Our favourite Yorkshire Dales pubs and great walks you can do from them!

A traditional village pub is always a welcome sight at the end (or in the middle!) of a good walk and we are lucky in the Dales that almost every village has managed to retain at least one thriving pub, ready to welcome locals and visitors alike.

Below we have listed some of our favourite pubs in the area, along with suggestions of walks that you can do from them, but there are many more so if you would like any other recommendations, please do ask. Many of these pubs can be visited on a Muddy Boots walking holiday and several of them even provide our overnight accommodation!

The CB Inn, Arkengarthdale

Pub: Tucked away on the very northern edge of the little village of Langthwaite in Arkengarthdale, the CB Inn (or Charles Bathurst Inn, to give it its full name) is always a welcome sight. Plenty of outside seating with lovely views for good weather and cosy nooks and crannies and a roaring fire for cooler days means it is a perfect stop for a break on any day. The food is great – plenty of classic pub meals but at the smarter end of the spectrum and some great restaurant dishes - and the Sunday lunch is exceptional. There’s always plenty of choice of beers on tap as well as a good selection of other drinks and friendly service.

Walk: A long, but lovely day out from the CB Inn takes you along the ridge of Fremington Edge, which offers fantastic views over Swaledale and Arkengarthdale before dropping down into the bustling village of Reeth. The journey back is a gentler route down in the valley, following little Arkle Beck much of the way. Alternatively, start in Reeth and have the CB Inn as your lunch stop!

The CB is one of the inns that provides accommodation on our ‘Remote Swaledale and Arkengarthdale’ walking holiday.

The Lister Arms, Malham

Pub: Set on Malham’s little village green and covered in ivy and large sash windows, it is hard not to be drawn into the Lister Arms. Once inside it doesn’t disappoint. There are plenty of original features, including a roaring fire on cooler days and a beautiful flagstone floor, as well as a more modern restaurant area so the bar doesn’t become too crowded. There is what seems like an unsustainable selection of beers available and the food is top quality – again mixing quality pub food and some more upmarket/unusual options. The sharing platters are great for lunch.

Walk: Whilst we often prefer our walks on quiet paths where other walkers are a rarity, there are some routes so spectacular that their popularity can be forgiven! The classic circuit of the limestone landscape around Malham is one of them. In 7 miles you take in the scramble up the stunning gorge of Gordale Scar, Malham Tarn, nestled peacefully on the edge of the moor, and the vast amphitheatre of Malham Cove, with its impressive limestone pavement, as well as pretty Janet’s Foss hidden in a picture-perfect woodland glade and the fascinating Dry Valley. It’s hard to imagine any other walk that fits as many highlights into such a short space. Whilst it is certainly popular, if you are able to do the walk mid-week out of school holidays, you may find that you still manage to have some sections of the walk to yourself.

The Lister Arms is one of the inns that provides accommodation on our ‘Highlights of the Southern Dales’ walking holiday.

The Fountaine Inn, Linton

Pub: Linton is an almost impossibly pretty village in Wharfedale, close to Grassington but with a fraction of the visitors. The Fountaine sits in the centre of the village on the edge of the village green that leads down to bubbling Linton Beck, which is spanned by stone bridges and stepping stones. A table outside the front of the pub on a warm day is a lovely spot, but inside also has plenty to offer with several cosy corners in the bar and a more specious and modern restaurant, serving up tasty food. It is very popular, particularly due to its accessible location in the south of the Dales for those journeying out from north Leeds, so booking in advance for lunch, especially at weekends, is a good idea.

Walk: An utterly charming circuit of about 7.5 miles takes you to popular Grassington via Linton Falls, across countryside to the little village of Hebden (which has a fantastic café – the Old School Tea Room – if you have time/appetite for another stop!) and on to famously beautiful Burnsall, with its five-arched bridge over a bend in the River Wharf. The return follows a lovely section of the Dales Way along the River Wharf for almost the entire way, passing Loup Scar, a popular spot for a swim in warmer weather.

The Fountaine also makes a good stop on the walk between Malham and Burnsall on our ‘Highlights of the southern Dales’ walking holiday.

The Blue Lion, East Witton

Pub: The Blue Lion has the appearance of a classic coaching inn, sitting on the ‘main’ road on the edge of the village, with cobbles and a large stone arch to pass through to reach the car park tucked behind (although in fact it was originally a shooting lodge before evolving into a coaching inn around 1840). The dark wood interiors of the bar and the huge fireplace give you a feel of almost stepping back in time when you enter, and is a great spot for a drink or to try something from the vast (and upmarket) menu. The restaurant is a fairly formal affair, really for a smart dinner rather than dropping in at the end of a walk! Tables out the front to watch the world go by and in a grassy beer garden at the back mean it is also a lovely place to enjoy the sunshine.

Walk: A route of about 7.5 miles takes you along the banks of the River Cover to visit the beautiful ruins of Jervaulx Abbey, often covered in an array of wildflowers (and next to a great tea room!), and uphill to High Jervaulx Farm, where you can try the Brymor Ice Cream made onsite. The return route is through fields and woodland to drop back into East Witton. The village itself is an inviting ring of traditional stone cottages around an enormous village green.

The Blue Lion is one of the inns that provides accommodation on our ‘Wensleydale and its Tributaries’ walking holiday.

The Black Bull, Sedburgh

Pub: The Black Bull blurs the line a bit between pub and hotel/restaurant, but we think it just about still falls within the pub category, and we have included it anyway as it is such a fantastic place! Recently refurbished and reopened by the couple that also run the incredibly popular Three Hares café/bistro across the road. The bar area is cosy and traditional with modern touches while the restaurant is airy and beautiful with Japanese inspired décor. The restaurant menu is decidedly upmarket and really a place for a special occasion, but the bar menu combines the excellent quality of the restaurant in more casual meal choices, including smart sandwiches, soups and burgers. There is always a good selection of beers on tap and a wide-ranging drinks menu.

Walk: Sedburgh sits at the foot of the Howgill Fells – an absolutely charming area of low summits with a great network of paths – so there are many options for a walk straight out of the town. For those with only a couple of hours, the ascent of Winder, the hill straight behind the town, is a great option and gives stunning views down Garsdale and into Dentdale. If you’re looking for a full day’s walking, the 10-mile circuit taking in the Calf, the highest summit in the Howgills, Cautly Spout, the highest waterfall in England, and a lovely stretch of riverside walking along the Rawthey, is hard to beat.

We hope to soon be offering a new walking holiday route through the ‘Westmorland Dales’, with the option of staying in the Black Bull for a night in Sedburgh.

If you would like any more information about any of these walks or about our walking holidays in the Yorkshire Dales, please do get in touch.