales.
Tel. 01756 720270
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Burnsall - The Red Lion'
(SE 033 612)
A 16th century 'pub' in a classic location next to the Wharfe. Emphasis is primarily on fine food and expensive accommodation.
Ramblers of the sort armed with poles, maps and dirty boots are definitely not welcome. Offers a good selection of Real Ales in the public bar though, e.g. Theakston's and Morland Old Speckled Hen
Tel. 01756 720292 |
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Hebden - 'The Clarendon Hotel'
(SE 026 632)
Renowned small hotel run by John and Rachel Younger, and which offers comfortable but reasonably priced rooms and a selection of Real Ales in the public bar.
Tel. 01756 752446
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Threshfield - 'The Long Ashes Inn'
(SD 984 644)
This former caravan park pub has recently re-styled itself 'upwardly' as 'The Gamekeepers Inn' to reflect its former use a gamekeepers cottage - I'm not sure too many gamekeepers would be welcomed in it now - not in their working gear anyway.
Tel. 01756 752434
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Threshfield - 'The Old Hall Inn'
(SD 989 636)
Free House. A Georgian Inn named after the 14th century hall to the rear of the pub. Open welcoming interior with real fires and a small restaurant. Good food menu.
Theakstons ales.
Tel. 01756 752441
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Linton in Craven - 'The Fountaine Inn'
(SD 998 627)
Intimate Free House with a picturesque location. Olde worlde low ceilinged interior with an emphasis on food, but also an inviting bar offering (amongst others) Black Sheep bitter. Open fires. Definitely worth a visit.
Tel. 01756 752210
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Grassington - 'The Foresters Arms'
(SE 003 642)
Free House - The best pub in Grassington if all you're after is a pint of decent beer. Timothy Taylors beers. Also offers bar meals and reasonably priced accommodation.
Tel. 01756 752349
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Grassington - 'The Devonshire Hotel'
(SE 003 642)
Comfortable and busy flag floored hotel in the market square. Public bar, food and fires. Open seven days per week. Real Ales
Tel. 01756 752525
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Grassington - 'The Grassington House Hotel'
(SE 003 642)
Small hotel again in the square. Very cosy public bar and conservatory with roaring fire in winter. A fairly recent addition to Grassington's 'inns'. Real Ales.
Tel. 01756 752406
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Grassington - 'The Black Horse Inn'
(SE 003 642)
17th century Coaching Inn offering accommodation and public bar. Large restaurant. Real Ales. Open fires.
Tel. 01756 752770
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Kilnsey - 'The Tennant Arms Hotel'
(SD 974 679)
Free House - 17th century coaching inn adjacent to the famous Kilnsey Crag. Large stone flagged bar with a range of Real Ales.
Tel. 01756 752434
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Arncliffe (Littondale) - 'The Falcon Hotel'
(SD 931 718)
Free House - one of the most idiosyncratic pubs on this whole site, the modern world has passed The Falcon by: beer (Timothy Taylors at last visit) is dispensed straight from the barrel and the interior is pretty much unchanged since before the last war.
Sunday lunch and B&B are offered. This is a no frills, but genuine Dales pub.
Tel. 01756 770205
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Litton (Littondale) - 'The Queens Arms'
(SD 906 741)
The present village inn, the Queens Arms, dates from 1842 although the building is seventeenth century.
The Queens' has been brewing its own beer for about 18 months, and this is available both here and in a few other local pubs. Food served. Not open afernoons during the week.
Tel. 01756 770208
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Kettlewell - 'The Kings Head'
(SD 971 723)
Welcoming interior with open fire in winter. Meals served. Probably the best pub in Kettleswell if you just want to enjoy a quiet pint after a walk.
Black Sheep Beer.
Tel. 01756 760242
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Kettlewell -
'The Blue Bell Inn'
(SD 968 723)
Free House - concentrates more on food and accommodation than the other pubs in Kettlewell though certainly drinkers are made welcome enough.
A couple of Real Ales served.
Tel. 01756 760230
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Kettlewell - 'The Racehorses Hotel'
(SD 968 723)
Free House - similar interior and style to the Blue Bell across the bridge. Food, accommodation etc. No Real Ale info at present.
Tel. 01756 760233
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Starbotton - 'The Fox & Hounds Inn'
(SD 952 748)
Free House - small and attractive 17th century stone building, the pub having been licensed since the 1840's. Attractive stone interior and some interesting 1890's photographs of the old Leeds Brewery on the walls. Good reputation for plain food and Real Ales (Timothy Taylor's, Copper Dragon and Black Sheep at last visit).
Tel. 01756 760269
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Buckden - 'The Buck Inn'
(SD 942 771)
Free House - former coaching inn in a very picturesque setting on the river Wharfe. Now heavily geared up towards food and accommodation and weekend breaks. However there is a separate bar that serves decent Real Ale. (Skipton's Copper Dragon at last visit).
Tel. 01756 760228
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Hubberholme - 'The George Inn'
(SD 926 781)
Free House - one of the area's most historic Inns at the beginning of Langstrothdale. 350 years old and originally church owned. Unspoiled dark interior. Very good website.
Food, accommodation and Real Ales (Black Sheep at last visit)
Tel. 01756 760223
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Cray - 'The White Lion'
(SD 942 791)
Free House - The White Lion sits just over 1000 feet above upper Wharfedale as the road from Bishopdale drops down into the valley. It has an intimate welcoming atmosphere and a traditional flagged floor and bare wood interior with large warm fire in winter.
A very good range of ever changing Real Ales on offer and food and B & B are offered. Well worth a visit.
Tel. 01756 760262
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